Observations on the Circular Sterns of Ships* 357 
be answered, that there are to be guns in all these parts, (which 
I believe is not to be the case), the weight of the extreme will 
be so great, that I fear even Sir Robert Seppings’ system of 
building will not be strong enough to withstand it. A vessel’s 
sailing would be materially injured ; she would be laboursome 
in the sea ; and, as I before stated, the stern would be so crowd- 
ed, that there would be an impossibility of working the guns. 
I remember trying, on board one of the round sterned frigates 
(whose name I forget) at Woolwich, what scope the guns would 
embrace ; and so far from being able to take so great a range as 
is represented by the dotted lines in Mr Harvey’s diagram, it 
would be difficult for the after-gun on the broad-side to fight 
directly abeam ; and I am perfectly convinced that it would be 
impossible to fire a gun through the quarter-gallery port, in the 
direction of D H in the following diagram. It may be ob- 
served, in inspecting the 6 diagrams intended to illustrate Mr Har- 
vey’s arguments, that, in the representation of the square stern, 
the space is left that would be necessary for the size of the gun, 
and to prevent its being wooded. But some of the dotted lines 
in fig. 1. actually touch the bulwark. I should hardly conceive 
this to be a fair representation ; nay, it almost looks like pre- 
judice ; of which both Mr Harvey and Mr Knowles complain 
in all those who are opposed to this system ; yet is it not more 
likely that there should be many, (in a country already grateful 
for the many benefits Sir Robert Seppings has conferred on it), 
equally prejudiced in favour of this method ; and it must be re- 
membered, that though many look with caution on innovations, 
there are still many others equally eager for novelties and fancied 
improvements. 
The opinion of Mr Dupin is quoted by Mr Harvey. “ Act 
contrary,” says this enlightened author, u to what has hitherto 
been the practice ; and if possible make the means of defence of 
that part most exposed ten times as great as it now is.” This 
argument has not equal weight with us, as the stern of a Bri- 
tish man-of-war, is not the part most exposed. 
Thus I am led to conclude, that the method of building is 
very good ; but still that the stern should be as nearly square as 
this method of building will allow. 
