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the akeratioa In the fliape of their fides and bows, which I 

 have ah-eady faid is neceilary, in order to render thefe improve- . 

 ments pradlicable. 



Were the length of the keel even fo far extended as that it 

 flioTild reach two perpendicular lines dropped from the ex- 

 treme points of a Ihip's upper deck, the increafe of gripe 

 would be prodigious, and the additional expenfe trifling. A 

 flieer or proje(51:ion abaft is imqueftionably beautiful ; but it is 

 of no ufe, and the eye would foon become reconciled to an 

 upright flern. The flieer, however, might be given with any 

 length of keel, where expenfe fliould be difregarded, unlefs it 

 fliould be thovtght, which I am rather inclined to believe, that 

 a very long veflel would be w eakened by it, for the ftrain 

 upon a fliip's centre is in fadl refilled more by the binding of 

 her upper planks and timbers than by the ftrength of her keel. 

 The expenfe of this increafe of length, together with that 

 attending the increafed breadth of the veflfel, would nearly be 

 paid by the faving caufed by the redu6lion of her depth. 



The alteration in the form of the fides and bows iieeds a 

 few words more of explanation. 



The efFedl to be expelled from a flat fide is exemplified in 

 an ingenious contrivance ufed to fupply want of depth in 

 Dutch veflels of various defcriptions ; and I cannot give a more 

 corredl idea of the improvement in this refpedl I wifli to 

 recommend, than by faying that the fide of a fliip, below the 



water 



