' Metallic Soap for Coating the Bottoms of Iron Ships
Year: 1863

page_text: bearing date the 21st day of June 1854, and numbered 1356, and known as
"McInnes' Metallic Soap for Coating the Bottoms of Iron Ships."
When this improved sheathing is to be applied to other purposes than to
the external covering of the bulls of navigable vessels the Inventor confines
himself to the use of the herein-before mentioned metallic soap for the satura-
tion and coating of the paper, calico, or other textile fabric, as paper, calico,
and other textile fabrics saturated with tar, oil, and other repellants of damp
have been commonly used for that purpose.
And, lastly, the Invention consists in the use and application of the improved
sheathing made with the said metallic soap when applied between the double
planking of the hulls of vessels constructed with diagonal, vertical, or longi-
tudinal double skins, so as to resist the action of worms against the inner
skin and make the joints of the inner planking in rear thereof impervious to
water.
The applicant would here remark that barnacles and other marine animals
have not the power to penetrate paper, calico, or other like soft textile fabrics.
This improved sheathing may be made to adhere to the surface which it is
intended to cover by means of any suitable adhesive substance, by heat, nails,
or in any other convenient way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John McInnes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MINNES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer of Com-
positions for Protecting the Bottoms of Navigable Vessels, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John McInnes, Her special licence that I, the said John M°Innes,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
McInnes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEATHING FOR

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John M'Innes, of Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Manufacturer of Compositions for Protecting the Bottoms of
Navigable Vessels, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEATHING FOR
NAVIGABLE VESSELS OF IRON OR WOOD, WHICH SHEATHING IS ALSO APPLICABLE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John McInnes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
October 1863.
I, JOHN MCINNES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer
of Compositions for Protecting the Bottoms of Navigable Vessels, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEATHING FOR
NAVIGABLE VESSELS OF IRON OR WOOD, WHICH SHEATHING IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO
THE COVERING OF ROOFS, WALLS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows, that is.
to say:
This Invention consists in applying to the external surface of the bottoms
or hulls of ships or other navigable vessels, whether constructed of wood or
iron, a sheathing of paper, calico, or other textile fabric which has been
previously saturated with any suitable material or composition which will
protect the bottoms of the vessels to which it is applied from oxidation and
the adhesion of animal and vegetable matter; but the composition preferred
for saturating and coating the paper, cotton, or other textile fabric, is that for
which the applicant obtained Her most Gracious Majesty's Letters Patent

page_text: NAVIGABLE VESSELS OF IRON OR WOOD, WHICH SHEATHING IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO
THE COVERING OF Roors, WALLS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John McInnes, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of, the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John McInnes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
This my said Invention consists in applying to the external surface of the
bottoms or hulls of ships or other navigable vessels, whether constructed of
wood or iron, a sheathing of paper, calico, or other textile fabric, which has
been previously saturated with any suitable material or composition which will
protect the bottoms of the vessels to which it is applied from oxidation and
the adhesion of animal and vegetable matter, which materials or compositions
may be of any of the ordinary kinds used for that purpose; but the com-
position I prefer for saturating and coating the paper, cotton, or other textile
fabric, is that for which I obtained Her most Gracious Majesty's Letters
Patent bearing date the Twenty-first day of June One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-four, and numbered 1356, and known as "McInnes Metallic Soap
for Coating the Bottoms of Iron Ships."
When this improved sheathing is to be applied to other purposes than to
the external covering of the hulls of navigable vessels I confine myself to the
use of the herein-before mentioned metallic soap for the saturation and coating
of the paper, calico, or other textile fabric, as paper, calico, and other textile
fabrics saturated with tar, oil, and other repellants of damp have been com-
monly used for that purpose.
And this my said Invention further consists in the use and application of
the improved sheathing made with the said metallic soap when applied between
the double planking of the hulls of vessels constructed with diagonal, vertical,
or longitudinal double skins, so as to resist the action of worms against the
inner skin and make the joints of the planking in rear thereof impervious to
water.
I would here remark that barnacles and other marine animals have not the
power to penetrate paper, calico, or other like soft textile fabrics. This my
improved sheathing may be made to adhere to the surface which it is intended

page_text: to cover by means of any suitable adhesive substance, by heat, nails, or in any
other convenient way.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and how the same may be carried into practical effect, what I
claim is,
Firstly, applying to the external surface of the bottoms or hulls of ships and
other navigable vessels, whether constructed of iron or wood, a sheathing of
paper, calico, or other textile fabric which has been previously saturated with
any suitable material or composition which has the property of protecting the
bottoms of the vessels to which it is applied from oxidation and the adhesion
of animal and vegetable matter, as herein-before described and set forth.
Secondly, the manufacture and use of sheathing of paper, calico, and other
textile fabrics when saturated with the improved composition known as
"McInnes Metallic Soap for Coating the Bottoms of Iron Ships," when applied
as a protective covering for roofs, walls, and other purposes, as herein-before
described and set forth.
And, lastly, the use and application of the improved sheathing made from
paper, calico, or other textile fabric saturated with the metallic soap, as
herein-before described and set forth, when applied between the planking of
the hulls of navigable vessels.
In witness whereof, I, the said John McInnes, have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal, this Eighth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
Patent Agent,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
JOHN (L.S.) MINNES.