tdgcs frc 

 provements m 

 tails, &c. 



^^(^ 8AILS OF SHfPS. 



tally ; and ftiould the fail fplit in that diredioh, it would ftill 

 remain full, and be leCs liable to blow away altogether, which 

 is generally the cafe when a fail fplits in a vertical direftion. 

 Storm flay fails fet purpofely with the cloths horizontal, have 

 proved this beyond a doubt. 

 i-ti^ Many fearaen are loft every winter, by falling overboard 



^ ' from the yards while reefing the fails, as it is more dangerous 



and requires longer time to perform in a gale of wind, than 

 furling the fails, which is not fo often neceflary as reefing. 

 Other advan- Ships may fometimes avoid a lee fliore, by carrying a timely 



.m im- prefsof fail, and when in thai perilous fituation, in a gale of 

 wind, the fafely of the flirp may folely depend on the fails 

 being kept fet; though it may be neceflasy to reduce them ,- 

 eilher to fave them, or eafe the ftiip. The common fails 

 require to be. hauled up, to be reefed, at the rilk of fplitting 

 4hem, at a lime perhaps, when the (liip is in imminent danger^ 

 from the want of fea room ; and the beft feamen of the crew 

 mod be fent on the yards vviien they poffibly may be much 

 wanted on deck. 



Whole fleets are often caught by a fudden fiiift of wind, of 

 a lee fliore, thrown into confufion, and obliged immediately 

 to reef their fails, at the fame time the ftiips may require the 

 whole of their crews on deck, to attend the working of the 

 Ihip, to keep clear of each other ; particularly when it 

 happens in the night time, with the wind fqually and vari- 

 able. 



When fliips from foreign voyages, enter the Englifli or 

 Irifli channels, in the winter time, when the days are ftiort, 

 and the nights long, with weak or difabled crews, or men 

 not accuftomed to cold or froft, fuch as Lafcars, Negroes, &c. 

 it is with the greateft difficulty they can be prevailed on to 

 go aloft ; but fliould they get -on a lee fliore, which all fl)ips 

 are liable to, and with a helplefs crew, nothing can exceed 

 the horror of their fituation, fliould they not be able to pro- 

 portion their fail to the wind in time to fave the (hip. 

 Naval improTc- To facilitate the working of fliips, by the moll approved 

 losnts are of means, is an obied of greater confequence to a maritime 



great import- . ■' " ^ .' • i • . 



mice to the ftate. "at»on than many are aware or, even in a commercial pomt 

 of view. The little alteration that has been made in (hipping 

 for many years paft, (hews with what indifference attempts 

 -at improveooenis have been regarded^ many of which have 



been 



