ability to return it, it is more than probable thakbefore .the? tide
return she will be taken, or the water flow into her 'before she
rights. , JBetiMesself built flab and ;§@li(df (the? plan Herein-^
before bè e qu ally 1 iable itoi'JjfesIse^Jïê^pÉi
vcniences ; circumstance of drawing ;kss/water iwiH enable
thjeni to Gopie jitesEireb the object of attack, rernain A^lflongep^
an^f^ithflraw eakieBïftöm: it even should such vessels be left by1
the tide, they might remain during idoing their duty
equally as if afloat.
- ju st1 before pointedroufe in thé
case o f bombs, from such vessels being sharp built, and having
a greatvdraught of water, apply with, equal force: to,ifire-rshipsV
But some other advantages may be enumerated as derivable to
%p7ships from .Sliding J^eels, whiéhiCOrdd;bö#f jH:0 use with respect
to bomba. Such as when, in certain situations, opportunities
Opcur by placing th e . keels, and \ making the sa£ls*> that
fire-ships may run on a direct point, and do the .duty-required
amongst shipping in a road or harbour, or .against a town near
the water and it is to be: presumed, that with,<fire-ships thus
constructed if is practicable net only to,set fire {hf no:bpam,)t0
a fleetijn a harbour, but a t the same timp so eftéctually db*-
stroy the harbour itself, as to prevent the ships that should not
be burnt from coming out, or any other ships of flmyiaétfrcub
going in.
Many of the reasons given in the two last cases against sharp*
built vessels, and in favour of those on a flat construction with
Sliding Keels, apply to floating batteries, gun boats, gun bat-
teaux and flat-bottomed boats for landing troops. I f a floating
battery is to be built, it should be constructed suitable to the
place and object it is intended for, whether it be to go to sea,
or to work up rivers; to run a certain distance before the wind,
or be towed by boats to the place where they are to act. In
either
either öPffoesfe' bases d Variation in the construction would be
required^%iïfe'the mMbiö^hsiderablé'part' óf the impfovériiént
would beun making'separate bulk-heads^which in batteries or
ho'ats the' mofê ’ftuft%i*öiis instance; suppöSë
gun fobats rirê‘ attacking number 'of
flafPbdttomed bbat'slandin’g m ênp'ifh mrgéf shot strike any 'ón'é
o f 'théseJböats and g o ' tmóüghM ^y,the"tbpat must^Metitably
sink, to the' gibait^ alarm‘of thb-ffien mHhebthër bb’a-fS, b u t’if
thësèWeSs'lls•'are built with bulk-heads, the water only 'caff borne
intObh'ëbf two places5; * nhd^tfnlèsS* thè! shot g&es Jin below ‘the
watèr-lÖi'é1 at'b^éenÜ 'dfTO^boMJ she'Hvill not sink, Jrior vvill thé
men in the otKe'Pböats know any moré. of a’ shoPstrikingher,
than of a man4 being killed.
Thus mubn? Captairi‘Schank'has delivered-, f ^ ^ s t ih g the advantages‘•
resulting to'^ëssbls constructed with ■‘SlMirig1 Keels,
and^applicable to ships in the sèrviée'of Gbvernmentp'the ob-
séfvktièns which TdllBw, apply more particularly to trading Mes-
idli^'and tËc^genëral improVemSSi^’br navigation.
1. ^'éi&els thus constructed will answer better as'-Coastèrs óf
all kihd'sftyand for the coal’ trade.' The ad v an tag e which
Coastérs will deritte ftbfrf thil%önStruction dfofmany. • I t fè%ér*
thin that great numbere' oï'thëB^’are lóst owing1 to their great
draught of water; and it- is alsoNvèll known that their passaged
are frequently -much lengthened,1 by their being o'bligê’d,' wheó
the windel contrary, to run töleéward tb' get'a^gooa^Batbour ér
road’sted. In such caSes, if they drew a few IbëtI lesüf water;
thby^^èuld^gödhto mate^f Barbbufs, which they ate now Obliged
tb pnsS.* But;' the 'inconvenience does riot test hètëf förbVeh
when they arrive at the intended port, théy&ré; perhapsfoffen
obliged1 fbwa it sCveraPdayk'fbr' a ‘Spring fidfeV*which,'whe^'1 it
comes,1 a gètlebf wind probably préventè''tHfetri ’ from taking advantage
of, and getting i h : arid often the same1 time'indy be lost
d 2 in