when worked up into shipping, yet an increasing attention may create fresh discoveries; and as a few hints may lead on to others, the following are submitted for that purpose.

In Sweden, a complaint was made that the timber floating and seasoning for the use of their navy was frequently infected with the worm. Linnæus, on being consulted, found that an insect deposited its eggs in the timber; he recommended the floating of the timber under water during the season that the insect laid its eggs. The advice was followed and the evil remedied.

The following extract of a letter from a gentleman of considerable philosophical observation, and whose situation gave him great opportunities of hearing the proposals and projects of others, having found its way into some circles, contains so much useful information, that a liberty is taken in the transcribing of it.

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“A man who had been formerly concerned in shipbuilding, but for thirty years past has been a bridge“builder, had early in life observed, on examining worm"eaten ships, that the worm never eat within the seams "where the caulking-chisel and the oil, &c. entered. He " had observed that the whaling-vessels would be eaten to a honey-comb, except a little above and a little below "water, where the whale is brought into contact with the vessel, and lies beating against it till it is cut up. A

plank lying under water, at a mill of his, had been obliged to be renewed annually, because eaten up by the "worm within the course of the year: at length a plank "was accidentally put down, which for some purpose had "been thoroughly impregnated with oil; it remained seven years without being affected. Hence he took the

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"idea of heating the timber as much as possible, and "of impregnating it in that state with the liver-oil of "the cod-fish. He had practised this for thirty years, "and there was no instance of the worm attacking his "timbers, while those in neighbouring places were immediately destroyed. He had used the liver-oil of the cod because very thick, and therefore, as he supposes,

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more permanent in its effects; he supposes some other “oils might do, but cannot speak of them experimentally. "He says there will be no difficulty in heating the planks "of a ship, after they are put on, as well as before; but I "do not recollect his mentioning ever to have tried it in "the case of a ship."

In America it is not uncommon to bore a hole at the end of timbers and pour oil into the same, from whence it soon disperses itself throughout the pores. They also apply salt between the ribs with great success. Salt-ships are known to be well-seasoned and lasting.

As the navy makes so formidable a part of our power and of the ship-building of this country, it would be a proper question to know the proportions best adapted to each rate, so as to combine burden, sailing, fighting, and accommodation for men; attending also to the size of masts and construction of sails. It may be also admitted as a question, What sized vessels are best calculated for the transportation of troops, with respect to health, safety, despatch, and national economy?

It would be an object of moment to devise some plan for the better preservation of timber between wind and water; to consider of the best mode of sheathing, coppering, and paying of ships' bottoms; and what is the best preservative against the worm and foul bottoms, when

ships are not coppered. Whether coppering of the navy has had any effect upon the timber? and whether, when in ordinary, it would or would not be advisable to let them remain in that state? Whether from the great wear and tear of a ship being principally confined to its upper works, by constant straining and exposure, it might not be advisable to strengthen those parts by additional beams and making the timbers in parts stronger? What would be the effect of laying double floors or crossways?

As ship-building forms so large a proportion of the wealth and the power of the country, the thoughts of scientific men might be turned more to the art itself, when connected with all its collateral branches; it might also be made more a part of nautical education.

At Barcelona, in Spain, (a country none of the most public-spirited in these points,) an academy is established for the noble arts, and open to all the world, where all who attend are taught, gratis, drawing, architecture, sculpture, &c. There are seven halls, and one of them has a nautical school, where every thing of tables, paper, and masters are provided at the public expense; it has already turned out above 500 good pilots. Government here, without making expensive establishments, might give encouragement and circulate information by useful books among all the lower and younger classes of officers and

men.

Societies might be formed and premiums given for the best nautical and practical essays on the various branches dependent on navigation.

Medals might also be struck for successful candidates, as honour with some may prove as great a spur as pecuniary reward.

Accounts might be invited of the numberless accidents that have arisen occasioned by shipwrecks, loss of masts, rigging, sails, and rudders, and also from leaks and short allowances of provisions, with the remedies and substitutes that have been applied. A selection of them might be made for the use of the navy and merchant-service, which might serve as a vade mecum in moments of distress and danger; and to a work of so much utility and humanity the Admiralty might perhaps be induced to give encouragement and information. The loss of rudders and remedies applied might be instanced in the case of his Majesty's ship the Lion, Captain Cornwallis. The losses of masts and sails are innumerable; and it is some comfort to those in such distress, to observe that ships under jurymasts seldom founder but ride out the storm like other ships; and if they do not make such despatch in their voyages, they never invite danger by a press of sail. Seamen should be impressed with the danger and folly of deserting ships on the first alarm, when compared with the still greater risks they run from open boats in the middle of the ocean, and with short commons and no port at hand; also that ships have been frequently brought into port when deserted by crews, and that others have been lost only because they have been deserted. A seaman should never abandon hope-it should be his motto as well as his sheet-anchor; he should be strongly impressed with the idea that the buoyancy of a ship in itself in all cases will keep her long afloat when leaky; that ships will even swim when the water within is almost level with the sea without; that cargoes in themselves are frequently buoyant; and that if of a perishable nature, the packages may, however, add to that buoyancy. The preservation of

the Guardian man of war, Captain Riou, is a wonderful instance of hardships, perseverance, and safety. The narratives of Captains Inglefield, Bligh, and Wilson, with many others, might be brought to encourage confidence and banish despair.

It might be recommended to officers and seamen to encourage among themselves more the professional knowledge of the pilot. We often find expeditions and voyages retarded or defeated from the want of a knowledge of coasts and soundings, and the trusting always to men or pilots when the former cannot be procured.

It might be also a useful project to oblige all captains, on clearing out their ships from our several custom-houses, when paying for lights, &c., to take with them printed directions and drawings of our light-houses along the coasts with their bearings; the expense would be only a few shillings; it would circulate information and save many vessels that are lost, both outward and homeward bound, from ignorance or want of pilots. Under the patronage of Government and the Trinity-house, other countries might be induced to make a mutual exchange of papers and information.

Health to seamen is a great point of nautical importance, and with all our precautions hitherto, it is still capable of further improvements. Had Captain Cook's voyages been only undertaken with the idea of experiments as to health instead of discoveries, they would have proved a national object and a blessing to society, by adding to the lives, health, and happiness of a useful class of men both to the navy and to commerce. Seamen are as prodigal of their life as they are of their purse; and it is incumbent upon us to add to the security of their lives, when they