Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-04-10
NAVAL.

In no department Of the arts and sciences has this go
ahead age made more striking progress than in the
dels Of seagong ships for sail steam for both pur
poses combined N
Our merchant vessels both sail and steam have sea-
Oily improved upon the ancient models and it may be
said, and truly that the dullest saer Of the modern
build is quite equal the fastest ship at the begin
ming Of the century.
Fifty years ago little than thrice the breadth Of
beam considered the best length which could be given
to vessel and the main breadth carried far
ward they could get it, consistently with the spherical
form Of bows which then deemed essential quick
and easy motion through the water whilst at the present
day the main breadth is placed nearly amidshp and the
bow sharpened to the wedge-lke form.
1t then argued that the bottom of ship should
be fashioned like the body Of fish, which to
force its with prodgous velocity big end foremost
through the water and therefore ships built accord
ingy up to recent day.
1t MAXIM and is now, amongst the ancient salts,
that spar, any other floating submerged body,
should be towed moved big end foremost
the resistance of the water and ships public
well private, constructed like the frustrum of
to be driven through the buttend foremost
Precisely the of this assumed principle is
in fact and ships fashioned to penetrate
shape oil other mechanical appliances designed to
penetrate any resisting medium, whether liquid semi
the nature Of the substance be penetrated or divided
win permit.
And at last build sharp ships, which divide the
liquid element with the least resistance; or, in other
words with velocity, all other things being equal,
proportionate to their sharpness
In order apply this fundamental principle to ship
building, resort to increased length is found to be i'm
pcrative, and ships have Eve and half SIX and even
seven, times their main breadth Of beam for length
stead of three, as formerly.
The effect of this change of model is quite remarkable
The passenger have increased in speed from six
and eight to fifteen and eighteen knots hour and the
merchant ships, whose maximum Of sailing thirty
ago ten have reached the astonishing velocity
of eighteen knots.
The clipper merchant ship Flying Cloud" on the
Soth and 3lst July and LIST August 1851, made per
log, 1884, 374, and 334 miles each day. respectvely7or
1149 statute miles in three consecutive days During
squat the Slst July eighteen knots of line were not
sufficient to measure her rate of sailing
Three hundred and seventyour sea miles or four hun
dred and thirty statute miles, in day. the largest
made the ocean, and beats the fastest sea
steamer that has yet been put ahoat
Now, II sail ship keep up this for twenty -four
hours steamer may be constructed to keep it for
eight days and hence make the passage Liverpool
within the week Undoubtedly in the lapse of few years
this will be accomplished
And again: If a merchant trading ship can make this
Of STA miles in day, at average rate Of fifteen
and half knots hour it is apparent that present
ships Of must be supersededast sailing being fer
the most part the element Of their usefulness. The
Portsmouth" and perhaps other ship of war, have
Appropriated this rate all the rest should berepeced
as fast they wear out.
This last has been the opinion Of the Navy for several
years they in general terms heavy saers and I'M
equal to their modern mode Of armament