S58 



ANNUAL RECISTER, 1805. 



cumstanccs have b^en atfendi-d to in 

 the construction of the Gemini, 

 though (hey were iioglected in 

 the first boat made on this plan, 

 wliich had no shear at a!i, and was 

 much too short in proportion to its 

 treadth. 



The sails most proper for this 

 kind of vessel, arc those of a lifting 

 nature ; or which, by having some 

 inclination to the horizon when 

 filled by the wind, tend to raise the 

 vessel : of those in common use, 

 there seems none better calculated 

 for this purpose than the triangular 

 latine sails used in the feluccas of 

 the Mediterranean, whicli are also 

 of the same nature as those of tlie 

 flying proas : and if one of these 

 sails were formed so that the two 

 sides opposite the yard M'cre of 

 equal length, by merely basiling 

 down the elevated end of the yard, 

 and thereby raising the other end, 

 the vessel at once might, be put on 

 the different tack, so as to go with 

 that end foremost which before wiis 

 aft. The use of the equality of 

 sides of tlie sail mentioned, is that 

 either side may serve indiil'ercntly in 

 the place of (he other without alter- 

 ing the position of the yard on the 

 mast. 7\ not her species of lifting- 

 sail, much more po\\erfui than this 

 for the purpose, is, however, kuo^vn 

 to the author of this communica- 

 tion, which there is not room to 

 describe here. 



There does not seem to beany 

 peculiar advantage either in the 

 number or po.'-ition of the masts in 

 Sir ^ydney's boats ; the chief use of 

 numerous masts, and the conse- 

 quent number of sails, is that each 

 sail may not exceed a manageable 

 size, but this in small vessels can 

 have no importance. It appears 

 tbcrij that two masts, placed as 



usual in the fore and afi central Imic 

 of these vessels, would be fully suf- 

 ficient for them. 



Though for vessels of this kind, 

 formed on boats, ahd in such seas aS 

 ihi'. best constructed boats are sup- 

 posed fit to encounter, the framing 

 of the platform may be sufficiently 

 strong with a single series of beams 

 to connect the two hulls together. 

 Yet, for sustaining such dreadful 

 tempests as are recorded to have 

 been experienced by the Woodcot 

 Indiaman in ITQ."), and most old sea- 

 men have witnessed, neither the 

 sire of the vessels, nor the mode of 

 connecting them, would afibrd ade- 

 quate strength : for a single row of 

 beams cannot be made to resist the 

 twisting motion they would cx- 

 jierience when the htads or sterns 

 of the bearing-boats were violently 

 in)]H'lled in different directions, ver- 

 tically, by the impetuous motion of 

 the waves. 



The author of this communica- 

 tion, esteeming it a matter of con- 

 sequence to the country, that vessels 

 of such admirable properties shoulct 

 be made fit for any service or any 

 seas, lakes this opportunity of sta-' 

 ting, that double-hulled vessels mav 

 be made of a proper size to perforin 

 the longest voyages, and of any re- 

 quired strength, by adopting, in par-, 

 ticular parts, the same pi-inciples of ■ 

 framing on which the ship J"',et)nomy 

 was built under his direction ; aijil 

 that he has no doubt he could con- ^• 

 vince any gentleman of the truth of ' 

 this assertion, who siionld desire to 

 have a vessel built in this manner. 

 Vessels of this kind, of a large size, 

 should of course not depend on a 

 single series of beams to unite them, 

 but should have two series of beams' 

 at least, one over the Other, with a 

 space between each scries not less 



thani' 



