PHILOSOPHICAL 
TRANSACTIONS. 
VIII. On a new principle of constructing ships in the mercantile 
navy . By Sir Robert Seppings, F. R. S. 
Read March 9th, 1820. 
So deeply is this country in particular interested in whatever 
may tend to give additional safety to the number of persons, 
and the immense sums of money employed in commerce, that 
I trust I shall stand excused for again bringing to the notice 
of the Royal Society, the subject of the construction of ships. 
The description of vessels of which I am now about to treat, 
are those employed in our mercantile service, in the con- 
struction of which, the imperfections are such as on a close 
examination will, I conceive, leave but little doubt that lives 
and property to an immense amount, must, from time to time, 
have been sacrificed by the present injudicious mode of con- 
structing these ships ; and under that impression I have pre- 
sumed to lay this paper before the Society. 
And first, as to the principle on which mercantile ships are 
at present built, and particularly as regards the putting 
MDCCCXX. T 
