BOOKS, &c. Invention of an effective and unfailing Method for forming an Instantaneous Communication with the Shore, in Shipwreck, and illuminating the scene in the dark tempestuous night. By John Murray, F.S.A., &c. London, Whittaker. 1831. We should have liked any other title than that which Mr. Murray has thought fit to adopt; for his method may fail, as all human attempts will do sometimes, but any work, having for its object that of preventing the sacrifice of human life, claims our utmost attention. Captain Manby has long since reaped the reward of his valuable invention, and Mr. Murray has endeavoured to improve on it. Instead of throwing a shell over the distressed vessel, he fortifies an arrow with a barbed point, to adhere to any part of her, against which it may happen to strike; besides this, he illuminates his arrow in a very ingenious manner. An assertion which Mr. Murray has made in his work, respecting the number of lives that were lost on the coast of Cornwall, in December 1830, has met with some contradiction by a writer, who signs himself Veritas, in the United Service Journal for April. But as he admits that, besides some which he enumerates, several other vessels were wrecked on the coast at the same time, the crews of which were all lost; these, perhaps, may be the twenty-eight to which Mr. Murray alludes. In future, we hope that our tables of wrecks will keep these matters in a clear point of view. However, we look to the principle of Mr. Murray's laudable exertions, and, regardless of these attacks, heartily wish him success in his philanthropic experiments. While on the subject, we will suggest to him that his fakes be laid across the line of fire, so that the rope or cord, as it is carried out, will be always at right angles to the moving power. This will prevent the sudden jerks and resistance which the arrow must receive in its flight, however little they may be, as each bend is expended. Description of a New Method of constructing BEDS and COINS for NAVAL GUNS. By Henry Chatfield of Plymouth Dock-yard, Member of the School of Naval Architecture. London, Mills. 1832. We look on every attempt at improvement in our sea-ordnance with pleasure, and particularly so, when we find them to be the productions of genius fostered in our own institutions for the advancement of naval architecture. Our experience has long since proved to us that the rude bed and coin of a ship's gun is susceptible of much improvement, and we are glad to see the subject so ably handled in this little work. Mr. Chatfield's object appears to be that of reducing the old rule of thumb method of elevating and depressing ships' guns by bed and coin, to something like mathematical precision. Beds and coins, on his principle, are now undergoing trial on board several of his Majesty's ships, and we have little doubt of their being found to answer. To those who take an interest in these matters, the trouble of perusing Mr. Chatfield's little brochure will be amply repaid. The REVOLVING RUDDER, invented by A. H. Holdsworth, Esq., M.P. for Dartmouth. London, J. F. Dove, Piccadilly. We would gladly give our nautical readers a more ample account of Mr. Holdsworth's ingenious invention than our limited space enables us to do, but we will try to put them in possession of it as laconically as possible. Instead of being suspended in the usual manner, Mr. Holdsworth's rudder is made to rest upon a continuation of the keel projecting its own breadth abaft the sternpost, by which means it acts entirely apart from it, leaving a space between it and the sternpost sufficient for itself. It is made to revolve freely in its step, so that in addition to the motion of the common rudder, when the vessel has sternway, the pressure of the water turns this rudder fairly round into the space which was thus left vacant, and the rudder is secured from injury by the strain which would otherwise be produced. The improvement will be evident to professional men, and is particularly applicable to steam-boats. CHRONOMETERS. Messrs. Arnold and Dent have just completed another of those beautiful specimens of art, in the shape of a pocket chronometer, shewing at once both mean and sidereal time. This is the fourth of these machines that has been made. They are intended for the use of observatories, and are most valuable to astronomers on account of the facility they give them of knowing when to be ready for stars passing the meridian, without having recourse to any calculation; while, at the same time, they may be applied to the purposes of obtaining difference of longitude. They have been used at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, and are now employed in observatories abroad. DIVING APPARATUS. By a letter we have received from Mr. Murray, it appears that this gentleman claims the credit of having invented the diving apparatus lately exhibited both at Sheerness and in the river Thames. Doubtless much ingenuity is displayed by the real inventor, be he who he may, but we are inclined to think it will never become of extensive use beyond a small depth. The great weight which the descending person has to bear to keep him down, which must be increased according to the depth to which he has to descend, and the difficulty of seeing when at the bottom of the water, owing to the mud he displaces by moving about, allowing it to bear his weight, which must not always be expected, we suspect are sterling objections. In shallow water, and in particular places, it may, no doubt, be turned to account. 149 NAUTICAL MISCELLANY. NOTES OF THE EDITOR. WE beg to call the attention of our naval readers to a letter, signed Nauticus, under the head of Hydrography. Such discrepancies are yet too common, but we hope by their endeavours to see them removed. A beautiful wind and tide register was exhibited before the Royal Society last season by Mr. Palmer, the engineer to the St. Catherine Dock Company, apparently in a finished state, and we are informed that it is not yet, nor likely to be, in operation! Mr. Murray has addressed the following to us on the subject of the diving apparatus, lately used at Sheerness, which he claims as his invention, and we consider it but justice to that gentleman to insert it immediately: "To the Editor of the Nautical "SIR, I confess that I read the extract quoted in the sequel from The Essex Independent,' with considerable surprise, because I had prepared, as early as June, 1824, a precisely similar invention. This was first promulgated by me in the Hull Advertiser,' of the date referred to, and it remains there, to attest that the plan originated with me; fortunately, I bad, altogether independent of this, copied the statement in question into my descriptive account of a Shower Bath,' &c., as connected with the explanation of an apparatus for restoring suspended animation. This little work was published (2nd edition) in 1828. "As long as the ingenious Inventor' confined himself to the amusement of the natives,' by walking at the bottom of the Thames, near London Bridge, I was indifferent to the exercise of the feat; but now, that it has assumed a different aspect, and that government seems inclined to take at second hand what I must assume belonged to me, as the source whence the principle originated, I cannot be deemed obtrusive in preferring that claim, or setting the public right on the principle that it involves. "I had prepared my plan as available for the immediate recovery of the bodies of the drowned, a case of this description having occurred at Beverley, in June, 1824, wherein the means of resuscitation were rendered altogether inert from the unfortunate lapse of time that occurred before the body could be recovered. As a set-off to the quotation from the Essex newspaper, I beg to quote from my communication to the Hull Advertiser,' a simple paragraph, leaving it to speak for itself. ་ "For a person to walk into the water with perfect safety, and to a 'considerable depth, it will be only necessary that such individual be sup'plied with a hood, sustained in its ' required and necessary form by boops 'or rings, these being covered with 'oiled silk, &c.; the apparatus must 'be supplied with a lens, to discover the 'object of search. It will be further necessary that two pipes communicate with this adjustment, one with the top for the escape of the beated respired 'air, and another from the lower region, to minister pure and respirable air, ⚫ with a condenser attached,' &c. This extract will, I apprehend, be found to contain the elements of the invention set forth in the following quotation :— ་ The Board of Admiralty lately sent 'down to Sheerness the invention of a ' very ingenious apparatus, for the purpose of making trial of it, under the inspection of Sir James Beresford. The 'diver descended into the water by a ladder, where he can remain for any length of time, and can walk about the "'ocean's oozy bed' with perfect safety, ' and even without feeling any suffocating sensation. The apparatus is ex'tremely simple in its construction. It ⚫ consists of a metal cap, or covering for the head, with two tubes or hoses af'fixed to it; these lead to an air-pump, 'which is kept constantly at work during the descent. Two glasses are fitted in the cap, by which he is enabled to see any thing, and to pick up the ⚫ smallest article. His dress, including 'the glasses, is a preparation of Indian rubber, so that he is not exposed to 'wet or cold, for on removing the dress and cap, the diver appears perfectly dry, and comparatively warm. On Friday 'week, Flag-Lieut. Washington, of His Majesty's Ship Ocean, descended twice into the barbour, and brought up with bim some mussels and stones; and thus proved in the most satisfactory manner the practicability and utility of this in'genious invention. We understand that it is the intention of Government to grant the man a patent for his invention, and to have an apparatus kept in each of His Majesty's dock-yards. There can be no doubt that it will 'supersede the use of the diving-bells, which, being cumbrous and unwieldy, require a great exertion of strength to The following is a brief statement of the Ottoman fleet : The whole Ottoman empire may be considered as concentrated at Constantinople, for every thing which relates to the army, the navy, or the civil government, is transacted there. The Sultan is fearful of entrusting the execution of his plans to those under him, knowing well that he can depend only on what is carried on under his immediate inspection. Thus the arsenals, the dock-yards, and every thing relating to the navy, is to be found in the port of Constantinople, which is, perhaps, the only one in the world that can contain every thing necessary for the equipment of a fleet. The following vessels composed the Turkish navy in 1830: Ships of the line, the Mahomet, 120 guns; the Selim, 80; and six others of 74 guns each.-Frigates, ten mounting from 36 to 60 guns.-Corvettes, thirteen mounting from 18 to 30 guns.-One brig of 12 guns, and two steam vessels; making a total of 34 vessels. The guns of these vessels are all of bronze, for the art of casting iron is not sufficiently known by the Turks, to enable them to construct iron guns that can be used without danger. Some of these ships are so old, that they are scarcely sea-worthy; but the Mahmoud, which is not entirely finished, is remarkable for her gigantic dimensions, as well as the elegance of her build, and is allowed to be the finest ship of war in the world. Her length is 234 feet, she mounts 120 guns, and many carronades of heavy ca32, on the middle deck 42, and on the libre. On the upper deck are mounted lower deck 68 pounders. She is said to be upwards of three thousand tons. The work in her is very rough, and, although strong, displays a great waste of timber. This is all brought from the Black Sea, and is said to be durable and good. The iron-work of the Mahmoud is also very rough. The immense masts of this ship are held together by slight iron hoops and wouldings, half an inch in thickness, scarcely strong enough to resist the least strain. Most of the other ships are hogged, a fault which probably arises from their not being properly supported when they are launched, the great depth of the water not allowing the ways to be sufficiently carried out. In entering the harbour of Constantinople, the current will be met running out at the rate of four knots per hour, making it impossible for a ship to beat into it. After passing the Seraglio point, and crossing over to the European shore, the eddy will be met with about one-third over, running from one to two knots per hour. The dock yard is situated in the interior of the harbour, and the ground is perfectly adapted by nature to such a purpose. The shore is so steep, that a line-ofbattle ship may lie alongside of it. It contains two very good docks, both of which are sufficiently large for a three. decked ship, and in one of them is the Masoudi, originally built by a Swede, now undergoing repair. Until lately there existed a sort of marine corps, called gallioudgis, from which the fleet was manned; but as it has been abolished, the Sultan has been occupied in forming a new one, organized according to the system he adopted with the troops. A handsome building near the arsenal is appropriated for the use of this corps, which is well clothed and paid; a naval college also has been established. Before the Greek revolution, the effective force of the Turkish navy was composed of Ipsariots, Spezziots, and Hydriots, and whilst the Greeks worked the vessels, the Turks served the guns. Now that the Hellens have thrown off the yoke, the Turks are obliged to perform both duties. The Turkish ships are, in general, encumbered with men, which only tends to produce confusion in manoeuvring, and great loss of lives in action. Mahmoud will, no doubt, shortly improve his navy, as Mahomed Ali has done in Egypt. The viceroy's fleet is now in excellent order, and though it bears the name of the sultan's, must not be confounded with that of Constantinople. Besides six horse and two steam ferryboats at Quebec, and other parts of the river below Montreal, there are four ferry-boats at Montreal, three of which are steamers. The Royal William commenced running last summer between Quebec and Halifax. She is a magnificent vessel, built on the model of the Duke of Wellington, a steamer running between Aberdeen and London, and is 170 feet extreme length, 44 feet extreme breadth, and 18 feet depth of hold. She has proved herself a safe and excellent sea-boat, and is said to go eleven knots in a calm. She is rigged as a three-masted schooner. The John Bull is elegantly fitted up, and is of great power. She cost £23,000. The other passage-boats on the St. Lawrence are also well fitted up, and are acknowledged to afford comfort and safety to a greater degree than any boats on this side of the Atlantic. All have their engines on the low-pressure principle. There are three or four small steamers on Lake St. Louis and the Ottawa river. There is one on the Rideau communication. There are two on Lake St. Francis, from its foot to Cornwall. As for Jonathan, he is a steam-boating animal: he goes to the Sault de St. Marie, to Green Bay, and Chicago; astonishing the wild Indian, and scarcely more wild animals, with his confounded hissing and smoking of all sorts. He is a mere matter-of-fact animal, and destroys the poetry of any place to which he goes. "Wild Ontario's boundless Lake" is no longer either wild or boundless. In vain and Erie spreads her swamps around;" "Niagara stuns with thundering sound, he has jumped from the top of the former, and the latter, he says, makes good bottom lands to a man who can drink gin-sling and whiskey toddy, enough to keep off the ague. Superior and "Huron's distant waters" are no longer distant, for in the steamer's "walk in the water" he can go from Buffalo to them in a day or two. In short, he has annihilated all the poeti |