96 On Massey's Sounding Machine, 



they got true soundings in 175 fathoms of water, when by 

 the hand-lead they could scarce get ground : the vessel waar 

 -hove to immediately, and thev sounded by a correct hand- 

 kad and the machine, which agreed exactly. This operation 

 was used several times, and not the smallest error found." 

 Three days after Capt. Hope, of the Espoir, reported to Ad- 

 miral Montagu as follows : "Yesterday having a fresh breez-, 

 going at the rate of 8 knots, I obtained soundings frequently 

 from 30 to 33 fathoms, with 55 fathoms of line out, exactly 

 corresponding wilh the soundings laid down in the general 

 charts." It is to be observed that Captain Hope adds in 

 his letter to Mr. Massey, " at the same tiine the experiment 

 was made wiih the deep sea- lead, and found impracticable, 

 in consequence of the velocity wilh which the sloop was 

 going through the water." 



These official certificates were so strong, that the Navy 

 Board judged it expedient to recommend that further ex- 

 ptrinienls should be made on board the Channel fleet, then 

 under the command of the Earl St. Vincent. His lordship 

 when transmiuing the reports he bad received to the Board 

 says, " I had intended to have made further trial of the 

 sounding machine under the inventor's immediate inspec- 

 tion, in other of the detached squadrons from the fleet 

 under my command ; but the reports from Sir Charles Cot- 

 ton are 50 satisfactorij and decided, that unless you wish for 

 further information, I do not propose any longer to detain 

 that ingenious man from his family." On the 8th of 

 January 1807, Sir Charles Cotton writes: *' I have the ho- 

 nour to inclose for your lordships' information the several 

 reports on Mr. Ed. Massey's Patent Sounding Machine," 

 made to me by Captains Bedford (of the Prince cf Wales), 

 Lukin (of the Mars), and Neve (of the San Joseph) ; from 

 all of which it appears to be an invention of great utility 

 in navigation." The following extracts from the reports 

 of the above-mentioned captains must at once stamp the 

 value of the discovery. 



Capt. Bedford reports to Sir Charles, as follows: 

 ** Jn compliance with your directions, F have caused re- 

 peated trials of Mr. Edward Massev's Sounding Machine, 

 and, as far as I have seen, the cousiruction and principle 

 appear simple ; and I think it a discovery of the greatest 

 importance to navigalion. The ficplh of water is easily and 

 correctly ascertained (even if the t^bip be going six or seven 

 knots, in sixiv fathoms water) by affixing a second lead, 

 and preventing the line from being checked ; and should 

 you not succeed in gaining boltoni, you always ascertain 

 , ' the 



