USEFUL PROJECTS. 



855 



j4r:ounf of /he ilouhlc Boa^s bunt bi) 

 the Dirccliun of Sir SydncjS.niih; 

 tlhc Nature and Properties of this 

 Specie ^.ofKmsfls.Mtf hod of build' 

 ing larger of th;: Kind, ixi/k suf- 

 Jicieul Strength, and of thofe of 

 similar Comlrudion fonnerlj/buili. 

 BijMr.J. fV. Boizccll. 



, Tlie boats built by tiiicction of 

 Sir Sydney Smith have excited some 

 curiosity; their coustrtictioii is so 

 ditterent from wliat is usual in this 

 part of the world, that a multitude 

 of strange conjectures arecrery day 

 formed of their use and design, it 

 is therefore imagined^ that the fol- 

 lowing account of thesa boats, and 

 their propertie.-, and of other vessels 

 of a similar n;;ture, will not be un- 

 acceptable to our readers. 



'] he first double boat built for 

 Sir Sydney Smith, consists of two 

 of the common Thariics-wherries, 

 united by a stage or ])iatfonn laid 

 over them, of about twenty feet 

 breadih. The wherries were raised 

 one streak to reccjye this stage, 

 whicfi IS formed of pieces of scant- 

 ling, about si.\ inches hy three in 

 thickness, laid across the boats, anii 

 firmly secured to them, upon v/hich 

 ^ deck is afterwards laid down. 

 lieyond this stage the boats project 

 about five feet at either end ; which 

 parts are also decked over, and the 

 V hole made wafer-tight above. 

 Long narrow hatchways open into 

 each wherry. 'I'lieir heads and 

 sterns are connected by cross pieces, 

 and each is furnished with two 

 masts, so that the double boat car- 

 ries four masts in all ; on which 

 sprit-sails are used, for (he greater 

 Convenience of reversing the direc- 

 tion of the vessel without putting 

 itbout, cither cud being formed so 



as to go foremost at pleasure with 

 equal facility. 



Two other vessels have been since 

 built on this plan, on a larger scale, 

 caliel tiie Gemini atid the Jancer. 

 1 he stages or platforms of these 

 boats are not so broad v.i prupur- 

 tion as that of the first, fhe 

 Gemini has also her two supporting 

 boats formed with the internal side 

 of each perpendicular, and straight, 

 so fliat each resembles half of a 

 boat, divided lengthways, vertically.. 

 The shear of the latter boats is also 

 much greater than that of the first, 

 their extremities being considerably 

 higher than their decks. The 

 Gemini has four masts, the Cancer 

 it is said has not more than two. 

 They are each furnished with a small 

 gun. placed on the middle of the 

 platform, and arc fitted with a suit- 

 able number of oars, to be used in 

 calm weather. 



Sir Sydney's particular destina= 

 tjon for these boats is not m.idc pub- 

 lic, nor would it be proper to in- 

 vestigate this subject ; but the na- 

 ture and prop 'ititi tjf vessels of this 

 kind depending on their construe-, 

 tion, require ho communication of 

 secret intelligence to point them out, 

 and are as follows. 



The chief advantages of double- 

 hulled vessels are, first, the great 

 velocity witji which they may be 

 made to sail. This arises from two 

 circumstances : first, their great ex- 

 tension of breadth gives them such a 

 bearing as removes all danger of 

 oversetting from press of sail ; and, 

 secondly, this same circumstance 

 renders it uniiecussary to curry any 

 ballast, by which the vessel will b« 

 so much lighter, draw the les« 

 water, and of course make less re- 

 sistance. 

 3 14 tte 



