356 Experiments on the Stability of [Nov 



confined, acts as ballast, as a lump of ice would, on the suppo- 

 sition that ice and water were of the same specific gravity. 



Experiment the third, in which the holes of the well are 

 opened, and the water, when the vessel is inclined, permitted 

 to escape, gives a very different result. The vessel in this case 

 becomes more and more deficient in stability as the inclination 

 increases, because the water escapes to windward ; which pro- 

 duces the same effect as if so much ballast was placed on the 

 lee side : therefore, to insure the safety of the vessel, by pre- 

 venting it from oversetting, the well-deck must be as much 

 depressed as is equal to the greatest inclination the vessel may 

 receive by the pressure of sail ; but. as in many cases the capa- 

 city of the well would be too much diminished by placing the 

 well-deck so low down, the escape of the water might be pre- 

 vented by internal valves, which would close of their own accord 

 by the action of the fluid when running out. These valves 

 could with facility be kept open by a line, one end being fas- 

 tened to the valve, and the other end coming on the deck ; by 

 this means the water contained in the well could be shifted for 

 the preservation of the fish. The advantages of a well, it is 

 conceived, might be usefully employed on many occasions : for 

 instance, if a boat on shore is immediately wanted, and ballast 

 requisite, it is evident it must be put on board either before the 

 boat is launched, or afterwards ; if before, it becomes heavy, 

 and difficult to move ; if after, time is lost ; but not so with a 

 well ; for in this case time will be saved, as the boat will take in 

 its ballast whilst under sail : in this case the aperture may be 

 made through, or by the side of, the keel, (as it matters not in 

 what part of the body the orifice is made,) and stopped with a 

 plug, when the well is filled. This plug-hole through the well- 

 deck will suffer the air to escape while the well is filling, and by 

 its insertion both holes closed. As I am on this subject, a 

 thought has struck me which may be deemed worthy of consi- 

 deration by the Public Boards connected with the naval depart- 

 ment ; that if the orlop deck of a 74-gun ship were made water- 

 tight, and if by accident the ship got aground, or by any other 

 cause sprung a dangerous leak, I have no doubt if the hatches 

 were battened down, and otherwise well secured, it would swim 

 by this deck, and have considerable stability, by which the live? 

 ©f the crew, and the materials of the ship, would be saved. 



