1808. ] 
ing about well in stays. And that ships 
and vessels constructed agre eeably to my 
said invention Gf properly rigged) shall, 
when sailing near the wind, be capable 
of haying ‘their long axis kept in, or 
nearer to, the intended course, than has 
ever yet been accomplished by any other 
method whatsoever. His lordship next 
describes certain parts called gills. A 
gill is the reverse of arudder. A rudder, 
whether of the common sort or of the 
equipollent species, is a thick instrument 
(generally of wood) that works on an 
axis which is vertical, or nearly vertical. 
Whereas, a gill is a thin plate of stiff me- 
tal (that need not exceed three-eighths of 
an inch in thickness) and that works on 
an axis which is horizontal or nearly so. 
A gill might also be made of wood, or of 
any other strong substance; but metal 
is far preferable to wood for that purpose. 
That common sort of cast metal, which 
by many of the founders is called “ strong 
metal,” and which is composed of ten 
parts of pure copper and of one part of 
grain-tin, when cast flat, clean, and per- 
tect, will (amongst others) be very excel- 
lent for casting bills; as various €xperi- 
ments made by me, with that metal, for 
these last twenty years, fully conviiice 
me. The gills may also be made of 
wrought ‘metal, or of wrought metal com- 
bined with cast, or of a combination of 
metals, or of any combination of strong 
substances. It will be proper to make 
the lower edge, and also the fore and 
aft edges of the gills, sharp, in order to 
diminish their resistance through the 
water, when down, or open. Gills simi- 
larly or otherwise situated, may be placed 
on the opposite side of the same ship or 
vessel at the head end, and on both sides 
at the stern end also. I can apply, 
a ship or vessel, (in the same ship-planes 
or in any other, fewer, or more ship- 
planes), one set or tier of gills only, or 
iwo or more, as circumstances may re- 
quire. And I can open or shut any one 
or more ot the gills, as I find it expe- 
dient. I applied a smali number of 
gills to a small vessel of mine; both at 
the head and stern, many years ago, 
with great success; but I herein describe 
the true scientific inethod of producing a 
most admirable combined effect, which L 
believe to be without a parailel in the 
history of navigation. The head gills are 
ef the most importance. But the stern 
gills, particylarly when acting in proper 
combination with the head gills, are like- 
wise highly useful. Head gills, or stern 
New Patents lately enrolled. 
373 
gills, or head and stern gills conjomtly, 
may be used; either with the rudder, 
or without it; and also as substitutes 
for the rudder, in case it should ever 
happen to be lost, or rendered unservice- 
able. The head gills, in particular, 
are admirably calculated to assist a ship 
or vessel to weather well; and to put 
her head about rapidly, in critical situa~ 
tions, where no time can safely be lost. 
The larboard head gills may also be 
made to act im conjunction with the 
‘larboard stern gills, for putting a ship 
or vessel about. And the starboard head 
gills may hkewise be made to act in con- 
Junction with the starboard stern gills, to 
produce a similar effect. 
The gis may 
moreover be used cross-fashion; that is 
to say, the larboard head gills may be 
used iu conjunction with the starboard 
stern gills; and the starboard head gills 
may be used in coujuuction with the 
larboard stern gills. A parallel motion, 
sideways, may be given to the slip or 
vessel, by either of those two last men- 
tioned methods; by wiuch means, a ship 
or vessel may be made to weather ine 
comparably; and, in certain confined 
situations, might he saved, when otherwise 
she might: perhaps be wr ecked. By means 
of the very advantageous parallel motion 
mentioned above, a ship or vessel con- 
structed agreeably to my said invention, 
instead of making lee-way, might, on the 
contrary be made to go up towards the 
wind, and to make wind-way, if I may 
be allowed that expression. In certaia 
cases, when the-ship or vessel might 
otherwise become quite ungovernable, 
from the loss of a part of her masts and 
rigging, or other cause, I can use the gills 
in proper combination, in order to assist 
in preventing her from sheering in that 
very dangerous manner, which, without 
such beneficial assistance, she might do. 
And this might preserve the ship or ves- 
sel from destruction,. when otherwise 
she might be lust; especially if. she 
were ta be, in such distress, on some 
dangerous lee-shore. Each gill may be 
made about two feet square, or of any 
oe proper size. Fach gill should have 
a pair of strong hinges, or of external 
or. internal pivots, at its upper side, by 
which it‘is to be connected to the sida 
of the ship or vessel. iis lordship now 
shews the method of working the gills, 
and then adds: Thirdly, the nature Of 
my said invention consists in a new iori 
and construction of sbips and vessels, 
and in a new and scientific’ combination 
of 
