418 
ME. E. J. KEED ON THE UNEQUAL DISTEIBUTION OF 
three sets of points thus obtained three curves have been drawn. The curve D D repre- 
sents the displacement or buoyancy, the curve H H represents the weight of hull, and 
the curve W W represents the total weight of hull and equipment. From this expla- 
nation it will be obvious that, by choosing a proper scale, the areas lying above the line 
A B, and enclosed by the various curves as well as by any two ordinates, may be taken as 
representatives of the buoyancy,. total weight, and weight of hull, respectively, for the 
corresponding part of the ship. Hereafter it will appear preferable to adopt the latter 
mode of representation, and in the various diagrams of a character similar to fig. 1 this 
plan is followed. 
These curves are not minutely accurate representations of the distribution of weight 
and buoyancy ; but for our present purpose they are sufficiently close approximations to 
such representations. Our chief interest centres in the comparison of the curve of 
buoyancy with the curve of total weight of hull and equipment ; but the curve H H of 
weight of hull has an interest attaching to it also, as it enables us to determine the 
straining- effect of the equipment, and to illustrate the importance of careful stowage of 
the weights carried. For the present I shall only make an examination of the distri- 
bution of the weight and buoyancy, and for this purpose shall compare the curves W W 
and I) D. These curves, it will be noticed, cross each other at four points marked R 1 , R 2 , 
R 3 , R 4 in fig. 1 ; at these stations the weight equals the buoyancy, and the ship is there 
“ water-borne.” Before the foremost water-borne section R 1 R 1 , which is 50 feet from 
the bow, the weight exceeds the buoyancy by 85 tons ; between this section and the 
water-borne section R' 2 R 2 next abaft it, a length of about 68 feet, the buoyancy exceeds 
the weight by 225 tons; between the two water-borne sections R 2 R 2 andR 3 R 3 , a length 
of 82 feet of the midship length (in which come the engines, boilers, and coals), the 
weight exceeds the buoyancy by 210 tons ; and from R 3 R 3 to R 4 R 4 , a length of 70 feet, 
the buoyancy exceeds the weight by 130 tons ; while abaft R 4 R 4 , which is 30 feet from 
the stern, the weight exceeds the buoyancy by 60 tons. These excesses and defects of 
buoyancy are graphically represented by the areas of the spaces enclosed by the two 
curves DDD and W W \Y between their various points of intersection. The hydro- 
statical conditions of equilibrium are, of course, satisfied by the distribution of the 
weight and buoyancy. 
These figures will show the vastly different condition of many modern steam-ships as 
compared with the older types of sailing-ships, which had an excess of weight only at 
the extremities. 
Some modern ships, however, have a distribution of weight and buoyancy similar in 
kind, although extremely different in degree, to that of their predecessors; and as an 
example of these I have taken the iron-clad frigate 4 Minotaur.’ This ship is armoured 
throughout the length, or, to use a more common phrase, is “ completely protected,” and 
may be considered a fair representative of extremely long fine ships so protected, with 
Y-shaped vertical transverse sections at the bow. Her length is 400 feet ; the heavy 
weights of engines, boilers, water, powder, and provisions are distributed over a consi- 
