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fcdlion of the former is to have as few points of cliredl 

 refiftance as poflible, that of tlie latter, it would feem, to pre- 

 fent as many ; mud it not then, to an unprejudiced obfervcr, 

 appear extraordinary that both parts fhould be compofcd of 

 fegments of circles, fcarccly a fuperficial fquare foot of the 

 largefl fhip's fide, below the water mark, lying perpendicular 

 to horizontal prelTure. The keel, in facl, with fome fmall ex- 

 tent of plain immediately above it fpringing from the bottom, 

 are trufted to for refiftance, and thefe are in moft cafes infuf- 

 ficient, few veflels, except frigates and others of extraordinary 

 length, being found to fail well upon a wind. 



An argument univerfally ufed by feamen and fliip-builders, 

 in fupport of the prefent conftruclion as to depth, is, that what 

 they technically call " a gripe of the water below the power 

 " of the furgc," is eflential in preventing vefTels from being 

 driven to leeward. — As this argument, if found, ftrikes diredlly 

 at the root of any improved fyftem founded on expanfion, it is 

 neceflary that it fhould not remain unanfwered. 



A GRIPE below the influence of the furge, if it mean any 

 thing, implies refiftance to the force of waves beating againft a 

 fliip's fide. Now fuppofing this refiftance poflible, the firft high 

 fea that fhould ftrike her on the beam, in a gale of wind, 

 would inevitably either overfet her or deftroy her by forcing 

 in her fide ; the fecurity therefore of fl^iips, in numbcrlcfs cafes 

 that conftantly occur, depends on their yielding to the force of 

 waves. Admitting however, for argument-fake, that, in ftorms, 



the 



