Mr. Abernethy on Ventilation.....National Debt. 
$n no way injurious, ventilation. may be 
ébtained; the air in the veflel would“be 
perfectly changed when the fire was 
ftrong, without expence or trouble; and 
a gradual and falubrious alteration of it 
might, at all times, be made, by a very 
little additional quantity of fuel. The 
air tubes fhould confift of feparate joints, 
fo that occafionally they. might be taken 
to pieces. ; 
I forbear to dwell upon particulars, as 
there-are many circumftances in the con- 
ftruétion and management of a fhip, with 
Which I am unacquainted, which might 
require alterations in this plan, the prin- 
ciple and general defign of which is all 
that I fuppofe myfelf capable of jiidg- 
ing. ) : 
The draft, I imagine, might be madé 
fo confiderable, as even to allow of the 
conveyance of heated air into the interior 
parts of the veflel, fhould it, under any 
circumftances,. be thought expedient. 
Another advantage, which, as it ap- 
pears to me, might arife from this con- 
‘trivance, is, that of being able to dry the 
wet cloaths, by producing a current of air 
through any allotted part of the flip. 
For this purpofe, the cloaths fhould be 
hung up in a clofe chamber, into which 
two pipes fhould be introduced, leading 
from each of the principal air tubes, and 
their communications with every other 
part of the vefiel fhould be cut off, fo that 
-the whole current of air, which the fire 
produces, may be made to pafs through 
this chamber. 
I have, Sir, already mentioned the 
_eircumftances that led me to think of 
this plan ; which appears to me fo obvi- 
ous and fimple, as to reflect no credit on 
the propofer of it. As the fubjeé is fo 
foreign to my general purfuits, I may 
- probably judge erroneoufly refpecting it ; 
but whilft I retain my prefent fentiments, 
I fhould feel myfelf culpable were I not 
in fome way to make it public. In tranf- 
port veffels, which are crowded with per- 
fons between decks, the enabling them, in 
all weathers, to breathe frefh air in fuch 
a fituation, is fo important an object, as 
to vindicate me in this intrufion on your 
time, and on the public, although the 
fcheme which I have laid before you, 
fhould prove ineffectual. 
I mentioned the plan to fome gentlemen 
converfant in nautical affairs ; but they 
thought the tubes would be injured, or 
put out of order, by the rough ufage 
which they would mest with on board a 
- page. 
“97 
fhip. This objegtion is of no weight, in 
my eftimation ; as the copper pipes may 
be made of any required degree of ftrengthy 
may be placed againft the fides of the vef- 
fel, and may even be incafedin wood. I 
have neither leifuire nor inclination to be 
obtruding this plan on the notice of thofe 
to whom fuch {chenies are ufually pré- 
fented; but, Sir, if you think well of it, 
you will oblige me by laying it before 
the public. Iam, Sir, with much res 
fpeét, your obedient fervant, 
Joun ABERNETHY, 
St. Mildred’s Court, March, 1798: 
oT 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine, 
SIR, 
Perfectly agree with your correfpond- 
ent G.C. (M. M. O&t. p. 270,) ‘in. 
the general fentiment of the injuftice and 
impolicy of confifcating the property of 
the public creditor. But I can by ho 
means accord with all the fentiments con- 
tained in his letter, or the arguments upon 
which he builds his conclufion. Adopt- 
ing, as I have done, upon mature deli- 
beration, the fettled conviétion, that every 
thing that relates to the morals and poli- 
tical inftitutions of fociety, ought to be 
open to free and unreferved difcuffion; my 
mind could not but revolt, at finding every 
attempt at inveftigation on this fubject 
-moft dogmatically profcribed three dif- 
tinct times, in one fhort letter of a fingle 
Had the Magazine which contains 
this letter reached my retreat at an earlier 
period, I fhould haye troubled you with 
my animadverfions before: for I am 
deeply impreffed with the magnitude of 
the object; and whatever may be the 
confidence of G.C. in legiflative deci- 
fions, Iam convinced that the time is faft 
approaching, when no recognition of mi- 
nifters, no vote of parliament, can prevent 
the difcuffion he would prohibit. May 
that difcuffion be neither tumultuary nor 
impaffioned! May the public mind be 
properly prepared to weigh every cifcum- 
ftance, and confider this important branch 
of our internal policy in all its relations 
and confequences! May the crifis of de- 
cifion not precede the hour of mature de- 
liberation! If this fhould be the cafe, I 
make no doubt that the people will be re- 
lieved from the oppreffion of this national 
burthen, and the public creditor be in- 
demnified as he ought. But let the fund- 
holder reft his claim upon a juft founda- 
ae ae ee 
s+ 
