AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 615 



average of the standing rigging is placed above the centre of 

 buoyancy, must naturally increase the stability and particularly 

 the steadiness of a ship. And tlie comparison will hold good in 

 smaller classed vessels, as in an eighty ton yacht the saving would 

 be about .5 of a ton. 



Another point I would offer in its favor, but one however, in 

 my experience with nautical gentlemen, I find there is an unusual 

 difference of opinion, is that while some maintain the greater the 

 elasticity the better; others hold that the less elastic the rigging, 

 the better display the vessel has for her sailing qualities. The 

 question I think has been clearly settled in favor of the latter, 

 in the published experiments made by Messrs. Newall & Co. of 

 London, when well seasoned hemp and wire shrouds, of equivalent 

 strengths, under strains equal to one-third that which would 

 break them, or more than they are usually exposed to. 



These experiments show that while the stretch or permanent 

 lengthening of the wire rigging is nothing compared with that of 

 hemp, the difference in spri7iginess is not more than one inch in 

 favor of hemp in the largest shrouds ; practically therefore, the 

 less elasticity of wire rope can be of no importance. And again 

 by the use of turnbuckle secures at the ends of shrouds and stays, 

 in place of lanyards and dead eyes, the slackening or tightening 

 is accomplished with much greater facility and readiness, saving 

 thereby a great deal of labor. 



It has sometimes been suggested by those who have not given 

 duo reflection to the subject, whether there was not more danger 

 from lightning in using wire rope than in using hemp rope; 

 whereas, if the bulwark irons holding the shrouds are extended 

 to the copper, every wire* shroud will become a lightning con- 

 ductor, as may also be the case with the stays, so that the vessel 

 is rendered perfectly proof against lightning. 



For our naval vessels especially, wiie rope is decidedly prefer- 

 able, not more on account of its greater safety from fire than from 

 the enemy's shot; and these two points alone should be of suflGl- 

 cient importance to call for a careful consideration of the subject 

 on the part of our naval bureau of construction. 



Here our English friends are in advance of us, its introduction 

 having been made in the Royal navy over fifteen years ago, and 

 its adoption steadily followed both in the navy and by the mer- 

 cantile marine service, down to the present time. The steamers 

 " Bosphorous," " Himalaya," "Pazana," "Orinoco," "Bengal," 



