The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-11-05 00:00:00

THE NEW FORT.

The CHAIRMAN reported that he, the Deputy Chair-
man, and Mr. Middleton, had had an interview with the
Board of Ordnance, who showed every disposition to
meet the views of the con.mittee as to the site for the
new fort. The probability was, that a site would be se-
lected beyond the land belonging to the estate, it being
more desirable to purchase land for the purpose further
north, than to give up any of the !arid at present in the
possession of the estate. A proper person would be sent
down to survey the place, and then the matter would be
decided.

Mr. Nicot, said they received very favourably the sug-
gestion of placing cannons on the river-walls. irhei- only
objection to the tort being further north was, that after
vessels had passed both forts there was io protection ;
but they seemed to jump at the idea of placing cannons
on the river-wall, and wished the position for such cannon
to be pointed out.
Mr. HARTLEY. said the river-walls now constructing
were more adapted for this purpose than ;the others.
Mr. RIPLEY hoped there would be no encroachment
on the public sigh sby this arrangenient. •
The CHAIRMAN.—None whatever.

LEASE OF LAND TO MIL WILSON.

The CUAIRMAN mentioned that Mr. Wilson acceded
to the terms for a lease of the land offered to him, with
the exc:ption that he wished a clause introduced, giving
him compensation for the buildings erected, only provided
he was removed in seven years.
A long and desultory conversation ensued.
Mr. RIPLEY contended that some limit ought to be put
to the compensation, and he moved that it should not ex-
ceed half of the seven years' rent.
Mr. S.',N DB '.CH seconded the motion.

Mr. TOBIN, seconded by Mr. KENDALL, moved, as an
amendment, that the compensation should nut exceed the
whole of the rent.

Upon a division, only three—Messrs. Kendall, Tobin,
and Royden—voted for the amendment. The original
notion was then put, and the voting was the same, ex-
cept that the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman voted
against the motion. The numbers then stood, 9 for the
motion and 5 against. Alter the subject bad been dis-
posed of, Mr. Nicol was allowed to propose another
amendment as follows:—" That the buildings to be
erected by Mr. Wilson must be submitted for the appro-
bation of this committee, and in the event of Mr. Wilson
being removed at the end of the first seven years, every
claim for compensation for such buildings to be ascer-
tained by arbitration." The votes were then taken, when
7 appeared for and 7 against. The amendment was then
declared negatived for the day, but afterwards it was
arranged that the words " such compensation not to ex-
ceed one-half of the seven years' rent" should be added
to the amendment. It was then carried without a divi-
sion.
A letter from Messrs. Wood and Ritson, as to further
shed accommodation on the west side of George's Dock,
was referred to the Sub-committee of Works.

A letter from Messrs. Brown, Shipley, and Co., re-
questing a stage berth for 'he '.'hiladelphia line of trick:its,
was referred to the Harbour-master's Sub-committee.
The receipts at Runcorn for the last month on 219 yes.
sets, and of 10,949 tons, were stated to be £55 14s. 10d.,
being a decrease of about 10s. as compared with the cor-
responding period of last )ear.

CORRESPONDENCE.

SHIP-BUILDING.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Sin,—My last, as a necessary introduction on ship_
building, commenced with a few remarks on displace-
ment, and the resistance of fluids, which is now resumed.
To illustrate this from practical results, we will state a
case or two, having before shewn that the weight of all
Heating bodies are equal to the weight of water by them
displaced, from wilica it must be obvious that the faster
any vessel passes through the fluid the greater the resist-
ance, until the propelling power can no further overcome :
it is then said the vessel is at her greatest speed. This
resistance is more or less felt, either from the ship's ful-
ness or sharpness forward, or from its depth in the water,
produced through the flatness or sharpness of its bottom,,
Ful-bowed vessels being at this time almost universally
adopted, the reason assigned is either from the velocity of
a fish, or that of a taper spar, which is said to tow fastest
with the butt foremost. These hypotheses are enforced
with the view of establishing a theory : as it respects a
fish, this has been already, and in some future observa-.
bon strati again be taken up, by sheaving the danger of
pursuing such a principle in the erection of mercmerchantships. In following up this important subject, it will be
necessary to examine how far the towing of a spar, with
the butt or large end forward, can in any way be a guide
in the formation of a ship, or through it prove advanta-
geous in giving them full bows, whereby to promote their
sailing qualities. Here permit a small digression. It is
now a well-known fact among seamen, that ships with foul
bottoms have the greatest proportion of foulness from
their angle of resistance to their after parts, showing their
foulness in a greater degree in those parts where theorists
would determine they should have the least. it has been
proved from demonstrative evidence that along the whole
sti eight of the side, up and down, the grass and weed grow
the lastest, and often in long voyages (before coppering
came into general use) to the length of six inches or more.
It is also an established fact, when the ves-el is going at
her greatest rate of sailing, those weeds remain stationary,
and at right angles from the ship's side, from which it is
evident that, independent of coma,on or natural resist-
ance, all vessels draw or attract along with them a column
of water, the extent or breadth from the side increasing
or decreasing in proportion to their speed. To lessen this
friction, it would be advisable to observe two things, as
necessary to the construction of vessels; first, by placing
the dead flat as near th'e half-length as possible, through
which an easy entrance is effected, showing a greater dis-
tan'.e from the stern to the main directi in or resistance of
the fluid, whereby the water is divided with greater ease.
Theorists may say, that the resistance, as it respects the
immersed part, is equal in sharp as in full-bowed vessels,
(then would a blunt wedge act with the same power as
a sharp one); but be it so, yet the former is much relieved
from the effect of the sea forced up by a bluff bow, vvi h-
out taking into account the down pressure from the weight
of water constantly passing ovee her forward ; whereas
the deepest parts of a ship under a heavy tress of canvass,
whose dead flat is in midships, with the bow fairly ar-
ranged, is round the windlass. This hypothesis is not in-
tended as advocating sharp ships, but as the practical
means in reducing friction. Secondly, that in construct-
jug a ship's after body, it would be advisable to adopt. as
many changes in her form under water as possible; this
can be effected only from the point of r sistance being as
near the centre of the vessel as a well-formed body will
admit. I know the principle is opposed to the present
theorists. on which there will be further occasion to en-
large. Nly reason for keeping this in view when con-
structing a vessel, in established on the law of fluids. It is