STABILITY, PROPULSION, AND SEA-GOING QUALITIES OP SHIPS. 45 



and sea-going qualities of ships, and to the need of further experiments on 

 those subjects as a basis for the extension of theoretical investigation. 



A Committee, consisting of Mr. Bidder, Capt. Galtoit, Mr. F. Gaston, 

 Prof. E.ANKINE, Mr. Frotjde, and myself, was appointed for the purpose of 

 reporting on the state of existing knowledge on these subjects. At the re- 

 cent Meeting at Exeter this Committee presented a first Report, in which 

 they recommended certain experiments involving trials on too large a scale 

 to be undertaken by private individuals ; and the Association thereupon re- 

 appointed the Committee, and instructed them to apply to the Admiralty to 

 carry out the experiments suggested. 



I enclose six copies of the Report, and also an extract showing the expe- 

 riments actually recommended. 



"With regard to the general question, it is submitted that there is a great 

 want of exact experiments on vessels of which every particular is duly 

 known and recorded. The experiments will undoubtedly require that a 

 certain outlay should be incurred, and provided for in the estimates ; but it 

 is believed that even a considerable sum invested in this way would probably 

 economize much larger amounts, which would otherwise have to be spent in 

 the tentative design of ships and propellers. 



The Committee have indicated in their Report the class of experiments 

 which they consider to be immediately required. They have purposely ab- 

 stained from giving detailed proposals, both because they desire to avail 

 themselves of the immense experience of the naval advisers of the Admiralty 

 and of the unrivalled technical knowledge of the constructor's department, 

 and because the details must after all be settled with reference to the vessels 

 selected for, and the staff entrusted with, the experiments decided upon. 



If My Lords should be pleased to give a general assent to the proposal, it 

 appears to the Committee that the simplest plan would be for their Lordships 

 to appoint some of their officers to confer with the Committee of the Asso- 

 ciation, both as to the detail of the experiments and the best means of 

 carrying them out, and with regard to the pro\-ision which wiU be needed 

 for them in the estimates. 



The Committee wish it to be understood that they do not by any means 

 discourage experiments made by means of models, which can evidently bo 

 had in greater number and in larger variety at much less expense than on full 

 scale ; but they have (with the exception of Mr. Froude, whose reasons for 

 dissent are appended to the Report), on the whole, come to the conclusion 

 that the experiments which they have recommended tqion full-sized vessels 

 are those which at the present moment are most itrgently needed for the 

 advancement of the theory of the design of ships and the possibility of pre- 

 dicating their sea-going qualities, 



I have, &c., 



C. W. Meurifield. 



Admiralty, S.W. 

 Pth February, 1870, 



Sir, — With reference to your letter of the 2Sth September, 1869, I am 

 commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to inform you 

 that, after full consideration, they are unable to give a general assent to the 

 proposals of your Committee to conduct experiments upon Her Majesty's 

 ships in the fiords of Norway, or on the inland waters of the west coast of 

 Scotland ; but My Lords have been pleased to sanction certain experiments 

 upon models, to be conducted by Mr. Froude, a member of the Committee, 



