The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-05 00:00:00

THE DRY ROT.

Na U, Nelson-square, London,
Stec,-.-Many contradictory opinions exist respecting the °rigid
and remedies for " the naval dry rot :" no:withstanding all
the reports that it is stopped or cured by Sir Robert Seppings, and
all the publications upon tl:e subject, (which is perhaps of greater
consequence to a maritime country than any other,) I can clemle
[ prove there i' but one cause, and one effectual remedy.
[ The dry rot is become notorious, from the very numberless and
extravagant experiments that have been made, and pretended to be
successful, in our Royal dock-yards ; but I am confident you will
not admit that East India shims are as durable as formerly, if you
'refer to the Company's books cur fifty or one hundred years past,
and then compare how long the old ships sailed, and how litany
vorages all the ships have made that were built since 1702.
the origin of the navel dry rot in our doch-yards is, the use of
timber hewn in the summer, ever since the French Revolution ; for
I can produce evidence, that the Navy Boards, prior to that memo-
rable event, contracted for timber hewn in the winter, and allowed
the contractors 71 percent. as equivalent for the bark, which soon
aftevirards became of fir greater value to the tanners, to answer the
pressing ticanands for leather ; and this led to the introduction sad
use of a new system, by using summer green timber, contrary to
the okl principles and practice, which had been confirmed to be the
' best, front successive ages of experience, and which had acquired dm
[ proverbial title for our navy, of " old England's wooden walls."
[ These facts are incontrovertible. Nevertheless, dry rot is denied
[ by gentlemen in ollice, who cannot so easily disprove its fatal effects.
[ If any gentleman doubt my foie ditit, let him visit the Dread-
nought, the Boyne, the Rippon. and the Lord Nelson, and he will
then find that it is impossible for any pen or tongue to describe the
danger, the irreparable loss of millions upon millions, and all the
fatal consequences that omit ensue, if we do not immediately n.
turn to our old practice, to rescue our navy from the destruet,on
that is inevitable. If we follow the new experimental oyster? a far
years longer, we may not have twenty first-rates sesworn y, art
emergencies, when the amount of our national debt (aa a renssai its
a sacrifice), could not redeem our invaluable navy, if we had it in
specie ! Far be it known and remenbered that the kingdom is nearly
ar iu.te exhausted of all our native oak for naval purposes a and
the commiesioners of the royal forests may travel throughout, to
find a single tree fit for a ship of He guns.—at least I know ad,
to be the case now, with respect to the New Freest ; and have no
reason to doubt my general information. Hence the immense ins.,
portations, and millioes of expenditure to provide Mediterranean
oak, etc. notwithstanding all foreign oak is well known to be much
inferior tcrour native growth. I do not state this with any motives
to criminate or condemn public officers, or to brine his Majesty's
Government into contempt, but to rescue our navy from impending
ruin, as an imperative duty to my King and country, whose Minis-
ters have neglected frequent private warnings of their abandoning
the old rules ; in defence of which it may be pleaded, warliksne-
cessities demanded the sacrifice ; but nothing can justify the con-
tinnance of a novel, expensive, and ruinous system, during eight
years of profound peace, after haring witnessed the fatal effects of a
departure from our dock-yard laws, which nothing ought to bale
ha ten for a moment.

But the evil was impert tenably introduced, inasmuch as its con-
e luences remained invisible for years, in which they might be only
partial, perhaps ; but it would be madness to assert that Sir Ro-
bert Seppings has restored the navy to its original title of wooden
walls, by building roofs over the wet docks, &c f. and 'the Las
not, it is worthy inquiry, why we do not return to our good old sys-
tem, althoueh Sir Robert has received five thousand pounds, and
the honour o'S Knighthood ? fdr now all our fine oaks are sacrificed
for the sake of the bark, which is not worth one tenth of the tree ;
but even if bark was worth ten times more than the tree, I submit
that it is the true interests of the navy, and the East India Com-
pany, to act upon similar principles, and to sacrifice the bark,
rather than endanger lives, ships, and cargoes, any more. Ventila-
tion is the best counteraction' under existing grievous eirCenas
stances t and this has b•-en done, as much as possible, I must
allow, in justice to Sir l'obert, as well as many other excellent
pmvcments, which, however, only excite in my mind the rater
surprise and regret, at the fatality of catching the shadow uunced
of the substantial and radical cause, during a period of thirty.
three years.
Having proved that the dry rot is a novel complaint in our navy,
and having explained the cause and remedy, for the impartial con-
sideration of the East India Company and Government, I can only
add, that no estimate can be formed cf its extent, without an actual
survey of the ships,-1 mean the insides of the planks, and outsides
of the timbers, where air is inadmissible, and there you will find
fungus, a few years after ships ate launched, which always precedes
dry rot.
The old timber-masters and timber measurers, yet living, will
corroborate this statement, if summoned before another Coironis-
sion of Naval Inquiry, or a Parliamentary Committee, who would
soon discover greater abuses than any detected by the last Com-
missioners, whose last Report, I understand, has never been
printed !—but why, I know not.
The public vital importance of this business has compelled ttso
to address you. from seeing that our dockyard-men have all arts-
, &red out of the plain old road into a dreadful labyrinth.
I have the honour to be, Slr,
'sour most Obedient servant,
(Signed) J. BC RRIDGE.
To the lion. the East India Company, and
the Chancellor of the Exchequer.