confined to the place in which they are fixed; and this is, for the most part, under the cross pieces of the fore-castle and quarter-deck bits. The breadth of the block, sheave, &c. is governed by the rope, and taper at the ends, to three-eighths of the breadth of the middle; the pins at each end, serving as a vertical axis, is two-thirds of the size of the end, and the thickness is five-eighths of the breadth. These blocks may be turned in a lathe, and flattened after with a spoke-shave. Rack BLOCKS, are a range of small single blocks, made from one solid piece of wood, by the same proportion as single blocks, with ends in form of a dove's tail, for the lashing, by which they are fastened athwart the bowsprit, to lead in the runningropes. They are seldom used.

Shoe BLOCKS, are two single blocks, cut in a solid piece, transversely to each other, so that the sheave of the upper one lies in a contrary direction to that of the lower one; they serve for legs and falls of the bunt-lines, but are seldom used.

Shoulder BLOCK, is a large single block, left nearly square at the upper end, and cut sloping in the direction of the sheave. These blocks are used on the lower yard-arms, to lead in the topsail sheets; and, on topsail-yards, to lead in the top-gallantsheets; and, by means of the shoulder, are kept upright, and prevent the sheets from jambing between the block and the yard; they are also used at the outer end of the boomkins, to lead in the fore-tackle.

Sister BLOCKS, are similar to two single blocks, and formed out of a solid piece, about 20 inches long, one above the other. Between the blocks is a scoring for a middle seizing; a round head is turned at each end, and hollowed underneath, to contain the end seizings; along the sides, through which the pins are driven, is a groove or scoring, large enough to receive part of the topmast shrouds, in which it is seized. These blocks receive the lifts and reef-tackle pendants of the topsail-yards.

Snatch BLOCK (poulie à dent, Fr.) has a single sheave, with a notch cut through one of its cheeks, to admit the rope, or fall, to be lifted in and out of the block, without putting its end through first. See a figure of this in Plate III. Fig. 13. The strap does not, in this, surround the block, but is put through a hole, bored through the divided end. The figure is represented with two tails, which may be made up for a hook, a thimble, or eye, according to the situation where it is to be used, which is, generally, for the main, or fore-sheet, blocks of square-rigged vessels.

The snatch blocks are iron bound, terminating at the notched end of the block, with a swivelhook, or an eye-bolt, large enough to receive several turns of lashing, which fastens the block to its fixed support. That part of the strap over the notch, in the side, lifts up with a hinge, and is con'fined down, when the rope is in the block, by a small pin, put across, through the end of the pin of the sheave, which projects up from the block sufficiently to pass through an eye made in the hinge part of the strap. The strap on the other part of the block is let into the block, and confined by the pin and some nails. These blocks are used for heavy purchases, where a warp, or hawser, is brought to the capstan. See Plate III. Fig. 14.

Spring BLOCK (poulie à ressort, Fr.) a new kind

of block, invented by Francis Hopkinson, Esq. of Philadelphia, and designed to assist a vessel in sailing, by increasing the acting spring of her rigging. It is proposed to apply to all such parts of the rigging as will admit of it with safety and convenience, and where its operation will be most advantageous; but particularly to the sheet-ropes; and, if practicable, to the dead-eyes, in lieu of what are called the chains. A (Plate III. Fig. 15) is a block made in the usual Fig. 15. manner, having a ring, or eye, B, at one end; c is a spiral spring, linked at one end, to the hook D E, and, at the other, to the ring -F, which is to be annexed to an eye-bolt at the timber-head, or by some other means, to the place where it is to be applied. The spring c must be of well tempered steel, and proportioned in strength to the service it is to perform. When used, two of these blocks are employed, one attached to the timber-head, and the other to the sail. Within the cavity, or pipe, formed by the spiral spring, there must be a chain of suitable strength, called a check-chain (represented in the centre of the spring) connected by the links to the hook D E, and ring F. When the spring is not in action, this chain is slack; but when the spiral spring is extended by the force of the wind, as far as it can be without danger of injury, the check chain must then begin to bear to prevent its further extension, and, if strong enough, will be an effectual security against failure. The inventor of this machine apprehends, on good grounds, that a vessel, thus furnished, will be less liable to heel; and that she will receive the impulses of the wind to better advantage, and sail with a more lively and equable motion, than if rigged in the com

mon way.

It is, however, to be feared, that the weight of a spring, sufficiently strong to have any effect on a large sail, would be very unmanageable, particularly aloft, from its weight, and would also be very expensive.

There is no doubt, if this, or a similar contrivance, could be applied to a sail, it would have a good effect: for instance, when a ship is sailing with a certain rate, if a sudden blast of wind comes, but does not continue, it will not advance the vessel at all, because it does not continue long enough to communicate an increased momentum to so large a mass as a ship, though, at the same time, it may make her heel or pitch violently. If her rigging is fitted with these springs, she would receive the impulse of the same blast, in a regular and progressive manner, which would tend to increase her velocity, instead of causing her to heel

Strap-bound BLOCKS, are single blocks, with a shoulder left on each side, at the upper part, to admit the strap through, a little above the pin. These blocks are used at the clews of the quarter-sails, for the clew-garnets, or clew-lines; and, under the yards, the shoulder preserves the strap from chafing.

Thick and thin, or, Quarter BLOCK, is a double block with one sheave thicker than the other, and is used to lead down the topsail-sheets and clew-lines. Although these are used for topsail-sheets, and intended for the clew-lines, a single block would be cheaper and better, as the thin sheave is seldom used for the clew-lines, it being found rather to impede than to facilitate.

Top BLOCK, (poulie de guinderesse, Fr.) is a large single iron-bound block, with a hook, by which it

is hung to an eye-bolt in the cap, for reeving the top rope pendant through, when swaying up, or lowering down, the topmasts.

Voil, or Voyal BLOCK, (poulie de tournevire, Fr.) is a single sheave block. The length is ten times the thickness of the sheave-hole, which is three-eighths more than the thickness of the sheave; the thickness of the sheave is onc-tenth more than the diameter of the voil; and the diameter of the sheave is seven times the thickness. The breadth of the block should be eight times the thickness of the sheave; and the thickness two-sevenths of the length. This block is double-scored, the sheave is coaked with brass, and the pin is iron, and nearly as thick as the sheave. It is used in heaving up the anchor. The voil passes round the jear capstan, and through the block, which is lashed to the main-mast, and the cable is fastened, in a temporary manner, to the voil in several places. It is seldom used, except in the largest ships of the royal navy.

The various blocks lashed to the ship's principal yards, are as follow:-

To the lower yards.—The jear block, bunt-line blocks, leech-line block, lift blocks, and topsailsheet blocks, strapped together; quarter and slabline blocks, strapped together; clew-garnet blocks, tricing blocks, preventer-brace blocks; pendant blocks, studding-sail-halyards blocks.

To the topsail-yards.-Buntline and tye blocks, strapped together; top-gallant-sheet block, and lift block, strapped together; jewel block, and bracependant blocks, clew-line blocks, and block to lead down the top-gallant sheets.

To the top-gallant-yards.-Jewel, clew-line, and brace-pendant blocks.

To the mizen-yard.-Jear block, derrick block, signal-halyard block, throat-brail, middle-brail,

and coak-bruil blocks.

To the cross-jack-yard.- Quarter blocks, jear blocks, and lift and topsail-sheet blocks, strapped together.

To the bowsprit.-The bee block, bolted to the bowsprit at the outer end, under the bees; fore-bowline blocks, lashed on each side the fore-stay-collar; fore-topsail-bowline block, lashed to an eye-bolt in the bowsprit-cap.

The late Mr. Walter Taylor, of Southampton, obtained a patent in the year 1781, for an improvement he made in the construction of sheaves or pullies for ship blocks, by which they are much better' adapted for the rigging of ships and other purposes, than any hitherto in use: and the patentee, for many years afterwards, enjoyed the contract for supplying the royal navy with blocks, which he manufactured at Wood-Mills, on the river Itchen, near Southampton, where he had an extensive manufactory, the machinery of which was wrought by water.

It has been an old standing maxim with many, that large thin sheaved, and small running ropes, well housed in the blocks, are of the greatest use, though there may be occasion for renewing them more frequently; and running cordage, having a moderate quantity of tar in the yarn, is the means of keeping them soft and limber in a northern or cold climate, which causes them to bend and run through the blocks with greater facility.

Block Machinery.

The immense number of blocks employed in the navy, and the great importance of having them accurately and substantially made, in order to insure their ready performance in every unfavourable situation which the rigging of a ship is exposed to in bad weather, induced government, in the year 1802, on the recommendation of General Sir Samuel Bentham, to attend to the suggestion of Mr. Brunell, an inge nious mechanic, who had, at that time, invented a complete set of machines, and who made an offer to government of superintending their direction and application for a given time, at a per centage on the profits, for manufacturing every part of ship blocks; consequently, in the year 1803, he employed Mr. Maudslay to erect, from his designs, an extensive suit of machinery, in the dock-yard, at Portsmouth, for the fabrication of these articles.

These machines were set to work in 1804, and have been in constant use ever since; and they make all the blocks now used in the navy, which may be said to be not less than 200 sorts and sizes. They consist of 44 machines, which form three sets, that is, three blocks of different sizes, may be proceeding in all their stages at the same time, though, in some of these stages, one machine may operate upon two, or even ten, blocks at the same time. This machinery performs the several operations from the rough timber to the perfect block, in the completest manner possi-. ble, and the whole is set in motion by means of a capital steam-engine, of 32 horses' power, erected by Messrs. Boulton and Watts. The manual labour now required is, simply to supply the wood as it is wanted, and to remove the blocks from one part of the ma chinery to another, till they are perfectly finished, so that a common labourer may be made to act in this business with very little instruction. The blockhouse is an extensive building, divided into three parts. The steam-engine occupies the centre. One of the wings contain several sawing machines, for converting the timber into scantling, of the proper size, to form the different blocks. The opposite wing contains 37 small engines for forming, polishing, and finishing the blocks and their sheaves.

It will give some idea of the expedition of these works, to state the number of block shells of different sizes, made by cach set of machines in a day.

The first set of machines make blocks from 4 to 7 inches in length, at the rate of 700 per day. These have wooden pins.

The second set from 8 to 10 inches in length, at the rate of 520 per day. These have iron pins.

The third set from 11 to 18 inches in length, at the rate of 200 per day, with iron pins. So that all the machines will make 1420 per day.

This is found to be such an immense saving to government, that, it is said, they have offered to give the inventor a considerable sum, over and above the original contract, and to allow him a handsome salary for occasionally superintending the machinery in the dock-yard.

BLOCKS also signify pieces of fir timber, placed under a large mast while making, in order to raise it from the ground: they are from 7 to 9 feet long, and about 10 inches square: also solid pieces of timber placed under the keel of a ship, the upper pieces are

generally free from knots, especially the foremost ones, these being the splitting blocks for launching a ship, and should therefore be as clear as possible. Mr. Seppings, Builder, of Chatham-yard, has Tately invented an ingenious and useful contrivance for driving out blocks from under a ship's keel, when in dock, in order to shift the main keel, put on a false one, instead of lifting the ships as heretofore, at a great expence of money, time, and labour, and which is now adopted in all our dock-yards.

BLOCK and BLOCK, is the situation of a tackle when the two opposite blocks are drawn close together, so that the mechanical power becomes destroyed, till the tackle is again over-hauled, by drawing the blocks asunder.

BLOCKADE, (blocus, Fr.) in the art of war, is the blockading up a place by posting troops at all the avenues leading to it, to keep supplies of men and provisions from getting into it; and by these means proposing to starve it out, without making any regular attacks.

To BLOCKADE a Sea-port, is to place ships to cruise before the entrance, so as to prevent any vessels from going in or coming out.

During the present war with France, a regular system of blockading all the enemy's ports has been practised with great success by our navy, which not only prevents their ships from getting out and forming a large fleet, but also hinders them from training up seamen and marines; and may therefore be considered, in a great measure, the preservation of the British empire. To raise a BLOCKADE, is to force the troops or ships, that keep the place blocked up, from their respective stations.

BLUFF, (morne, Fr.) an high land, projecting almost perpendicularly into the sea.

BLUFF-bow, (avant joufflu, Fr.) A vessel is said to be bluff-bowed, that has broad and flat bows. BLUFF-headed, (vaisseau dont l'étráve a peu d'élancement, Fr.) is when a ship has but a small rake forward; or, being built with her stem too straight up. BLUFF-headed ships, are opposed to those that are sharp-headed. They are shorter, and less masted.

BOARD, (bordée, Fr.) the space comprehended between any two places where the ship changes her course by tacking; or it is the line over which she runs between tack and tack, when turning to windward, or sailing against the direction of the wind. See the articles BEATING and TACKING.

BOARD, or ABOARD, (à bord, Fr.) is used in speaking of things within a ship, or other vessel; hence, to go aboard, signifies, to go into a ship: to heave over-board, is to throw any thing out of a vessel into the sea; to slip by the board, is to slip down by the ship's side; board and board, is when two ships come so near as to touch each other, or when they lie side by side.

By the BOARD, over the ship's side.

To make a good BOARD, or stretch, (faire une bordée favourable, Fr.) to sail in a straight line, when close hauled, without deviating to leeward. See the article CLOSE HAULED.

To make short BOARDS, (se tenir bord sur bord, Fr.) is to tack frequently before the ship has run any great length.

To make a stern BOARD, (faire culer, Fr.) is

when, by a current, or any other accident, the vessel has fallen back from the point she has gained on the last tack, instead of having advanced beyond it. Weather-BOARD, (le coté du vent, Fr.) is that side of a ship which is to windward.

To BOARD a Ship, is to enter an enemy's ship in a fight, in order to take possession. See the article BOARDING.

To make a BOARD, or, as it is otherwise expressed, to board it up to a place, is to turn to windward, and to beat, sometimes upon one tack, and sometimes upon another; in which it is to be noted, that the farther you stand off to one point of the compass, the better board you will make; and that it is better to make long boards than short ones, if you have searoom.

Along BOARD, is when you stand a good way off before you tack, or turn; a short board is when you stand off a little; a good board is when you have got up much to windward, or when a ship advances much at one tack, and sails upon a straight line.

To leave the Land on Back-BOARD, is to leave it a-stern or behind; the back-board being that which, in boats or ships, we lean our backs against.

BOARD, implies all timber sawed to a less thickness than plank, viz. such as is under one inch, and may be distinguished thus:-Beech, clm, fir, oak, sheathing, and wainscot.

BOARDERS, (matelots destinés à l'abordage, Fr.) sailors appointed to make an attack, by boarding, or to repel such attempt by the enemy.

BOARDING-PIKE, a defensive weapon used by sailors in boarding an enemy's ship. See the article HALF-PIKE.

BOARDING A SHIP, (abordage, Fr) an assault made by one ship upon another, by entering her, in time of battle, with a detachment of armed men; and is chiefly. practised by privateers upon merchant-ships, who are not so well provided with men. This stratagem is seldom made use of in ships of war, the battle being generally decided by the vigorous execution of a close cannonade.

An officer should maturely consider the danger of boarding a ship of war before he attempts it, and be well assured that his adversary is weakly manned; as, perhaps, he may wish to be boarded; if so, a great slaughter will necessarily follow.

The swell of the sea ought also to be considered, because it may run so high as to expose both the ships to the danger of sinking.

There is, perhaps, very little prudence in boarding a ship of equal force; and, when it is attempted, it. may be either to windward or to leeward, according. to the comparative force or situation of the ships. If there be any swell at sea, it may be more adviseable to lay the enemy aboard on the lee-side, as the water is there the smoothest; besides, if the boarder. is repulsed in that situation, he may more easily withdraw his men, and stand off from his adversary. But, as the weather-ship can generally fall to leeward at any time, it is, perhaps, more eligible to keep to windward, by which she will be enabled to rake her antagonist, or fire the broadside into her stern, as she crosses it in passing to leeward, which will do great execution amongst her men, by scouring the whole length of the deck.

Boarding may be performed in different places of the ship, according to the circumstances, preparation, and position of both the assailant having previously selected a number of prime men, armed with pistols, cutlasses, or boarding-pikes. A number of powder-flasks, charged with gun-powder and fitted with a fuse, are also provided to be thrown upon the enemy's deck immediately before the assault. Besides this, the boarder is generally furnished with an earthen shell, called a stink-pot; which, on that occasion, is suspended from his yard-arms, or bowsprit-end. This machine is also charged with powder, mixed with other inflammable and suffocating materials, with a lighted fuse at the aperture. Thus prepared for the action, and having grappled his adversary, the boarder displays his signal to begin the assault. The fuses of the stink-pot and powder-flasks being lighted, they are immediately thrown upon the deck of the enemy, where they burst and catch fire, producing an intolerable stench and smoke, and filling the deck with tumult and distraction. Amidst the confusion occasioned by this infernal apparatus, the detachment provided rush aboard, sword in hand, under cover of the smoke, on their antagonist, who is in the same predicament with a citadel stormed by the besiegers, and generally overpowered, unless he is furnished with extraordinary means of defence, or equipped with places of retreat, furnished with small arms, &c. which may be fired at any time, upon the boarders, and frequently with success.

In addition to what has been said on this article, it may be necessary to observe, that, in board. ing a ship, first making a good observation on the force of your enemy, with other favourable advantages of the wind and current, it is best to bear up directly with him, and to cause all the ports to lee. ward to be beat open, then bring as many guns from the weather-side as there are ports for; and, laying the enemy's ship on board, loof for loof, order the tops and yards to be manned and furnished with necessaries, and let all the small shot be in readiness; then charge at once with both small and great; and, at the same time, enter the men, under cover of the smoke, either on the bow of the enemy's ship, or bring the midship close up with her quarter, and so enter the men by the shrouds: or, if it be found more convenient to use the ordnance, it is best to board the enemy's ship athwart her hawse; for, in that case, most of the great guns may be used, and the enemy can only use those of her prow. Let some of the men endeavour to cut down the enemy's yards and tackle, whilst others clear the decks, and beat the enemy from aloft. Then let the scuttles and hatches be broke open with all possible speed, to avoid trains, and the danger of being blown up by gunpowder, placed under the decks.

BOAT, (bæt, Sax. boot, Belg. embarcation, Fr.) a small open vessel, conducted on the water by rowing or sailing. The construction, machinery, and the names of boats, are very different, according to the various purposes for which they are calculated, and the services on which they are to be employed.

Thus they are occasionally slight or strong; sharp or flat-bottomed; open or decked, plain or ornamented; as they may be designed for swiftness or burden; for deep or shallow water; for sailing in a

harbour or at sea; and for convenience or plea sure.

The Long-BOAT, (chaloupe d'un vaisseau de guerre Fr.) the largest boat that usually accompanies a ship, is generally furnished with a and sails, and may be armed and equipped, for cruising short distances against merchant-ships of the enemy, or smugglers, or for impressing seamen, &c. her principal employ, however, is to bring heavy stores or provisions on board, and also to go up small rivers to fetch water, wood, &c.

The LAUNCH, (chaloupe, Fr.) is a boat which of late years has greatly superseded the use of the long boat; it is longer, more flat bottomed, and by rowing a greater number of oars, is better adapted for going up narrow and shallow rivers. See the article LAUNCH.

The BARGE, (canot de parade, Fr.) is a long, narrow, light boat, employed to carry the prin cipal sea-officers, as admirals, and captains of ships of war on shore, and are very unfit for sca. See the article BARGE.

A PINNACE, (pinnace, ou canot des officiers, Fr.) resembles a barge, but is smaller, never rowing more than eight oars; whereas, a barge never rows less than ten. The pinnace is for the accomodation of the lieutenants, &c.

CUTTERS of a Ship, (bateaux à l'usage des vaisseaux de guerre, Fr.) are broader, deeper, and shorter than the barge or pinnace; they are fitter for sailing, and commonly employed in carrying light stores, provisions, passengers, &c. to and from the ships. In the structure of this sort of boats, the lower edge of every plank in the side over-lays the upper edge of the plank below it, which is called clinch-work. They are generally rowed with six oars, sometimes only with four; in which case they are termed jolly. boats.

YAWLS, (canots, yoles, Fr.) are something less than cutters, nearly of the same form, and used for similar services.

Of all the small boats, a Norway yawl seems to be the best calculated for a high sea, as it will often venture out to a great distance from the coast of that country, when a stout ship can hardly carry any sail.

A GIG, is a long narrow boat, used for expedi. › tion, generally rowed with six or eight oars, and is mostly the private property of the captain, or commander.

Jolly BOAT, (petit canot, Fr.) a smaller boat than a yawl, kept on board ships, for going on shore, and other light work.

The above boats more particularly belong to ships of war; as merchant-ships seldom have more than two, viz. a long boat and yawl: when they have a third, it is generally calculated for the countries to which they trade, and varies in its construction accordingly.

A WHERRY, (bateau de passage, Fr.) is a light sharp boat, used in a river or harbour for carrying passengers from place to place. The wherries allowed to ply about London, are either scullers, which means a single person with two oars, or two persons row. ing with each an oar.

The Portsmouth wherries are built broader and

larger than those on the Thames, and allowed to be a very safe description of boats, and will often keep the sea when those of a larger class are obliged to run into port: they have frequently been known to cross the Channel to France with safety, at different seasons of the year, and seldom meet with any accident. A PUNT, (ras de carene, pont volant, Fr.) is a sort of oblong flat-bottomed boat, nearly resembling a floating-stage used by shipwrights and calkers, for breaming, calking, or repairing a ship's bottom, and is chiefly used for one person to go on shore in from small vessels. It is also frequently used to go after wild-fowl during the winter season, when they hover about the coasts. The boatman is furnished with a long musket, fixed in the bow of the boat, and generally steers with a scull in the stern, while he lays on his back in the bottom of the boat; he takes the advantage of the tide to go down on the birds, and fires, without taking any particular aim, as the flock are rising out of the water, by which means he frequently brings down a great many.

A MOSES, (bateau plat, Fr.) is a flat-bottomed boat, used in the West Indies, for bringing off hogs heads of sugar from the sea-beach to the shipping, which are anchored in the roads, and is termed single or double, according to its size.

A FELUCCA, (felouque, Fr.) is a large and strong passage-boat, used in the Mediterranean, having from ten to sixteen banks of oars. The natives of Barbary often employ boats of this sort as cruisers.

For the larger sort of boats, see the articles CRAFT, CUTTER, PERIAGUA, and SHALLOP.

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The Society of Arts voted the gold medal in the year 1807, to Mr. Christopher Wilson, Richardstreet, Commercial-road, London, for a sailing-boat, which is thus described in Vol. XXV. of the Society's Transactions: Mr. Wilson's Neutralbuilt-self-balanced-Boat.

By the term neutral built is meant the two modes of building, clincher and carvel, both united, viz. clincher in the inside and carvel on the outside, which particularizes both the two into a third; and as every thing has a distinguishing name, Mr. WILSON has thought proper to introduce it to the public, under the name of a neutral boat.

The two modes of clincher and carvel-built have each their separate advantages and disadvantages in regard to each other; but in this neutral system, both their advantages are said to be united, and both their disadvantages got clear of.

Mr. Wilson claims two distinct improvements, viz. the neutral mode of building, and the application of the hollow sides or balance bodies. The first of these improvements relates to boats, barges, &c. in general: the other to such boats only as are designed for dispatch, safety, or pleasure.

But with respect to these claims of Mr. Wilson, it is but justice to state, that he has been anticipated in them both. Mr. Boswell, to whom the navy is much indebted for many useful hints, had a boat built in June 1803, the internal framing of which was precisely the same as in that of Mr. Wilson's: and the only difference was, that, instead of having slips laid on the inside of the seams with blair or other calking, they were rivetted on without, and the seams calked. 'This boat was exhibited in London, and a descrip

tion of it published in No. LXII. of the Repertory of Arts, New Series, &c. The second improvement claimed by Mr. Wilson, is essentially the same as that for which Mr. Lionel Lukin obtained a patent in the year 1785, the specification of which was published in the Repertory of Arts, Vol. III. First Series. The difficulties and danger of passing a bar in stormy weather, and of landing troops on a beach, when there is much surf, or a great swell, have given rise to various experiments, to prevent boats being swamped or stove; and, among others, that of applying air trunks to boats built in the common way, agreeable to a plan lately proposed to the Admiralty by Vice Admiral Hunter, who, after forty years experience in different parts of the world, strongly recommends it as the very best possible method yet thought of, to prevent boats sinking in case of being struck by a heavy sea, or filled in going through a surf.

This plan is simple and practicable for preventing the loss of lives when a boat is sent from her ship in bad weather; or when troops are to be carried in boats through broken water, which may occasion their shipping enough to fill or swamp the boat in deep water; and the Admiral is of opinion, that, if every ship, whether in his Majesty's or merchant's service, were to have at all times a set of these trunks ready to apply when they have occasion to use their boats in bad weather, many valuable lives would be saved.

To those acquainted with the force of a heavy sea, it must appear much more difficult to prevent a boat from being stove, than from being sunk

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An ingenious mechanic has suggested, that a much greater degree of stability might be given to our common boats or small vessels, and that they might be made to resist the shock of the waves, by dimi nishing their centre of gravity at the instant such a measure was found necessary, which would greatly augment their general gravity and resistance. proposes, that in the vertical plane of the boat's centre of gravity, there be placed a rod of iron, formed of several fillets of the same metal; at the extremity of this rod let there be fixed a weight of iron or lead, the specific gravity of which may be in proportion to the effect required to result from it.

When there is no occasion for employing this weight, it might be contained in a place made in the bottom, or keel, of the vessel, which part might be easily appropriated for that purpose, without the weight occasioning any embarrassment or friction.

The rod might be secured by an apparatus very easily made; and it might be provided with teeth, by which it could be manoeuvred by a crane, by means of a single handle; the weight might be made to descend to the depth of eighteen, twenty, or twenty-four inches, beneath the lower plane of the keel; and it will appear evident, that the descent of this weight must cause a difference in the power of the boat's resistance against the efforts of the waves. the article LIFE BOAT.

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Trim the BOAT! (barque droite! Fr.) the order to sit in the boat in such a manner as that she shall float upright in the water, without leaning to either side.

To bale the BOAT, (vuider l'eau d'un canot, Fr.) is to throw or scoop out the water that may have got in her bottom, by leakage or otherwise.