ON THE MEASUREMENT OF SHIPS FOR TONNAGE. 46X 



" Thirdly. That undoubtedly there is a point beyond which ships cannot 

 be safely loaded. 



" Fourthly. That undoubtedly it would be desirable, if possible, to fix 

 limit to the degree to which ships may be loaded. 



" Fifthly. That as respects the draft of water at which ships leave port, 

 let the Board of Trade have, if it so please, properly authorized officers to 

 note and record the facts. 



" Sixthly. We should see with satisfaction a competent committee appointed 

 by Government, or by the British Association, with a view of ultimately, if 

 need be, acting on the Government, to take into consideration the foregoing 

 points." 



Such being the declaration of opinions expressed by the Editor of one 

 of our most popular periodicals devoted to science, in respect to the deficiencies 

 of our present system of statistical registration of tonnage, it is respectfully 

 submitted that good and sufficient cause is shown for the re-appointment and 

 further continued labours of the Committee on this subject; and that under 

 such indications of the pu'blic appreciation of the utility of such labours, 

 there can be no doubt of such amendments of the present system being 

 desired as will conduce to public good. 



It may be in the recollection of members, that at the meeting of the 

 British Association at Liverpool, in ISS-t, the recommendations of the 

 General Committee included one, " That it was expedient for the advance- 

 ment of naval architecture, that a portion of the intended museum at Liver- 

 pool should Ije appropriated to this subject." Little progress having been 

 yet made with the museum at that port, while the want of such an establish- 

 ment for the record and disposal of papers and models added to the difficulties 

 of the Committee of 1855, it is with satisfaction I have to state that such 

 difficulties may be considered removed for the future, by the considerate 

 offer of the Chairman of the Crystal Palace Company, Mr. Arthur Anderson, 

 to lend the Naval Gallery of the Palace in any manner that can aid the 

 objects of the Committee, or ventilate the subject. 



Considering that there are already collected at the Crystal Palace Naval 

 Gallery models of ships and steamers, fishing- boats and life-boats, both 

 English and foreign, ancient and modern, and that a comparison can be there 

 made of the rapid improvement in shipping and steam- vessels since the old 

 tonnage law was abandoned, the great desideratum being that on the six 

 points enumerated, the question shall be better understood ; and also the neces- 

 sity for the investigation and re-examination of our system of measurement 

 and registration ; and that vast advantages would thereby accrue to our mer- 

 cantile marine, it is hoped that this appeal to the British Association will not 

 be in vain. Andrew Henderson. 



Cheltenham, August 8, 1856. 



On Typical Forms of Minerals, Plants and Animals for Museums. 



Professor Henslow gave the results of the labours of the Committee 

 The lists which had at present been obtained had been printed in the last 

 volume of the ' Transactions.' They were still incomplete, but Prof. Henslow 

 hoped they would be complete for every department before the next meeting. 

 He exhibited some specimens of a new method of mounting mineral spe- 

 cimens. This consisted in placing them in any required position on a small 



