New-York daily tribune., 1843-09-23

A1hencurn and Literary Gazette NJ. 'elu'ii'
the veteran Editor Of the latter having been pre-
sent.
eIhe Report of the Committee on the ron"
Of Ships" prepared by Mr.. Scott KussciP -
however. too important to Us lnanuine halio'i
to be lightly passed over. If It's conclusions d, y.
con6rmed-and they seem irrefra ga5le-toeY VII.
change the system Of ship-building erthc whole
cio5e. The favoritc old principle Of giving good
fnII bow and long and slender run has been "a
,ojI;arlv described as q a Gods head and 4 mack
erel.stail., The experiments prove that thus form
should be cruelty reversed
The great impcdiment 10 the speed Of a vessel IS
her raising great wave Of resistance at her bows,
the effect orwhicll is TO keep her back IN the va
ter as much as if she were deeper by the depth Of
the wave thus raised To diminish tins resist
ance, the force OF her water line should cores
pond 10 that which the water could make on her
SIDE, and it IS found, contrary to previous IDEAS,
that the place Of greatest width should be 6eh1R@
The centre Of the vessel Thus, for example, If a
steam vessel were required TO be out TO go ! !
miles per hour through the water, or % feet per
second, her length must be from her greatest sec
ton to her bow one hundred and twenty feet, and
from her greatest section 10 hcr stern elghty-fve
feet. Between these two parts may be middle
body Of any length. The precise curve to be
given to the fore and after Portions though easily
obtained practically, cannot be shown without an
engraving. In one Of the experiments, boat
Of the ftyorite old model with full bow ana
clean run at miles per hour showed a resistance
of l29 lbs, while another OF the same length,
Depth width and weight, but different IN shape,
being formed according to the new theory, showed
a resistance of only 81 lbs.-much less than one
half. Is not this worth attending to by our ship
builders Experiments were tired on steamers
of 800 horse power and 1000 tons burthcn, and 1t
was found that large vessels of this form were not
wet nor uneasy. nor liable to heavy shocks; and
that they stecred more easily, as well as sailed
better. The Marquis of Northampton SAID very
Justly that ii nothing farther had ever been done
bv the British Association (Which has expended
s4 900 in these experiments this discovery was
enough to pay and ovcrpay all their labors.
Mr.. Scott Russell also read valuable paper
on the construction Of buildings 10 facilitate hear
inp He described an Isacoustlc curve to be
given to the sides OF d building which would ena-
bic an auditory of unprecedented numbers to hear
with perfect distinclness.
In the same section (Mechanical Science sew
eral practical communications were read on the
prevention of smoke from factories, on the strength
of cast iron showing that it has been greatly
ovcrrated) on marine propellcrs, &c &c.
In section A, Mcteorology, the Calculus OF
Probabilities, Ba1ometrc iormulce, Tides, Elastl
city, Observations by ceptve Balloons, the laws
of Total Reflection, the Nomenclature of the Stars,
Magnetic Observations, &c. were discussed with
very great ability; and many new facts develop
cd and theories propounded
In section B, among the Chemical and Miner
alogical communications, was one from Professor
Draper Of New-Yor
In section C, the chief discussions related to
points in British Geology upon which much val
uablc information was elected.
In section D, among the various contributions
to Natural History was paper by Rev. Thomas
Heath upon the Inhabitants of the Navigators
dLiullS p'ISSSo WIN |u'' 40 :"
Missionary. lie characterized the whole people
as very intellectual race, "equal to the British
Association
Section Z, suggested many new views, remedies
and operations in Medical Science.
Section +, recorded many facts IN Statistics,
which viii give reliable and much wanted data
to the future philosopher
In thefull reports, when published, men OF every
taste will find much 20 interest and profit them,
but they cannot realize the qualification of hear
ing these discoveries direct from the lips Of Their
authors Fresh as pm from this enjoyment,
cannot help asking when will cur own scientific
men in America unite to offer such q pleasure to
the Englishman visiting them for improvement
CHRISTINA COCHRAN, on Observation-Disclosures
have been received by the Caledonia showing
that Capt. M'Kay, who pursued and took back
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