affecting civil life and property and morals." So far as regards the officers of the British navy, we humbly implore them to observe and satisfy themselves with the beneficial results of Temperance Societies on shore; that is all we require, well assured that we address ourselves to men ever anxious to exert themselves for the good of the service, and who, when once convinced of the absolute utility of a measure, will never suffer self-indulgence to interfere with public duty. N. C. The following note appended to a notice of a Public Meeting held at Exeter Hall, London, on the 29th of June last, on this subject, will, in some degree, exemplify the extent to which this evil has extended generally.-ED. "The present habits and customs of Society are rearing up a generation of drunkards. The selling of spirits to children has of late become an important branch of trade. Four millions of gallons of ardent spirits were consumed in the United Kingdom in 1829, more than in 1828. Above twenty millions of pounds sterling was paid by the working classes alone last year for ardent spirits. Beggary and disease, crime, madness, and death, are the dreadful results of this awful intemperance. Temperance Societies have created a new era in America. They are working an amazing change in Scotland and Ireland, and it is only necessary for Englishmen to associate, and to declare their resolution to abstain from Distilled Spirits and to discountenance the causes and practices of Intemperance, in order to save their country from becoming a land of drunkards." AN IMPROVED LOG-SHIP. BY LIEUT. THOMAS GRAVES, R.N. AMIDST the various propositions and alterations that have lately been made in the equipment of a ship, among which may be mentioned the improvements in both binnacle and azimuth compasses by Capt. Phillips, and the iron plates for counteracting the effects of local attraction by Professor Barlow, it appears rather extraordinary that the useful machine called the Log-Ship, so intimately connected with both of these, should seemingly have been quite neglected: whether it may have proceeded from its apparent unimportance, its simplicity, or its supposed efficiency, it is not pretended to decide, at all events it remains untouched and unthought of, and it is the object of the present communication to offer what appears an improvement. To those who are not nautical men, a slight description of that at present in use may not be unacceptable, or uninteresting. The common Log-Ship (Fig. 1.) is a flat piece of wood in the shape of a quadrant, loaded with a sufficient quantity of lead on its circular edge, to make it remain in a perpendicular position on, or near the surface of the water: to this is attached the log-line, (Fig. 2.) divided into spaces called knots, the distances between which bear the same proportion to a nautical mile, that twenty-eight seconds do to an hour, and wound round a reel. This being held by one man, and the twentyeight second glass by another, the Log-Ship is thrown over the ship's quarter to leeward, and swimming perpendicularly remains nearly stationary when the first mark goes out, which is generally about eighteen or twenty fathoms from the Log-Ship, the glass is turned, and at the time the sand in the glass is run out, the line being stopped, shows, by the marks on it, the rate at which the ship is sailing per hour. The Log-Ship now proposed, is a cone composed either of tin, or thin copper, (see figure) with the part a, a, a, made air-tight, which in light winds will prevent its sinking, and also preserve its horizontal position, when thrown overboard near the surface: it is slung at the points b, b, b, by lines much smaller than the standing part, uniting at (c), where a spicket or peg is attached; at the end of the cone (d) the line itself is secured, and on it at (e) is fixed a faucit that receives the peg; the Log-Ship is then ready for use. The advantages it will have over the old construction are, that when the log-line is stopped, the increased weight of water in the cone causing the peg to come out easily, it instantly turns over, and may be hauled in without any resistance; that it will remain more stationary when thrown overboard; that a following sea, from its shape, will not have so much effect in propelling it after the vessel; that it will not carry away so many log-lines, (as in the event of the peg not coming out, one of the small lines to which it is attached must give way); that it will always catch properly, which the one at present in use scarcely ever does; and at the same time the expense will be no consideration; and on board any of His Majesty's vessels it may be made in as short a time as the old one, by which is obtained the ships' rate of sailing at all times with greater accuracy; and it will prove of essential service in making the land during foggy weather, while the other, from its numerous imperfections, can never be depended upon. As its construction has been approved of by many naval officers, several of whom have had opportunities of using it; and from repeated trials of my own, it answered all the objects proposed, I feel less diffidence in presenting it to the public. The valuable invention of Mr. Massey, at Liverpool, is on an entirely different principle; it cannot be too highly recommended, but its expense is a great obstacle to its general introduction; whereas the proposed one is recommended by its simplicity and cheapness. The log-line, although liable to some error from contraction and expansion, in being alternately wet and dry, becomes tolerably well seasoned with salt water after a little use, so as to render it quite sufficient for the purpose intended; still there is much room for improvement, and perhaps one made from cotton would be less affected by the causes above-mentioned. ON our preceding page is a drawing of a Chain Messenger, invented by Messrs. Gordon and Co. London, which has lately been tried with complete success in the Navy, East India Service, &c. The following short description will render the subject quite clear; we must refer to the inventors for detailed particulars. At the lower part of the capstan, a wheel (B) is firmly fixed, the cogs of which take into each link of the chain messenger for about half the circumference of the wheel, thus having a very powerful hold; and while, by an ingenious method of shaping the links, the cogs come into action in the most advantageous manner, the chain messenger is at the same time prevented from twisting round. Two rollers (CC) support the slack part of the messenger before the nippers, and upon these it is carried round the fore part of the deck: these rollers being moveable in a slide on the block (D), allow the messenger to be brought to the required degree of tension. It is unshackled after use in the same manner as chain cables. E. Shows the manger on the new plan. F. The hawse holes. G. H. Shows the cable connected as usual to the Messenger. K. The main-mast. L. The main hatchway. M. N. Shows the mode of shackling the messenger. The advantages of this messenger consist in its convenience for stowage, both as it respects room and time; its keeping the cable tiers always clear for use; the rope messenger in ships-of-war being stowed in the heart of one bower tier, and the spare one in the heart of the other, both of which must, therefore, be hauled on deck before the cables are ready for running. It requires no shifting; after one anchor is hove up, the other may be immediately brought to. It requires no holding on, or lighting forward, nor any lighting round the manger; thus placing forty or fifty men and boys in a 74 at disposal for other duties. This point will prove a great convenience to the East India Service, who have full work for all their crew. The troublesome and dangerous operation of surging every three or four minutes while heaving-in, is entirely avoided; in fact, the official reports invariably state that no stop takes place from first to last, if the capstan is sufficiently manned. In addition to this it is to be noted, that by hanging the veering cable, in unmooring, to the chain messenger, it rouses it up the hatchway, and carries it entirely along the deck; by which the labour of thirty more men is saved in a line-of-battle ship. In surging for catting, the cable only is stoppered before all, and it is then surged through the turns of the stopper. When this messenger is applied to their improved patent capstan, this department of nautical mechanism seems complete. Messrs. Gordon and Co. have given in a Pamphlet all the details, accompanied by Official Reports to the Admiralty, &c. These Messengers have been lately fitted to the Alfred, Barham, and Hebé. A POPULAR VIEW OF FORTIFICATION AND GUNNERY. NO. IX. Retrenched Camps.-There are few fortresses capable of receiving within their walls 20,000 or 30,000 men; indeed, such places would require an enormous expense, both in their construction and in their repairs, stores and garrison. Vauban proposed to make fortresses of a moderate capacity, fit to serve as a shelter for an army or some divisions of an army, to aid in the general arrangements of a campaign, by forming a retrenched camp under the guns of the place. An enemy would not hazard passing such a retrenched army as 20,000 or 30,000 men, that would be on the alert to cut off his communications; and a single corps of observation would not suffice to hold such a garrison in check. This kind of fortification, as being between permanent and field, has been called mixed fortification. Fig. 70 is Vauban's idea of a retrenched camp. B e Fig. 70. Its general outline ABCD forms as much as possible straight lines, in order that the salient points, which are most likely to be first attacked, may be reduced to the fewest possible in number. This tracing rests its base on the fortress; the profile should be bold; the parapets having at least nine feet and a half of height, and the ditches sixteen feet of depth, surrounded by a glacis, to cover part of the parapet and to heighten the counterscarp; every precaution usually taken to render U. S. JOURN. No. 33. AUGUST 1831. 2 L |