An ExtraSl 
Of a Letter^ Written from Holland, about Preferving of 
Ships from being Worm-eaten. 
This Extrail ij borrowed from the Frenchjournal des Scmvani 
of Feh, I f . 1666. and is here infertedj to excite Inventive 
heads //£r^, to overtake the Propofer in The letter 
runs thus: 
Although you have vifited our Port (^jimjlerdam ) I know, 
not whether you have noted the ill condition, our fliips are in, 
that return from the Indies,. There is in thofc Seas a kind of 
fmall worms^ that fatten themfelvcs to the Timber of the fliips, 
and fo pierce them, that they rake water every where ; or if 
they do not altogether pierce them thorow, they fo weaken 
the wood, that it is almoft impoffible to repair them. VVe 
have atprcfent a Man here^ that pretends to have found m 
admirable fecret to remedy this evil. That, which woddi 
render this fecret the more important,is,that hitherto very ma- 
ny ways have been ufed to effed: it, but without fuccefs. Some 
ilave imployed Deal, Hair and Lime,a^^. and therewith lined" 
their fiiips-butjbefides that this does not altogether affright the 
worms^it retards much the fhips Qomk.ThQ Fortugals [covch.^ 
their fliips, infomuch that in the quick works there is made a 
Goaly cruft of about an Inch thick. But as this is dangerous, 
it happening not feldomj that the whole veflTel is burnt ; {o 
the reafon why worms eat not thorow Portugal fliips, is con- 
ceived to be theexceedjng hardqefs of the Timber^^ employ* 
cdby then;i»:,f , ' ' '\ 
We exped: with impatience the ©ature and effed of this Pro- 
pofition. Many have already ventured to give their thoughts 
concerning it. Some fay, there needs no more, but to build 
Ships of afearder kind of Wood, than the ufual. Others ha- 
ving obferved, that thefe Worms faflen not to a kind of wild 
i;2/3^wi Pear-tree, which is highly bitter, do thereupon fug- 
