1824.] Col. Beaufoy on the Construction oj Vessels. 265 



that the shape of vessels can be advantageously altered, until 

 the improvement is founded on the solid basis of experiment. 

 Then, and not before, constructors will be able to give satisfac- 

 tory reasons for adopting one form in preference to another. 



To place in a conspicuous point of view the various opinions 

 which writers on naval subjects entertain respecting the resist- 

 ance of water, I will commence with the remarks of Monsieur 

 Romme, Correspondent de l'Academie des Sciences de Paris, 

 et Professeur-Royal de Navigation des Eleves de la Marine. 

 This gentleman, in the year 1787, published a quarto book on 

 naval affairs ; and therein states, that the resistance a vessel 

 meets when sailing is almost independent of the form of the 

 bow ; the impulse of the water being the same, provided the 

 greatest vertical section remains unaltered. And this theory is 

 represented as confirmed by experiment, made with two models 

 of a seventy-four gun ship ; one model had the bow formed in 

 the usual manner with curved lines ; the other had a similar 

 midship bend, but the bow consisted of strait lines ; yet not- 

 withstanding this great dissimilarity of shape, both were equally 

 resisted when moving with equal celerity. M. Romme could 

 not discover that these models experienced more or less resist- 

 ance when either the stern or bow went foremost ; nor was any 

 alteration effected when the vessels were cut in two, and the 

 head of one joined to the tail of the other. 



Mr. Stalkartt, in his Treatise on Ship Building, recommends 

 the segment of a circle as best adapted for dividing the water; 

 and others prefer the parabola. Such contrariety of opinions 

 only prove how little we know on the subject; and the import- 

 ance of establishing some more correct rule for drawing the 

 water-lines of vessels, than the mere fancy of the draughtsman. 



The tonnage of the Royal navy in round numbers may be 

 estimated at 450,000 ; the expense of building, taking one 

 vefasel with another at 20/. per ton; the value of all at nine mil- 

 lions. To the expense of the hulls must be added the cost of 

 the masts, yards, sails, cordage, and many other et ceteras, 

 requisite for the equipment ; this doubles the amount, making 

 18,000,000 for the primary sum laid out on men of war. The 

 durability of the ships in time of peace may be now calculated 

 at 14 years; during war at 10 years; the average is 12 years; 

 consequently . 1,500,000/. of money is annually expended in 

 keeping these bulwarks of the nation in an efficient state. 



Every one will assent that the construction of such costly 

 machines should, in the first instance, be as perfect as possible ; 

 hence arises the question, how, and at what expense, is so desir- 

 able an end to be accomplished.' The increase of-j^^th part 

 of the annual expenditure, would secure this point; for the 

 application of the comparatively small sum of 1000/. in making 



