[ 543 ] 
direction, and that to a confiderable diftance aftern. 
And, Thirdly, from the plate’s jumping from wave to 
wave, when their concavity is great, and diftance 
little. 
The firft may, in fome meafure, be helped, by ap- 
plying a loaded fly, of a proper fize, to the fpindle of 
the machine, which will prevent its flicking faft for 
a time, and then whirling round with great rapidity, 
as it is apt to do when the refiftance is great ; bv 
which means, the motion will be rendered more equal 
and uniform, as was juftly obferved to me by my 
friend Mr. Ellicott of this Society. 
Alfo, if the body of the machine were hung, equally 
poized, upon crofs-centres, like thofe ufed for fea- 
compafles, or in the manner of a fwivel-gun, as cap- 
tain Alexander Campbell well propofed ; the fpindle 
of the machine would readily place itfelf in the fame 
direction with the line that draws it, and thereby avoid, 
unneceflary fridtions from the oblique direction of the 
cord. 
The fecond may be heiped by placing the machine 
upon the end of a pole, faftened near the forecaftle, 
ever the fide of the fhip. By this means, a fhorter 
line will be neceflary, and the plate prevented from 
working in the more difturbed water at the ftern. 
Laftly, Its quitting the water, perhaps, might be 
helped by joining a ftiank of brafs, of fix inches long, 
and three-quarters of an inch diameter, to the fore- 
part of the plate, to which the cord muft be faftened, 
the ends of the ftiank being formed into a figure moft 
convenient for pafling thro the water with eafe. The 
weight of this will eaufe the fore-part of the plate to 
