of the Sterns of Ships. 331 
sterns is more than compensated by the omission of transoms, 
sleepers, and useless decorations, as well as by a less projection 
of the sterns above water; and as the ships now have the same 
form below, and for some feet above the line of fluitation, they, 
consequently, have the same buoyancy abaft as those built 
according to the old plan. Their sea-going properties are, 
however, improved by the omission of quarter galleries, 
which acted as a back sail when the ships were going on a 
wind. 
But it may be said, these advantages appear to be feasible 
from analogy, but what direct proofs are there from experience 
that such are derived from the circular sterns? The answer to 
this is, the Owen Glendower, of 42 guns, was employed for 
rather more than two years on the South American station ; the 
Aurora frigate is now on that station; and the Ganges, of 84 
guns, has lately come from the East Indies ; all these ships have 
circular sterns, of which their commanders have spoken in the 
most favourable terms. The Ganges, on her passage home, 
encountered, off the Cape of Good Hope, a gale of wind, twenty- 
nine days in continuance, and “ although the ship was repeat- 
edly wore that she might be longer before the sea, which was 
tremendous,” to try the effects of the shape given to the sterns, 
“ she never threw the water into the ward-room, and not a 
spray ever wetted the stern-walk.” 
As the circular sterns have been examined as to all the essen- 
tial requisites in a ship of war, it remains to be seen how far they 
may be wanting in external appearance, or internal accommo- 
dation. It is difficult to separate the preconceived notion of 
what a ship was, from what she ought to be; and still more 
difficult to lay down a rule of what may be deemed beauty in 
naval architecture, for this at last must be arbitrary. M. Charles 
Dupin, speaking upon this point, considers beauty to consist in 
that which is the most fitting for its object, for he says, that 
stern only “ can be beautiful, when the appearance of its force 
shall command respect from the feelings of the enemy*.” If 
* “ Attaquons surtout ces fausses idées qui font entrer en balance avec 
la force réelle des batimens de guerre, de futiles et vains caprices de goit, 
d’ornement, de décoration, pour un édifice qui sera d’une beauté parfaite, 
