wood, and are caulked within and without, the larger intervals being filled up with mortar, by which the bottom may be said to be rendered impervious to water, even should a ship so constructed have the misfortune to lose her keel, and a proportion of the plank off the bottom.

This system of ship-building, as it respects the change in the direction of the materials, was first commenced at Plymouth, on the Glenmore, in the early part of the year 1800; in 1805, it was farther applied at Chatham, in the Kent of seventy-four guns, to give additional strength to that ship, she having been found very weak, after her return from the Mediterranean. It was next introduced to a certain extent, in the building of the Warspite in that yard (launched in 1807); and after the principle had been examined at the admiralty, by a committee of the best informed men in the kingdom, it was finally directed to rebuild the Tremendous to the full extent of the diagonal principle, which was extended even to the decks; and such were the reports of this ship, that it has been since generally adopted in the British navy, and some millions have already been expended in the building and repairing ships on this system. For a particular account of the principle, see Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society for 1814.

With respect to the change in the bows of our ships of the line, perhaps the following account will not be unacceptable. Sir Robert Seppings,

had the direction of cutting down the Namur (in 1805) from a three to a two-decked ship, and it occurred to him that it would add to her strength, if the circular bow remained in the wake of the middle-deck, now become the upper or main-deck; that it would not only tend to give the bow additional support, but would protect the men in that part from being exposed to raking fire. When this ship was completed, the change was universally approved, and its necessity shewn, by the Victory, after the memorable battle of Trafalgar; in which it was observed that she had suffered on her upper or main-deck, through the beakhead, when running down to the enemy, from the want of continuing the circular bow with the regular timbering, as is now practised; and it was perfectly evident, that had this ship been so formed, many a life would have been saved, as no shot of any description appeared to have entered the lower or middle-decks, where the bow was regularly and solidly built; while the common grapeshot had raked her through the slight bulkhead at the fore-part of the main or upper-deck. One great advantage of this new mode of building, was raising the bowsprit and head-rails of the ship some feet higher than they had previously been. This plan is generally admitted to be good, and was universally adopted during the naval administration of Mr. Yorke.

The utility of the circular form at the bows being admitted, he was determined to introduce

the same system at the stern; and thereby do away that which he supposed to be as weak in point of defence, as faulty in construction, compared with the rest of the fabric. By this change Sir Robert Seppings contends that he has obviated these imperfections; but he found that the approbation bestowed on the same system, at one extreme of the fabric, met with a very different reception on its introduction at the other.

After a careful personal investigation of the subject, we shall lay before our readers the result of our observations on this important change.

The Prince Regent of one hundred and twenty guns, has a round stern, which art, labour, and expense have combined to render perfect. The after-part of the lower and middle-decks offer a beautiful specimen of naval architecture; but the advocates for the square stern contend, that on the main-deck the advantages are less visible, and that on the quarter-deck and poop there is a melancholy defect. These decks, they say, "though in some degree widened, have lost much in length and superficial extent, by the after-part being cut off in a line with the stern-post, and by the rounding of the quarters; that the comforts of the officers should never be lost sight of, without some adequate compensation in point of defence or safety, and that here they are entirely sacrificed for no reason; a trifling alteration in the form of the ports in the square stern, will enable it to bring more guns on a given point than the round stern;

while the rudder of the latter, having lost the over-hanging protection of the decks and the middle counter, may be carried away by the accidental or designed concussion of a friend or an enemy."

A noble admiral, who has had much experience in these matters, wishes to know why an enemy should be allowed to obtain the "point of impunity," if such point exists? But admitting that a shot should enter in that direction, it might, in a square stern, pass along by itself, while in a round. stern it would be attended by a cloud of splinters from the short transverse oak planks between the stern-ports. The heavy iron cranes on which the boats are suspended, become so many powerful levers, whose fulcrum is placed on the upper works of the quarters least calculated for the strain; while the construction of the base to which the main-braces are attached, affords less support to the main-yard. The timbers bent round the quarters are destroyed by the very act, and though much more liable to decay, are less capable of being replaced.

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It is now in contemplation to obviate all the defects complained of in the Prince Regent; the round stern will be still retained, but partake of all the good qualities of the square stern, without any of its defects. When this is done, when a gun can be as easily brought to action, from a stern or quarter-gallery port, as from the bow,

we shall have no hesitation in preferring the new construction to the old; but at present, in point of outward appearance, as well as inward comfort, cleanliness, and decency, the square stern has every advantage. This observation will occur with great force in round stern ships going before the wind, or having passengers.*

Leaving the building or improvement of our ships of war in the able hands where it has been judiciously placed, we shall conclude this subject by observing, "that at no period of our naval history has England possessed a fleet more efficient than at the present time."†

The dimensions of a few more of the most approved ships are here added, to shew the progress of naval architecture. The Commerce de Marseilles has been far exceeded by the Americans, who have built five ships of the line of the same dimensions as the Ohio. The Howe is now the largest in our service, but we trust we shall not long be outdone by our transatlantic rivals. The tonnage of America is not calculated like that of France; this may account for the apparent difference between the Commerce and the Ohio, which is forty feet longer and two feet four inches wider than the Howe.

* A description of the new system is to be found in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, for July, 1822; and also in the Quarterly Journal of Science and the Arts, published JaRuary 1, 1823. + Mr. Knowles.