64 Suggestions for the better Ventilatioti of 



cannot be attained unless fresh air is admitted from above.* 

 When air is made to enter the openings between the timbers 

 below the hatches., as is now done, it must be useless when the 

 latter are put on, as must be obvious to the most cursory 

 observer. Admit, however, the external air, as proposed, and 

 whether hatches were secured down, or side-ports closed, in 

 whatever state of weather, there would be pure air conveyed 

 to the inmates below ; and although in some cases this mode 

 of ventilation might be imperfect, yet it possesses the advan- 

 tage of being always in operation, requiring neither attention 

 nor labour, nor incurring expense. To make it more com- 

 plete in winter, the external air openings would require to be 

 provided with means for regulation. 



Were it necessary to attain a greater certainty of perfect ven- 

 tilation, at all times and in all climates, recourse may then be 

 had for increasing the circulation to the plan I have alluded 

 to, of artificial suction by heat ; and instead of allowing the 

 foul air to escape upwards from the tubes or pipes, the air 

 might be collected from these into one horizontal trunk, and 

 conveyed to the galley. 



In iron-built ships, and in all vessels where there are no in- 

 terstices between the timbers or ribs, or where these cannot 

 be made use of, iron, copper, lead, or zinc pipes may be sub- 

 stituted instead. Nor would the space these occupy form any 

 obstruction or ground of objection, as the air -pipes could be 

 made flat or square, keeping the line of the inner wall of the 

 ship. By some such simple arrangements as these, I can hard- 

 ly doubt very considerable improvements would be effected 

 generally in the ventilation of ships, and the obstacles to the 

 permanent use of any machine, however perfect, in sailing ves- 

 sels, must make the view I here take of it more important. It 

 can, however, only be brought about by shipowners and others 

 giving encouragement to the combination or incorporation 

 of ventilating arrangements with the construction of ships, 



* The advantage of conveying air directly downwards from the upper deck, 

 has been recently fully established in the Apollo Troop Ship from China (and 

 one or two other instances), whose merely small openings at the gunwales, with 

 lids to shut down in wet weather, are made use of. How easily might this prin- 

 ciple be extended, and rendered most efficient, as above described ! 



