THE MEANS OF CONVEYING VESSELS OF ANY BURTHEN THROUGH THE WATER WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF OARS OR SAILS
Year: 1811

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME UNTO OR
CONCERN, we, JOHN ROSE, of Folkstone, in the County of Kent, a Lieutenant
in His Majesty's Navy, and THOMAS CHAPMAN, of Gough Square, in the City
of London, Gentleman, severally send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the fifty-first year of
His reign, give and grant unto us, the said John Rose and Thomas Chapman,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, His special licence that we, the said
John Rose and Thomas Chapman, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
during the term of years therein expressed, should and might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within that part of His Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland called England, His Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
our Invention of "THE MEANS OF CONVEYING VESSELS OF ANY BURTHEN THROUGH
THE WATER WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF OARS OR SAILS;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso requiring us, the said John Rose and
Thomas Chapman, under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of us, to cause the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within two calendar months after the date of the said Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
John Rose and Thomas Chapman, do hereby declare that the nature of our
said Invention of the Means of Conveying Vessels of any Burthen through

page_text: the Water without the Assistance of Oars or Sails, is particularly described
and ascertained as follows, that is to say:
First, we cause an opening to, be made in the bow and stern of any ship or
vessel immediately on the kelson, the size of the said opening to be in
proportion to the draught of water the vessel may make. A firm and covered
passage, equal in strength to the sides of the vessel, is then made from stem
to stern, into which the external water is admitted, making a complete passage
through the vessel.
Secondly, we construct our machinery which is intended to propel the said
vessel through the water after the following method:-In a frame firmly fixed
in the said opening or watercourse we place one or more wheels or cranks of
such form and dimensions as the-nature-of the-vessel or the draught of the water
she may make may require.. The wheels we, construct principally after the
manner of a water wheel, and hanging on an axle from the sides of the water-
course; the cranks we form on the same diameter as the wheels. Where
we use them together, supporting two beams of equal lengths, on which beams
are placed a certain number of paddles proportioned to the length of the beams
and the depth of the watercourse. These paddles are made as wide as the
play of the two beams will adimit; so that while one set is rising out of the
water, the opposite set may pass without touching. These paddles are placed
in an upright direction, so as to enter and leave the water without obstruction.
The wheels and cranks are so constructed as to be connected with a cogg-
wheel or long shaft, regulating them severally and together, to which may be
applied, on either or on both sides of the ship or vessel, a steam or vapour
engine, or any other mechanical power constructed for the purpose of working
our machinery where the effect of manual labour is insufficient.
Thirdly, in some cases we shall find it necessary to use a wheel either in the
centre by itself, or at the opening part of the wartercourse just within the
bow, with a double or single crank and paddles in the middle of the said
watercourse, and a second wheel at the after part or just within the stern of
the vessel. In some cases it will be most effectual to use one or more wheels
in the watercourse; and no cranks; and, in others, for passage vessels and on
canal navigation in particular, one or more cranks will be the most opera-
tive, without the assistance of the wheels.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Rose and Thomas Chapman, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twentieth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eleven.
J. ROSE, LIE., R.N. (L.S.)
THOS CHAPMAN. (L.B.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twentieth day of May
the aforesaid John Rose, and that on the Twenty-first day of May, in the year
above mentioned, the aforesaid Thomas Chapman, came before our Lord the
King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and
all and every thing therein contained, in form above written. And also the
Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute in that
case made and provided.
Inrolled the Twenty-second day of May, in the year above written.