in the bottom of the hold, and goods heavier than water above them. The cubic foot of salt-water weighs 644 lbs. avoirdupois. Heavy goods should be placed in the body and light goods in the ends; this principle may, however, be carried too far with ships of great length, or their sheer may be altered. From the preceding it may be observed that the art of stowing ballast or cargo consists in placing the weights so as to correspond with the vessel's trim and shape: neither too high nor too low neither too far forward nor too far aft; she may then spread sufficient sail, incline but little, and ply well to windward, and at the same time be easy in her motions.

1273. A ship's stability is increased by keeping the ballast as low as possible, being placed in the full part of the ship; but with regard to rolling the weights may be either too high or too low. A singular and practical illustration of the effects of weights on the rolling of ships is experienced on board the light vessels stationed at the Sand Heads of the river Hoogly, Calcutta. They are 120 feet long by 22 broad, and admeasure about 250 tons. The lights can be seen 15 miles off. The lanterns are very large, and weigh about 22 cwt.; they are in two longitudinal parts, which enclose the mast up which they run for use, 90 feet above the water-line. On the Sand Heads there is frequently a very heavy sea, and whenever this occurs by day the lantern is hoisted, and acts as an effectual counterpoise to the excessive rolling of the vessel. The light vessels. are ballasted with about 60 tons of kentledge stowed up in the wings; it is raised six feet from the ceiling.

1274. Pitching. The inclination or vibration of a ship lengthways about her centre of gravity, or the motion by which she plunges her head and after-part alternately into the hollow of the sea, is a very dangerous motion, and when considerable, not only retards the ship's way, but endangers the masts, and strains the vessel. When loading ships which "sail by the head," and are, therefore, liable to pitch, it is usual with such goods as grain, to leave a vacant space, well protected, forward. A vessel which pitches much is said to throw her cargo on the breast-hooks.

1275. An experienced master recommends a hurricane deck amidships, with cabins aft and men's berths forward. Stores between. Large ports abreast of the main hatchway to load say cotton, rice, &c., at Calcutta. To load through the hatchway over all. To have water, coal, and every kind of stores under the hurricane deck, then there would be no disturbing the hold on arrival in port to separate the ship's stores from the cargo. It is only a question of how far the hurricane deck should extend. A sca

breaking over the waist of a vessel, where it does mostly, would then run off again, and not remain between the bulwarks as now. Besides, with heavy top-gallant forecastle forward, and poop aft, some ships are difficult to navigate in heavy weather, and twist very much. This mode would place the weights near the centre of gravity, and it would be just as easy to ascend to the hurricane deck as to descend from the quarter to the main deck. Besides which, the injury frequently done to cargo when obtaining water from the hold would be avoided.

1276. Scending: the act of a ship when pitching violently into the hollows or intervals of the waves.

1277. Laboursome. Subject to labour or to pitch and roll violently in a heavy sea, by which the masts and even the hull may be endangered; for by a succession of heavy rolls the rigging becomes loosened, and the masts may at the same time strain upon the shrouds with an effort which they are unable to resist; to which may be added, that the continual agitation of the vessel loosens the joints, and makes her extremely leaky.

1278. Shifting. It is absolutely necessary to prevent the possibility of the cargo, or ballast, from shifting in the most violent rollings of the vessel: a large proportion of the losses by foundering at sea is caused by insufficient attention to this particular. This applies especially to such goods as wheat and seeds, mixed cargoes, railway bars and carriages, &c.

1279. Provisions. When stowing ship's provisions, fuel, &c., with passengers especially, an effort should be made to prevent the daily consumption from disarranging the trim. A ship should be lightened bodily.

1280. Capt. J. M. BOYD, R.N., says: "There are many disposable weights in the distribution of which we may develop, or fail to develop, or even defeat the design of the builder; for although a ship when at rest may be apparently in the best sailing trim, it does not follow that she is so in reality. A certain line of flotation might be produced by stowing one-half of the disposable weights in the fore end, and one-half in the other, or the whole might be stowed in the centre. In either case the ship might, according to the copper marks, be correct as to a stipulated measure of draught, but the instant she entered uneven water, the difference in the modes of stowing would be manifest. In the former case she would plunge heavily, strain her fastenings, and break her cordage or machinery, and stop her way; in the latter all would be the reverse."

1281. For a ship is not equally water-borne at all points. The fuller midship sections are pressed upwards, whilst the finer extremities are sustained, partly by the water, and partly by their connection with the central body; there is, consequently, a constant tendency in the foremost and after ends to droop.

1282. It can easily be understood that by stowing weights at the extremities not only is the "hogging" tendency encouraged, but (when as in a sea-way, the water has altogether receded from under the fore body, and the wave has passed the centre) the ship will plunge heavily until the bow meets with a material resistance. In this way ships acquire unfairly an unenviable reputation for pitching.

1283. The most infallible mode, however, of preserving trim is by the use of the water-level. A leaden pipe, bent upwards at both ends, is let into the lower deck beams, under the planking, in a fore and aft line, as nearly amidships as the hatchways will permit; the ends are terminated with glass tubes, which are graduated, and for greater security brought up alongside some convenient stanchion. On the tube being filled, the water rises to its level at each end, and the ship's most perfect trim marked off when she is perfectly still.

1284. Any future alteration in the trim, either from expenditure of stores, or variations of wind, are immediately denoted by the levels, and may be at once rectified by the movement of disposable weights, such as shot, any number of men, &c., so that at sea, when it would be impossible to discover the trim by the copper marks, it may be thus ascertained without difficulty; and the effects of alterations in the force of the wind, otherwise imperceptible, are declared by the amount of pressure by the head, indicated by the level.

1285. TROOPS. By the Admiralty Regulations for the transport service, (1st June, 1866,)

A TRANSPORT is a ship wholly engaged for government service on monthly hire; A HIRED TROOP SHIP or CONVICT SHIP is a ship wholly engaged, but not by the month;

A TROOP FREIGHT SHIP is not wholly engaged, but carrying also mercantile

cargo or passengers;

A STORE FREIGHT SHIP may be wholly or partially loaded by government; and STORES are stores, provisions, and all articles shipped on government account. Transports must have a height of six feet from deck to beam; in ships conveying horses, seven feet, and 12 in the hold from ceiling to beam. Ballast washed and screened or otherwise approved. Decks two inches thick. Deck houses are objected to. Iron steamers to have water-tight compartments. When not otherwise specified,