A NEW SYSTEM OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE
Year: 1806

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRIS-
TOPHER WILSON, late of Windmill Street, Tottenham Court Road, but now of
Richard Street, Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex, Master
Mariner, 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 at Westminster, the Thirtieth day of
August, in the forty-sixth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said
Christopher Wilson, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, His especial licence, that
I, the said Christopher Wilson, my exors, adñors, and assigns, should and
lawfully might, during the term of years therein mentioned, make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "A NEW SYSTEM OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Christopher
Wilson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within one calendar month next after the date of the
said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto
had, may more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Christopher Wilson; do explain or describe my said system of Naval Archi-
tecture in manner following:
I set up frames at convenient distances upon the timber, which is first
fastened to the keel by any means thought proper (which frames describe
"the inside of the ship or. vessel, and are to be taken away again), then range
or lay the timbers horizontally, or as near as they or the form of the ship, &c.
will allow; and between the adjoining sides of the timbers I drive keys or
locks of the shape or form as represented in Fig. 2 or 3 in Drawing 2,
through mortises. cut half into one timber and half into the other, as is
represented-in-tho section of a-frame of a ship in Drawing 1....
Fig. 1, the little squares shewing the mortises or keys, which must be
placed as the most convenient for the builder. I have omitted keelsons in all
the Figures (which may or not be placed) with horizontal timbers, as every
timber acts with the keel, and as a keelson.
Figure 2, Drawing 1, is a section exhibiting the manner of ceiling or
planking in the inside, and also the ends of the planks on the outside, which
may be put on in what direction is most convenient for the conversion of
plank. But the more the seams of the planks cross the seams of the timbers,
tho better...
•
Fig: 3, Drawing:1, is a part of a ship cut level off above her beams, and
also a little below her beams, in order to explain the manner beams may be
secured without knees.. The angular pieces between the beams are-notched
in the inside, or that side next the timbers, so as to admit every alternate
plank of the ceiling, or what planks are most convenient, which secures the
chocks or angular pieces from working fore and aftways, and the 'rest of
the planks butt against it, above and below, which will prevent it from
working up and down, and may be fastened to the beams by moans of the
keys going diagonally, as represented by the squares-in-tho joints (and with or
without bolts). The chocks may butt against each other, or may lap over;
and be fastened to the ship's side by any common method.-.
Fig. 4, Drawing 1, is the section of a cod smack (or any fast sailing vessel)
on a self-ballanced principle, with the timbers horizontal. The dotted line is
the water line, and by having a narrow body in the water, and a broad one
out, she will have less resistance in the water, and more against the wind with
sail. The plank ends below the lower-beams show the well deck. Having it
below the beams is to make the vessel draw less water than if above, and by
having the beams notched over a thicker timber in the projecting side will
be a good security of preventing the vessel working. The planks above the

page_text: lower beams shew the lower deck and well mouth or tunnell, and the three
deck beams without a deck shew the mode of fastening, as explained
by Fig. 8.
Fig. 5, Drawing 1, is a broadside view of a cod smack, with an improved
rudder, having the well, as exhibited in Fig. 4, going the whole length of
the vessel, and having holes in her bows and rim, as represented by the
black spots; by that means water will (when the vessel has any way through
the water) keep a constant stream through the well.
Fig. 6, Drawing 1, is the section of a ship of the common construction
altered to the self-ballanced plan, without making her any wider. The planks,
with their sides butting under the bins or wales, may have their edges
fastened with keys, the same as the horizontal timbers, with chocks at
proper distances, or as fancy may think necessary, and by that means a ship
will be much stronger, draw less water, and carry more sail.
Fig. 7, Drawing 1, is a plan for a compound deck, exhibiting on one side a
part of a side of a ship on the new system, having a clamp or inwize notches
to take every other plank of the ceiling, the same as the chocks in Fig. 3, and
the ends of the thwartship planks dovetailed into the clamp, which, with the
deck deels nailed firmly together, make a compact body, the form of the ship,
which cannot work any way without the whole going together. The other
side represents a deck for a ship of the common construction compleat, the
ends of the cross planks to be dovetailed into the clamps, and which must be
bolted to the ship's sides. By these decks a great height will be gained;
consequently much stowage.
Fig. 1, Drawing 2, is the section of frame of a ship exhibiting the outside
of the longitudinal timbers, with the mortises between the timbers, and half
mortises, which may either be vertical or diagonal, taking two joining timbers,
and acting as bolts, but much more secure for preventing them from working
up and downways, and the other keys will prevent them from working either
endways or sideways, forming in the whole a perfect compact body.
Fig. 2, Drawing 2, is a key or lock composed of two pieces, one made a
long wedge, the other cut so as to fit the bevelling of the wedge on one side,
and the opposite side dovetailed each way, that both together form a dovetail
each way.
Fig. 3, Drawing 2, is a key, &c. composed of three pieces, the middle
piece a wedge, and the inside of both the others cut templing, forming
altogether a double lewis, one cach way.
Fig. 4, Drawing 2, is a block composed of three wedges forming a paral-
lelogram, and united by keys (or otherways), as exhibited by the square

page_text: mortises to be used for upper blocks under ships' keels, &c., which can be
casily removed with trifling labour, and without spliting, which is often
troublesome in the now general mode of blocks in launching.
1 Fig. 5, Drawing 2, is a block composed of four pieces, and fastened in the
same manner by keys, &c., and to answer the same purpose, but the upper
picce may be cut in two, as represented by the dotted line intersecting the
upper piece.
Fig. 6, Drawing 2, is a combination of three pieces of timber, the fourth
being left out to shew the direction of the keys in the inside.
Fig. 7, Drawing 2, four pieces ready to combine, shewing the half mortises.
Fig. 8, Drawing 2, is a drawing of four pieces united, forming a spear or
rough mast fit for a mast maker, &c. to work into any form for a mast or
hold beam, or any other form or use where large timber is required for any
purpose whatever, of any shape or size. May be thickened by adding more
pieces in same manner, and lengthened to any extent by scarfing one of the
pieces at a time; and clear ono scarf from another by means of any scarf now
in use, but particularly by my double scarf, the Fig. of which is marked A in
Drawing 2. Observe, in thickening by adding more pieces, the keys or locks
are to be put between the surfaces in contact.
Fig. 9, Drawing 2, an oar mado of one piece, with its wash or blade
standing angular to the plain of the loom.
Fig. 10, Drawing 2, is an oar made of two pieces, with its wash or blade
standing angular to the plain of the loom (an angle of forty-five degrees is the
best). The improvement in this and Fig. 9 is, that they never want feathering
or canting when rowing, and have the wash angular. When acted upon
to row, it will always keep itself in the center; and to take a fresh stroko
it will clear itself of the water, so as the most inexperienced man, &c. can
never what is tecnically called catch a crab, or impede the boat's motion
by a resistance against the water in rowing. The best mode of working
them is to have a small eye bolt through the loom, and row with a single
thowle; then they can be used for either side, only by slipping it before or
abaft the thowle, so that the aftermost edge of the blade is lowest. Oars of this
description can be used in any narrow place without shortening in, and will lay
snug alongside of the boat without unshipping when rowed before the thowle.
Figure 11, Drawing 2, is a section of a boat with the outside plank the
same as a common carver-built boat, which can be easily formed to a set of
frames, and fastened by screws, until such time as the boat has a sufficient
number of inside planks crossways; then the frames to be taken away, and
compleated in the inside by nailing both the in and the outside together.

page_text: There may or may not be timbers, but there will be no necessity for any, as a
boat without any timbers will be much stronger than built in the common
way; and by having paper between the two skins (or in and outside plank),
well pay'd with (prepared) tar (as will be hereafter explained) the boat will be
perfectly tight, with or without caulking, although the outside plank should
get split, as often happens, and will also last much longer, as no dirt can lodge
to rot the wood. I have placed a keelson for steps for masts, and two narrow
planks, to be well clunk over where the inside plank ends join, and also for
inwires for thorofts to lodge in. This mode of building is applicable to all
boats of every description, cutters, luggers, barges, lighters, vessels used in
canals, and all small, or light kind of vessels whatever, the same as longitudinal
timbers are to the large and heavy kind of ships, vessels, &c.
Fig. 12, Drawing 2, is a section of a self-ballanced boat, the same form
(but to no scale, neither are any of the Figures) as I altered one for Govern-
ment, and built another to go into Sussex, but they were done in the common
way, having only one thickness of plank and timbers. This boat, by having
double sides above water, with partitions between the two sides, which form
compartments, are extremely strong, and will carry a great deal of sail, and, by
having the top tight to keep out water, they can neither sink nor overset.
They are best with lockerlids over the different compartments, that fresh air
may be admitted between the two sides, as well as having the use of the com-
partments to put in whatever may be necessary to be kept dry.
Prepared tar for naval uses.-From various observations I have found
that tar between two surfaces soon decays, and with it the wood, &c., but
much sooner in a hot climate than a cold one, as is sufficiently proved by
cables being soon rotten and worn out in a hot climate, as well as tarred ropes,
cables, &c., being laid by in a storehouse, &c., although kept perfectly dry,
which led me to try many experiments to find the pernicious effects inherent in
tar, which proves to be an acid. Such I either absorb by mixing chalk or
other calcarious body with it, which has a greater chemical affinity with the
acid than the acid has with the other component parts of tar, if it be for
coating wood; but if tar is wanted for any other use, where its fluidity is
required, such as making cables, ropes, tarpolings, I then put the tar into a
proper vessel of water, wherein it will immediately sink, then add to it some
calcarious body, and if there is any quantity of acid in the tar (as different tars
differ very much in the quantity of acid) it will soon ferment, and the tar swim
on the top, leaving the acid combined with the calcarious body in the water
below, and then separate the tar in manner most convenient. But sometimes
the acid will combine with the calcarious body without the tar coming to the

page_text: top of the water; in that case the water must be taken from off the top of the
tar with the calcarious body floating with it, leaving the preserving parts of
the tar free from acid.
Fig. 13, Drawing 2, is the front of a top-for laying the strands of ropes.
The middle part is a metal frame; at cach corner projects out two shoulders,
with a mortice in each of them, the same as any common rolling press, to take
the eight metal rollers, and may be secured by any mode now in use. whero
rollers are used. The rollers must be turned- with rings or annula on them
opposite each other on the two rollers acting together, so that between the
rings or-annula there will be holes formed. Each outermost roller must have
the ends long enough to project out, with shoulders to-fix on a bevel wheel,
the two wheels in each corner working in each other, and all working together.
It is to be fastened on to the end of Fig. 14, Drawing 2 (either by screws or
any other. mode) which is a top, which must be fastened on a moveable frame
like other tops. It may be held by two of the plates being deeper than the
rest for that purpose, or by bolts- going through it. The thin right angular
picces are plates of metal,-running lengthways of the top as far as the square
part goes, and screwed on, are to guide the yarns, and prevent the top from
wearing, and the tail of the top or round part, terminating in a point, must be
made of metal. When all is complete, the yarns must be rove through the
holes between the rollers, and continued along the top between the plates until
they come to the hook for twisting them, and fastened; as 'is. usual. When
the hook is turned the top will move along, and the rollers will deliver the
yarns of an equal length. The plates will guido the yarns, or small staples or
scores in the top may do, but the top-will be apt to wear. The tail will act as
a conc, same as a four-strand rope, and the strand will become round, each
yarn bearing its proper proportion of resistance; they may be made to
any size with any number of holes, or three of the tops may be fixed
to one moveable frame, and so make three strands at one time, and
applicable to any cable rope, even to cord, twine, &c., on a small scale, and
may be used in any common rope walk without any additional machinery.
The above top will even answer without the front part and the above-named
machinery, and be a great improvement on the tops now in use, on account of
being the means of making every yarn bear its proper and equal proportion
of resistance.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Wilson, havo hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and six.
CHRISTOPHER WILSON. (L.B.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of Sep-
tember, in the year of our Lord 1806, the aforesaid Christopher Wilson
came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stampt.according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and six.