130 



—and the fore 

 »nd aft ribs 

 fcarped in a more 

 econnmical 

 method. 



Tke Economy 

 will rerriain a 

 few weeks at 

 the London 



Docks for in- 

 fpeftion. 



ON THE TORPEOO. 



method is fpjecified in my patent, and that I could alfo make a 

 great faving in the timber ufed in the fore and aft ribs, by a 

 method of fcarping them, alfo within the limits of my fpeci- 

 fication. Experience has fince convinced me of the fuperi- 

 orily of both thcfe methods, of which I had fome doubt when 

 1 built the Economy, or they ftiould have been ufed in her. 



It may feem paradoxical to aflert that iron is oftentimes 

 cheaper than wood in (hip building, when it can be ufed : but 

 a plain proof of this e^iifts in the bow of the Economy, of 

 which the three lower breafi-hooks are iron of confiderable 

 fubftance, and yetcoft lefs individually than any of tlie woode^^ 

 ones above them, though thefe are of no extraordinary girth, 

 or of much curvature. 



The Economy will be a few weeks in the London Docks, 

 where flie has now moved, for the infpection of the public, 

 and where all gentlemen who are interefled in (hipping con- 

 cerns may fee her conftru61ion ; and thofe who examined her 

 previous to her failing, may convince (hemfelves that I have 

 exaggerated nothing, as to the found fiafe in which (he has 

 returned from her tempeftuous voyage. 

 Dear Sir, 



Your very humble fervant, 



J. WHITLEY BOSWELL. 



Atir/'\ 



XIX. 



Experiments on the Torpedo. By Aleffrs. Humboldt and Gay 

 LussAC, ExtraSied from a Letter of M. Humboldt to M. 

 BerthoUet; dated Rome, 15 Ffudidor* Year 13 {Sept, 2, 

 , 1805.) 



Jl HE curious theory with which Volla has enriched the 

 fcience of natural philofophy, on the fubjtdl of eledlric fi(h 

 having betn received as aullienlic by many naturalifis, renders 

 the phenomenon of the Torpedo worii)y of farther invefiiga- 

 tion. You know, my dear friend, wliat was our impatience 

 to procure thefe fifh, and will perhaps be furprifed that fo 

 piuch time fliould elapfe without having heard from us on the 



* Annales de Chimie, Vol. LVI. 



fwbjea, 



