304 MARITIME OBSERVATIONS. 
Bermudian. floops ftill keep with advantage to the old 
fpreading form. The iflanders in the great Pacific ocean, 
though they have no large fhips, are’ the moft expert boat- 
failors in the world, navigating that fea fafely with their 
proas, which they prevent overfetting by various means. 
Their failing proas for this purpofe have outriggers gene- 
rally to windward, above the water, on which one or 
more men are placed to move occafionally further from 
or nearer to the veflel as the wind frefhens or flackens. 
But fome have their outriggers to leeward, which refting 
on the water fupport the boat fo as to keep her upright. 
when prefled down by the wind. Their boats moved by 
oars or rather by paddles, are, for long voyages, fixed two 
together by crofs bars of wood that keep them at fome 
diftance from each other, and fo render’ their overfetting. 
next to impoffible. How far this may be practicable in: 
larger veflels, we have not yet fufficient experience. I 
know of but one trial made in Europe, which was about 
one hundred years fince by, Sir William Petty.. Hebuilt a 
double veflel, to ferve as a pacquet boat between England 
and Ireland. Her model ftill exifts in the mufeum of the: 
Royal Society, where I have feen it. By the accounts we: 
have of her, fhe anfwered well the purpofe of her con- 
ftruction, making feveral voyages; and though wrecked 
at laft by a ftorm, the misfortune did not appear owing 
to her particular conftruion, fince many other veflels of 
the common form were wrecked at the fame time. The 
advantage of fuch a veflel is: That fhe needs no ballaft, 
therefore {wime either lighter or will carry more goods; 
and that paffengers are not fo much: incommoded by her 
rolling: to which may be added, that if fhe is to defend 
herfelf by her cannon, they will probably have more ef- 
fet, being kept more generally in a horizontal pofition, 
than thofe in common veflels. I think however that it 
would be an improvement of that model, to make the fides: 
which 
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