194 



REFORT 1860. 



Your Committee, having re-elected Admiral Moorsom to be their Chair- 

 man, beg leave to present the following Report : — 



They have held monthly meetings, with intermediate meetings of sub- 

 Committees appointed to carry out in detail matters referred to them by the 

 General Committee. The Committee regret that they were deprived of the 

 services of one of their members, Mr. Charles Atherton, at an early stage of 

 the present inquiry, his public duties preventing his attending. 



They have been assisted by Corresponding Members ; noblemen and gentle- 

 men, who, not being members of your Association, were not, by its rules, 

 eligible as members of your Committee. Some of them, however, being 

 owners of steam yachts, and others intimately acquainted with all matters 

 relating to steam shipping, their cooperation was considered very essential, 

 as introducing to the Committee gentlemen, not only capable of dealing with 

 the subjects of this inquiry, but who also had it in their power to place in 

 the hands of the Committee, materials, which, it is confidently hoped, will 

 eventually lead to a correct and scientific knowledge of the laws governing 

 economic Steam-Ship Performance. 



The Corresponding Members so elected were: — 



Capt. William Moorsom, R.N. (since 



deceased). 

 Mr. John Elder. 

 Mr. David Rowan. 

 Mr. J. E. Churchward. 

 Mr. Thomas Steele. 



Lord Clarence Paget, M.P., C.B., &c. 



Lord Alfred Paget, M.P. 



Lord John Hay, M.P. 



The Hon. L. Agar Ellis, M.P. 



The Earl of Gifford, M.P. 



The Marquis of Hartington, M.P. 



Viscount Hill. 



It will be within the recollection of the Association that the labours of this 

 Committee last year were almost exclusively devoted to explaining to the 

 various shipping companies and others with whom they were in correspond- 

 ence, the objects proposed, and suggesting such forms as, if accurately filled 

 in, would accomplish the purposes contemplated by the British Association. 

 Log-books were prepared, and copies furnished to the leading Steam Packet 

 Companies. 



At their first meeting the Committee took into consideration the manner 

 in which the grant of money placed at their disposal by the Association could 

 be most judiciously applied, and after mature consideration it was unani- 

 mously resolved : — 



" That to procure information from shipbuilders and engineers, it is found 

 to be indispensable to hold personal intercourse with them, without which 

 little progress is likely to be made." 



The Honorary Secretary was accordingly deputed to wait upon the prin- 

 cipal Shipbuilders, Engineei"s, and Steam Shipping Companies in London 

 and its vicinity, to explain the objects of the Committee, and to solicit their 

 cooperation by furnishing the Committee with authenticated returns of the 

 sea performances of vessels, as well as of their trial trips. 



In this your Committee are happy to report that (hey have succeeded. All 

 to whom application was made expressed concurrence in the objects of your 

 Committee, and their willingness to render every information in their power. 

 The great difficulty was to make a suitable selection of vessels as examples 

 of ordinary performance in the mercantile navy. Press of business, and 

 perhaps want of thoroughly understanding the aims of the Committee, induced 

 them to throw the whole labour of making these returns upon the Committee. 

 The log-books for a number of years, and any documents the Committee 

 desired to see, were freely placed at their service; but the time required to 



