S C H A N C K. 
7G5 
enabled to carry as much sail, and keep up to the wind, by 
having their keels descend to a greater depth; and that the 
flat side of the keel, when presented to the water, would 
even make them able to spread more canvas, and hold the 
water better, than on a construction whereby they present 
only the circular surface of the body to the wave.” Mr. 
Schanck immediately coincided in this opinion; and added, 
“ That if this deep keel were made moveable, and to be 
screwed upwards into a trunk, or well, formed within the 
vessel, so that, on necessity, she might draw little water, all 
these advantages might be obtained.” Accordingly, in 
1774, he built a boat for Lord Percy, then at Boston ; and 
she was found to answer all his expectations. 
After many years’ application, in consequence of a fa¬ 
vourable report from the Navy Board, two vessels were at 
length ordered to be built at Deptford, of thirteen tons each, 
exactly similar in all respects, in regard to dimensions ; one 
being formed on the old construction, and the other flat- 
bottomed, with three sliding keels. In 1790, a comparative 
trial took place, in the presence of the Commissioners of the 
Navy, on the river Thames, each vessel having the same 
quantity of sail; and although the vessel formed on the old 
model had lee-boards, a greater quantity of ballast, and two 
Thames pilots on board, yet Captain Schanck’s beat her, to 
the complete satisfaction of all present, one half the whole 
distance sailed. 
This experiment proved so satisfactory, that a king’s cutter 
of 120 tons was immediately ordered to be constructed on 
the same plan ; and Captain Schanck was requested to su¬ 
perintend her completion. This vessel was launched at Ply¬ 
mouth, in 1791, and named the Trial. 
“ The bottom of the vessel,” says Captain Schanck, in a 
paper on the subject, “ should be formed quite flat, and the 
sides made to rise perpendicularly from it, without any cur¬ 
vature, which would not only render her more steady, as 
being more opposed to the water, in rolling, but likewise 
more convenient for stowage, &c., while the simplicity of 
the form would contribute greatly to the ease and expedition 
with which she might be fabricated. Though diminishing 
the draught of water is, ceteris paribus, undoubtedly the 
the most effectual method of augmenting the velocity with 
which vessels go before the wind, yet as it proportionally 
diminishes their hold of water, it renders them extremely 
liable to be driven to leeward, and altogether incapable of 
keeping a good wind. This defect may, however, be reme¬ 
died in a simple and effectual manner, by proportionally 
augmenting the depth of the keel, or as so large a keel would 
be inconvenient on many accounts, proportionally increas¬ 
ing their number, &c. Thus, then, it appears, that a vessel 
drawing eight feet water only, keels and all, may be made 
to keep as good a wind, or be as little liable to being driven 
to leeward, as the sharpest-built vessel of the same length, 
drawing fourteen, nay twenty, or upwards; and if a few 
more keels are added at the same time, that she would be 
little more resisted in moving the line of the keels than a ves¬ 
sel drawing six feet water only. These keels besides would 
strengthen the vessel considerably, would render her more 
steady, and less liable to be overset, and thereby enable her 
to carry more sail.” 
Such were the principles on which the Trial cutter was 
constructed. After making a number of experiments with 
her, all her officers certified, on the 21st February, 1791: — 
“ That with her three sliding keels she did tack, wear, and 
steer upon a wind, sail fast to windward, and hold a good 
wind. They also certified, that they never were in any vessel 
of her size or draught of water, that sailed faster, or carried 
a greater press of sail,- or made such good weather.” 
• ~She was inspected again, in 1792, by orders from the Ad¬ 
miralty Board; and the report, which was very favourable, 
stated, that she had outsailed the Resolution, Sprightly, and 
Nimble cutters, as well as the Salisbury, Nautilus, and 
Hyaena sloops. 
The Cynthia sloop of war, and the Lady Nelson, were 
built on the same principle. The latter, although only sixty- 
Vol. XXII. No. 1539. 
two tons burden, and called by the sailors, in derision, “ His 
Majesty’s Tinder-box,” made a voyage to New South Wales 
in 1800, under the command of Lieutenant Grant, and wea¬ 
thered some most severe storms in perfect safety. 
After the commencement of hostilities with France, conse¬ 
quent to the French revolution. Captain Schanck’s abilities 
were considered far too valuable to be neglected; and he 
was accordingly appointed to be principal agent of transports 
in the expedition sent to the West Indies, under the orders 
of Admiral Sir John Jervis, and General Sir Charles Grey. 
This fatiguing and important service he executed, not only 
with the strictest diligence, but with an attention to the na¬ 
tional finances, uncommon, and perhaps unprecedented. He 
remained some time at Martinico, after the capture of that 
valuable island. 
So conspicuous was his assiduity in the preceding service, 
that when the reverses of war compelled the British troops to 
quit Flanders, and retire into Holland, whither they were fol¬ 
lowed by the armies of the French Convention, Captain 
Schanck was appointed superintendant of all the vessels em¬ 
ployed in the various services of conveying either troops, 
stores, or property, from one country to the other; and his 
exertions tended at least to reduce disaster within its narrow¬ 
est possible limits. 
The acquisition of coast gained by the enemy, and the 
general complexion of public affairs, causing an apprehen¬ 
sion that an attempt might be made to invade Britain, a new 
and formidable system of defence was, by the orders of the 
Admiralty Board, projected, arranged, and completely car¬ 
ried into execution, under the direction of Captain Schanck. 
In short, the defence of the whole coast, from Portsmouth 
to Berwick-upon-Tweed, was confided to him; and few 
commands have ever been bestowed of more magnitude and 
importance, or requiring more extensive abilities. The ob¬ 
jects he had to attain were infinitely more multifarious than 
generally fall to the lot either of a land or of a naval officer; 
for he was not only under the necessity of contriving and 
constructing a variety of rafts, and vessels of different de¬ 
scriptions, capable of receiving cannon, but he was also 
compelled to fit and adapt for the same purpose, the greater 
part even of the small boats which he found employed in 
different occupations on the coast. When even these diffi¬ 
culties were overcome, he had still to undergo the task of 
teaching the inhabitants throughout the several districts, the 
art of fighting and managing this heterogeneous, though 
highly sefviceable flotilla, in case the necessity of the coun¬ 
try should be such as to require their personal exertions. To 
have overcome these multiplied difficulties, would, in itself, 
be a matter of sufficient praise to entitle a man to the high¬ 
est tribute public gratitude could bestow, were every other 
occasion that could call for it wanting. 
In 1799, Captain Schanck was again appointed to super¬ 
intend the transport service connected with the expedition to 
Holland; and on the formation of the Transport Board, he 
was nominated one of the Commissioners; a station he con¬ 
tinued to hold with the highest credit and honour to himself, 
till the year 1802, when, in consequence of an ophthalmic 
complaint, he was under the necessity of retiring from the 
fatigues of public service. 
On the promotion of flag-officers, which took place No¬ 
vember 9, 1805, Commissioner Schanck was promoted to 
the rank of Rear-Admiral. He became a Vice-Admiral, 
July 31, 1810; and an Admiral of the Blue, July 19, 1821. 
Admiral Schanck was one of the original members of the 
Society for improving Naval Architecture, set on foot by 
the late eccentric John Sewell, the bookseller; and some of 
the papers published by that Institution were the productions 
of this ingenious officer. He appears also to have been the 
inventor of gun-boats with moveable slides, for firing guns 
in any direction. He likewise fitted the Wolverine sloop 
with the inclined plane in her gun-carriages, which is justly 
considered as the greatest modern invention in gunnery. 
On the 6th of March, 1823, Admiral Schanck died at 
Dawlish, in Devonshire, in the 83d year of his age. 
91 SCHANDAU, 
