170 ' [Assembly 



Your agricultural report of 1818, I received, but none of a 

 later date has been received. I should be happy to receive the 

 following numbers or rather volumes. In the absence of a direct 

 opportunity, please to leave them with Messrs. Cook & Smith, 

 Wall-street, who will forward them to me. 



Your obedient servant, 



JUNIUS SMITH, LL. D. 



VExNTlLATlON. 



The committee appointed by the trustees of the American In- 

 stitute on the 3d day of May last, to whom was referred the sub- 

 ject of ventilation of steam vessels for river and sea navigation, 

 respectfully 



REPORT : 



That they have had the subject under consideration ; that they 

 have examined sundry steam-vessels in regard to their condition 

 in respect to ventilation. It appears that the close and crowded 

 condition of the sleeping apartments, and the consequent impu- 

 rities in the atmosphere of steamboats plying upon our rivers, 

 and the dangeious currents orcoid air to which tlicir passcL'gers 

 are exposed while heated or sleeping, are generally known and 

 are the subject of frequent complaiflt. But the full measure of 

 the evils and its influence on public health, are not sufficiently 

 appreciated. The universal discomfort, the frequent sickness and 

 occasional deaths thus induced, are regarded by competent medi- 

 cal observers as causing directly and remotely a larger amount 

 of mortality than is occasioned by the explosion of steam boilers. 



Abuses of a similar kind in vessels engaged in the exportation 

 of slaves from Africa in times past when that trade was permit- 

 ted, induced the Parliament of Great Britain to legislate on the 

 subject. It limited the number of slaves so that each one was 

 allowed at least a space equal to his length and his breadth 6d. 

 the floor of the vessel. Moreover, Avhen the slave trade was re- 

 gulated, traders were permitted to carry only three slaves for 



