•Mr. Major's Analysis of British and Foreign Ships of War. 41 



It may be observed that tan i(M on M') = -J^^|— J •*. the 



planes h and c are produced by the same kind of decrement. 



The index of ordinary refraction for yellow rays is 1 "558. I 



obtained the crystals by dissolving the common sesquicarbo- 



nate in water, in a strong well-corked bottle, at a temperature 



of about 130° Fahr., and permitting the solution to cool slowly. 



Yours, &c. W. H. Miller. 



VIII. Analysis of British and Foreigti Ships of War. By Mr. 



M.AJ OR, fo7-7uerly of the School of Naval Architecture*. 

 T N exhibiting the following calculations to the notice of per- 

 *- sons conversant with naval affairs few observations are re- 

 quired, with regard to their utility or importance; as the 

 value of such tables is obvious, and their national importance 

 will be readily acceded to. The facilities which the Honour- 

 able Navy Board granted me for the execution of an exten- 

 sive plan of calculations, which I had the honour to submit for 

 the benefit of the navy in October 1821, have been the means 

 which have enabled me to compute the analyses here given. 

 A description of this proposition may be found in the Annals 

 of Philosophy for Nov. 1825. The particulars relative to the 

 Ordnance and Victualling Office departments have been ob- 

 tained directly from the respective establishments, and com- 

 puted from official documents, in consequence of requests from 

 the Navy Board for that purpose ; those relating to accounts 

 kept at the Navy Office, Dock-yards, and School of Naval Archi- 

 tecture at Portsmouth, are also derived immediately from these 

 establishments, and are of the most authentic nature. 



To Dr. Inman, the Professor of the Royal Naval College 

 and School of Naval Architecture, it is due to me to say, that 

 while at Portsmouth in 1 822, in prosecution of the plan, the 

 work was much promoted by him, and that he afforded me 

 considerable facilities for effecting the object. I have also to 

 acknowledge the liberality of J. Knowles, Esq. F.R.S., of the 

 Navy Office, in giving me his advice and allowing me free ac- 

 cess to many valuable and scarce works in his marine library. 



As naval architecture has not been long cultivated in this 

 country after the liberal manner of the sciences, by general and 

 public investigation — without which no branch of knowledge is 

 promoted with certainty, — complete calculations of all descrip- 

 tions of ships are not to be expected : but it is hoped it will be 

 allowed, that all that could have been looked for iti this case 

 has been done ; especially when it is remembered that the 



• Communicated by the Author. 

 N. S. Vol. G. No. 31. July 182<J. G consideration 



