the Stability of Ships. 307 
the masts are endangered ; or those angular oscillations of the 
ship shall be performed round an axis situated so much beneath 
the water's surface, that the motion of rolling shall be excessive 
and laborious. It is the proper use of theory, or right principle, 
whencesoever derived, so to adapt the means to the end pro- 
posed, that the required stability shall be imparted, without 
producing inconveniences of any kind, or such only as are 
unavoidable, and are the least prejudicial: the same observa- 
tion applies to the other qualities of vessels. By duly com- 
bining the whole, ships are constructed so as to fulfil the pur- 
poses of navigation. 
R r 2 
