[ 457 ] 
into the Tea, the waves might be To much depreffed 
and leffened before they reached the fhore as to abate 
the height and violence of the furff, and permit a 
landings which, in fuch circumftances, was a point 
of fufficient importance to juibify the expence of the 
oil that might be requifite for the purpofe. That 
•gentleman, who is ever ready to promote what may 
be of public utility, though his own ingenious .in- 
ventions have not always met with the countenance 
they merited, was fo obliging as to invite me 
to Portfmouth, where an opportunity would pro- 
bably offer, in the courfe of a few days, of making 
the experiment on fome of the fhores about Spit- 
head, in which he kindly propofed to accompany 
me, and to give affiftance with fuch boats as might 
be neceffary. Accordingly, about the middle of 
October laff, I went with fome friends to Ports- 
mouth ; and a day of wind happening, which made 
a lee-fhore between haslar hospital and thePoint 
near jillkecker, we went from the Centaur with 
the long-boat and barge towards that fhore. Our 
difpofition Was this : the long-boat was anchored 
about a quarter of a mile from the fhore ; part of 
the company were landed behind the Point (a place 
more fheltered from the fea) who came round and 
placed themfelves oppofite to the long-boat, where 
they nvight obferve the furff, and note if any change 
occurred in it, upon ufing the oil. Another party, 
in the barge, plyed to windward of the long-boat, 
as far from her as fhe was from the fhore, making 
trips of about half a mile each, pouring oil con- 
tinually out of a large done-bottle, through a hole 
in the cork, fomewhat bigger than a goofe-quilh 
Vol. LXIVh N n n The 
