1paſs by theſe Diſputes, and proceed to ſhew
that there are two Things by Means of which
the Art of Building may contribute to the
Saſety and Victory of Generals of Fleets and
their Forces: The Firſt conſiſts in the right
Conſtruction and Rigging of the Veſſels, and
the Second in the proper fortifying the Haven;
whether you are to go to attack the Enemy,
or to ſtay to defend yourſelf. The primary
Uſe of Shipping is to convey you and yours:
The Second, is to fight without Danger. The
Danger muſt ariſe either from the Ships them
ſelves, in which Caſe it ſeems to be innate and
incorporate with them; or elſe muſt happen to
them from without. That from without, is
from the Force and Violence of Winds and
Waves, from Rocks and Shelves; all which are
to be avoided by Experience in Sea-affairs, and
a thorough Knowledge of Places and Winds:
But the Danger incorporate and innate with
the Veſſel itſelf, ariſes either from the Deſign,
or the Timbers; againſt which Defects it falls
under our Province to provide. We ſhould
reject all Timber that is brittle, or apt to ſplit,
too heavy or liable to rot ſoon. Nails and Pins
of Braſs or Copper, are reckoned better than
thoſe of Iron. I have obſerved by Means of
Trajan's Ship, which while I was writing this
Treatiſe was dug up out of the lago di Nemi,
where it had lain under Water above thirteen
hundred Years, that the Pine and Cypreſs
Wood which was in it had remained ſurpriz
ingly ſound. It was covered on the Outſide
with double Planks, done over with Greek
Pitch, to which ſtuck a Coat of Linen Cloth,
and that again was plated over with Sheets of
Lead faſtened on with braſs Nails. The anci
ent Architects took the Model of their Ships
from the Shape of a Fiſh; that Part which
was the Back of the Fiſh, in the Ship was the
Keel; that which in the Fiſh was the Head,
in the Ship was the Prow; the Tail was the
Helm, and inſtead of Fins and Gills, they made
Oars. Ships are of two Sorts, and are built
either for Burthen or for Speed: A long Veſ
ſel cuts its Way quickeſt through the Water,
eſpecially when it Sails before the Wind; but
a ſhort one is moſt obedient to the Helm. I
would not have the Length of a Veſſel of Bur
then leſs than three Times its Breadth; nor
that of a Veſſel for Speed, more than nine
Times. We have treated more particularly of
every Thing relating to a Veſſel in a Book in
tended wholly for that Purpoſe, called the
Ship; and therefore ſhall have Occaſion to ſay
no more of it here, than what is juſt neceſſary.
The Parts of a Ship are theſe, the Keel, the
Poop, the Prow, the two Sides, to which you
may, if you pleaſe, add the Sail, the Helm,
and the Reſt of the Parts that belong to the
Courſe of the Ship. The Hollow of the Veſſel
will bear any Weight that is equal to the
Weight of Water that would fill it quite up to
the Top. The Keel muſt be ſtraight, but all
the other Parts made with curve Lines. The
broader the Keel is, the greater Weight the
Veſſel will carry, but then it will be the ſlow
er; the narrower the Keel is, the Swiſter will
be the Ship, but then it will be unſteady, un
leſs you fill it with Ballaſt. The broad Keel is
moſt convenient in ſhallow Water; but in deep
Seas the narrow one will be more ſecure. The
Sides and Prow built high will make the ſtout
eſt Reſiſtance againſt the Waves, but then
they are more expoſed to Danger from the
Winds; the Sharper the Head is, the Swifter
the Ship will make its Way; and the Thinner
the Stern, the more Steady will be the Veſſel
in its Courſe. The Sides of the Ship towards
the Head ought to be very ſtout, and a little
Swelling outwards to throw off the Waves
when it ploughs through the Water both with
Sails and Oars; but towards the Stern they
ſhould grow narrower, in order to ſlip through
the Waves with the more Eaſe. A Number
of Helms adds Firmneſs to the Veſſel, but takes
off from its Swiftneſs. The Maſt ſhould be as
long as the whole Ship. We ſhall not here
deſcend to other minute Particulars neceſſary
both to the Way and Defence of the Veſſel,
ſuch as Oars, Ropes, ſharp Beaks, Towers,
Bridges and the like; but ſhall only obſerve,
that the Planks and Timbers which hang
down by the Sides and ſtick out by the Beak
of the Veſſel, will ſerve inſtead of a Fortifica
tion againſt the Attacks of the Enemy as will
Poles ſtuck upright, inſtead of Towers, and
the Boom, or the Skiff laid over the Boom, in
ſtead of Bridges. The Ancients uſed in the
Prow of their Ships to place a military En
gine, which they called a Corvus: But our
Mariners now in the Head and Stem of their
Veſſels near the Maſts have learnt to ſet up
Towers, which they fence round with old
coarſe Cloths, Ropes, Sacks, and the like, to
deaden the Force of any Violence that might
attack them; and to keep off any Enemy that
ſhould attempt to board them, they ſet up a
Fence of Net-work. I have in another Place
contrived and ſhewn how the Floor of the Ship
that there are two Things by Means of which
the Art of Building may contribute to the
Saſety and Victory of Generals of Fleets and
their Forces: The Firſt conſiſts in the right
Conſtruction and Rigging of the Veſſels, and
the Second in the proper fortifying the Haven;
whether you are to go to attack the Enemy,
or to ſtay to defend yourſelf. The primary
Uſe of Shipping is to convey you and yours:
The Second, is to fight without Danger. The
Danger muſt ariſe either from the Ships them
ſelves, in which Caſe it ſeems to be innate and
incorporate with them; or elſe muſt happen to
them from without. That from without, is
from the Force and Violence of Winds and
Waves, from Rocks and Shelves; all which are
to be avoided by Experience in Sea-affairs, and
a thorough Knowledge of Places and Winds:
But the Danger incorporate and innate with
the Veſſel itſelf, ariſes either from the Deſign,
or the Timbers; againſt which Defects it falls
under our Province to provide. We ſhould
reject all Timber that is brittle, or apt to ſplit,
too heavy or liable to rot ſoon. Nails and Pins
of Braſs or Copper, are reckoned better than
thoſe of Iron. I have obſerved by Means of
Trajan's Ship, which while I was writing this
Treatiſe was dug up out of the lago di Nemi,
where it had lain under Water above thirteen
hundred Years, that the Pine and Cypreſs
Wood which was in it had remained ſurpriz
ingly ſound. It was covered on the Outſide
with double Planks, done over with Greek
Pitch, to which ſtuck a Coat of Linen Cloth,
and that again was plated over with Sheets of
Lead faſtened on with braſs Nails. The anci
ent Architects took the Model of their Ships
from the Shape of a Fiſh; that Part which
was the Back of the Fiſh, in the Ship was the
Keel; that which in the Fiſh was the Head,
in the Ship was the Prow; the Tail was the
Helm, and inſtead of Fins and Gills, they made
Oars. Ships are of two Sorts, and are built
either for Burthen or for Speed: A long Veſ
ſel cuts its Way quickeſt through the Water,
eſpecially when it Sails before the Wind; but
a ſhort one is moſt obedient to the Helm. I
would not have the Length of a Veſſel of Bur
then leſs than three Times its Breadth; nor
that of a Veſſel for Speed, more than nine
Times. We have treated more particularly of
every Thing relating to a Veſſel in a Book in
tended wholly for that Purpoſe, called the
Ship; and therefore ſhall have Occaſion to ſay
no more of it here, than what is juſt neceſſary.
The Parts of a Ship are theſe, the Keel, the
Poop, the Prow, the two Sides, to which you
may, if you pleaſe, add the Sail, the Helm,
and the Reſt of the Parts that belong to the
Courſe of the Ship. The Hollow of the Veſſel
will bear any Weight that is equal to the
Weight of Water that would fill it quite up to
the Top. The Keel muſt be ſtraight, but all
the other Parts made with curve Lines. The
broader the Keel is, the greater Weight the
Veſſel will carry, but then it will be the ſlow
er; the narrower the Keel is, the Swiſter will
be the Ship, but then it will be unſteady, un
leſs you fill it with Ballaſt. The broad Keel is
moſt convenient in ſhallow Water; but in deep
Seas the narrow one will be more ſecure. The
Sides and Prow built high will make the ſtout
eſt Reſiſtance againſt the Waves, but then
they are more expoſed to Danger from the
Winds; the Sharper the Head is, the Swifter
the Ship will make its Way; and the Thinner
the Stern, the more Steady will be the Veſſel
in its Courſe. The Sides of the Ship towards
the Head ought to be very ſtout, and a little
Swelling outwards to throw off the Waves
when it ploughs through the Water both with
Sails and Oars; but towards the Stern they
ſhould grow narrower, in order to ſlip through
the Waves with the more Eaſe. A Number
of Helms adds Firmneſs to the Veſſel, but takes
off from its Swiftneſs. The Maſt ſhould be as
long as the whole Ship. We ſhall not here
deſcend to other minute Particulars neceſſary
both to the Way and Defence of the Veſſel,
ſuch as Oars, Ropes, ſharp Beaks, Towers,
Bridges and the like; but ſhall only obſerve,
that the Planks and Timbers which hang
down by the Sides and ſtick out by the Beak
of the Veſſel, will ſerve inſtead of a Fortifica
tion againſt the Attacks of the Enemy as will
Poles ſtuck upright, inſtead of Towers, and
the Boom, or the Skiff laid over the Boom, in
ſtead of Bridges. The Ancients uſed in the
Prow of their Ships to place a military En
gine, which they called a Corvus: But our
Mariners now in the Head and Stem of their
Veſſels near the Maſts have learnt to ſet up
Towers, which they fence round with old
coarſe Cloths, Ropes, Sacks, and the like, to
deaden the Force of any Violence that might
attack them; and to keep off any Enemy that
ſhould attempt to board them, they ſet up a
Fence of Net-work. I have in another Place
contrived and ſhewn how the Floor of the Ship