by John Marshall

“ The want of a chasing reef at the foot of the top-sails and top-gallant-sails may be sensibly felt, when it may be necessary to carry a press of sail in squally weather to avoid a lee-shore; or in chase; or when obliged to haul suddenly to the wind from sailing large. Men of-war in chase cannot always risk carrying sail through a squall, and by lowering these sails down to reef at the head, they lose time; and the sails are partly aback whilst they are reefing. ”

“ The sails of ships and vessels, from being made with the cloths and seams in a vertical instead of an horizontal direction, are more liable to split up and down, and to be blown to pieces, either when carrying a press of sail in a gale of wind on a lee shore, or from the shaking of the sails; and a ship and crew might be lost from a few inches of a vertical seam giving way, when there might not be time to take the sail in to repair it. ”

“ That your Royal Highness’s memorialist, on the 28th May, 1807, proposed a plan to build round bows to ships of the line, which gives great additional strength to the ship, more convenience and comfort to the crew, and security in time of action. The superiority of this plan was so apparent that it has been generally introduced in His Majesty’s navy, by directions from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated 29th May, 1811. ”

“ The simplicity of the workmanship, and economy in the conversion of timber, although of considerable moment, are of trifling importance compared with the plan of rendering timber generally more applicable to the frames of ships, which heretofore was only partially so, and causing them to possess greater strength and durability. ”

“ To the mode of reefing the courses by the foot I am happy to give my decided approbation, as you are enabled to reef a course without losing the effect of the sail, it requires but a very few men to take in the reef ”

“ By diminishing the dangers of the seas (many of which might be easily averted) the attractions to a sea life are increased, and the sum of human misery reduced; for every individual in the country is at this present period deeply interested in the preservation of the valuable lives of British Seamen. ”