Sentence:  It is also easy to see that the straight line, representing the locus of centres of buoyancy for a rectangular section, must lie at a <WSD>less</WSD> inclination to the base (i.e., to the horizontal) than a line representing the locus of such centres for a parabolic section ... 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  (little); smaller, lesser. (from 11th c.)