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of constructing ships in the mercantile navy. 
vessels, be built of straight fir, without the assistance of oak 
or elm, which were formerly employed to give the necessary 
curvature of the sides. As it respects the general safety of 
the ship, it will be seen, by Fig. 5 and 6, PI. IX. X, that the 
timbers uniformly cross the keel ; that the frame of the ship 
is filled so as to form one compact body to the height marked 
K ; and that only certain internal strakes of plank, or thick- 
stuff, as it is termed, are introduced, which are those on the 
joints of the timbers, for the purpose of giving strength where 
every alternate timber necessarily joins, as shown at L (PI. X.) 
All the rest of the inner planking maybe omitted; and dun- 
nage battens, brought in a perpendicular direction, upon the 
timbers between the plank, as shown at M, forming regular 
spaces between each, as is usual at present upon the plank ; 
thereby giving an increase of stowage in proportion to the 
thickness of the plank omitted. Water courses, as shown by 
dotted lines at N, are to be left in the joints of the timber 
under the plank, for the purpose of conveying the water to 
the pumps ; which, by this plan, will reach below the water, 
instead of being some inches above, as is the case with the 
present mode, before described; consequently, by the pro- 
posed system, no stagnant water will remain ; and farther, 
the limber passage, or water course, will be one smooth, 
uniform channel, which can be cleared with ease, should it 
be required, whenever the hold is unstowed ; whereas at pre- 
sent it is inaccessible in places, and forms compartments for 
putrid water, without there being any means of removing it. 
It is obvious, that a ship on the principle I have here re- 
commended, may sustain the loss of certain planks of the 
bottom, and also the keel, ( which has frequently been found 
