to 1817 to the decks. The Tremendous was found so com1820. pletely to answer, that the diagonal system, both in building and in repairing ships, has since become general in the british navy. The Howe, launched March 28, 1815, was the first ship laid down and built upon the principle. A rumour for a short time prevailed, that this fine first-rate, just as she had entered one of the new docks at Sheerness, was infected with the dry-rot. So far from it, there is not, at the moment we are writing this, from the best inquiries we can make on the subject, a sounder ship in the british navy. Round sterns. Sir Robert's important improvement in giving to line-of-battle ships a circular bow, we have already slightly touched upon :† his ingenuity has since produced a more surprising, and an equally important, change at the opposite extremity of the ship, a circular instead of a square stern. To convey an idea of the advantages of this plan we shall make a quotation from a work that treats professionally on the subject: "The sterns are also formed circular, and to add to their strength, as many timbers as possible are run up: this presents a very formidable stern-battery, enables the guns to be run out so far as to prevent accidents to the stern by their explosion; the danger arising from being pooped is considerably diminished, if not wholly prevented; and the obstruction to the ship's progress, which, according to the old plan, was occasioned by the projection of quarter-galleries, when the ships were going on a wind, is removed. In fine, by this alteration, the ships are every way more seaworthy and better adapted for defence; qualities which are See a very valuable work recently published, along with "Elements of Naval Architecture," entitled "An Appendix, containing the principles and practice of constructing ships, as invented and introduced by sir Robert Seppings, surveyor of his majesty's navy, by John Knowles, F. R. S. secretary to the committee of surveyors of his majesty's navy.' † See vol. iii. p. 532. so essential and indeed indispensable in ships of 1817 war. to 1820. for ships them. As a proof of the good opinion entertained of this plan by the lords commissioners of the admiralty, an order of the board, dated on the 13th of June, Order 1817, directs, that all new ships, down to fifth-rates buildinclusive, are to be so constructed, and all ships of the ing same rates receiving extensive repairs are also to with have circular sterns, provided the timbers in the old or square sterns are defective. By this alteration in her construction, the ship becomes, beyond a doubt, a stronger vessel and a more efficient man of war; advantages which it will require something more than an unsightly appearance (and even that, we presume, is a remediable defect) to counterbalance. The number of ships belonging to the british navy, which, on the 1st of January, 1820, were repairing, building, or ordered to be built, with circular sterns, amounted to 67,+ and the number of ships building of teak, at the same date, amounted to 19.‡ New plan of build On a former occasion, we ventured to suggest the advantages that might be derived, in the con- shipstruction of ships of war, from the opinions of naval ing by officers of experience. A post-captain, of acknow-captain ledged nautical skill, and of tried gallantry, has Hayes. recently proved himself a very eminent naval architect. "Captain Hayes," says Mr. Marshall, "is the author of a pamphlet on the subject of naval architecture, his proficiency in which important science is the result of many years' professional experience and deep consideration. His proposed system, we understand, meets a point hitherto considered impracticable, viz.: that of building a thousand vessels, if required, from a given section, without the variation of a needle's point, reducible from a first-rate ship * See the work referred to in the first note of the preceding page. For a list of the names, see Appendix, No. 21. Ibid. No. 22. || See p. 219. to 1820. 600 NEW PLAN OF SHIP-BUILDING BY CAPTAIN HAYES. 1817 to a cutter, each possessing excelling powers and advantages of every description in their respective class. Since the publication of the above pamphlet, in which he carefully abstained from saying, or even hinting, that he had made any progress in the formation of such a system, two vessels have been built, in a royal dock-yard, on his projection: the first, a cutter of about 160 tons,* is said to embrace stability under canvass with little ballast, great buoyancy, better stowage, and swifter sailing qualities, than any model yet. designed by known schools of naval architecture. The second, a sloop of war,t is at present absent on her first experimental cruise, in company with two other vessels of the same class, 49 one of which was designed by sir Robert Seppings, and the other built by the students of Portsmouth dock-yard, under the superintendence of professor Inman."+ Con- In the former edition of this work, we were cluding induced to give a brief account of the first two expemarks. ditions to the polar regions, in search of a north-west re passage. Other expeditions to the same spot have since been undertaken; and, if we broached the subject at all, we could not expect to make it interesting, or even intelligible, unless we brought down occurrences to a date far beyond the period to which this work, by its title, is restricted. Several works have been published exclusively on the subject of these expeditions, and they are in most people's hands: consequently there is the less occasion for us to deviate from our plan, and enlarge a volume already of a much greater bulk than any of its companions. *The Arrow. Marshall, vol. ii. p. 683. APPENDIX. No. 1. See P. 58. A list of frigates late belonging to the french navy, captured, destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during the year 1811. How, when, and where lost. (Destroyed, March 25, by her Captured, May 20, off Mada- Destroyed, March 13, after No dutch, danish, russian, or swedish vessel of war, above a sloop, captured, &c. during the year 1811. An abstract of french frigates captured, &c. during the year 1811. No. 2. See p. 58. A list of ships and vessels late belonging to the british navy, captured, destroyed, wrecked, foundered, or accidentally burnt, during the year 1811. How, when, and where lost. Wrecked,December 24; St.-George & Defence off the coast of Jutland, on passage from Baltic, Hero on the Haak sand, Texel: crew of latter perished, and both crews of former, except about eighteen men. Wrecked, October 14, on the Needle rocks: crew saved. { Wrecked, May 2, in Madras roads: crew, except two, sayed. Wrecked, February 16, in Plymouth sound: crew, except about thirty, saved. Wrecked, December 4, off Loughswilly, on the coast of Ireland: crew mostly perished. Wrecked, August 18, on a sand in the Baltic: crew saved. Captured, May 26, by the french brig of war Abeille, off Corsica. Captured,December 24, at Nieuve-Diep, Texel, whither she had been driven by stress of weather. Wrecked, February 13, on the Scaw reef,Kattegat: crew saved,but made prisoners. Captured, March 12, by a frigate and an armed store-ship,off Isle-deFrance. Foundered, Decem. 24, in the Baltic: crew perished. Wrecked, June 28, on a bank off the coast of France: crew saved. |