CHAPTER IV.

PROGRESS IN THE SCIENCE OF SHIPBUILDING.

The Lessons of Disaster—Sources of Scientific Knowledge—Government Schools of Naval Architecture—Greenwich Royal Naval College—The Transition from Sail to Steam and from Wood to Iron in Shipbuilding— Labours of Russell, Rankine, and Froude—Institution of Naval Architects—Recent Scientific Progress—Outlines of Fundamental Principles—Shortened Methods of Ship Design—Metacentric Stability— Atwood’s Stability Theorem—Improvements of Atwood’s Method—Stability at Light-Draught—Stability Curves at Different Draughts—Cross-Curves of Stability—Stability Curves by Experiment—Stowage as affecting Stability—Speed and Power of Steamships—Approximating to Power Required—Progressive Speed Trials—Curves of Speed and Power, &c.— Speed Experiments with Models—Froude’s Law of Comparison—Relative Efficiency of Hull, Engines, and Propellers—Investigations of Strength of Iron Vessels—Reed’s and John’s Investigations—Strength Investigations as Affecting Registry Rules—Agencies for Scientific Education—University Chairs of Naval Architecture—List of Papers on the Science of Shipbuilding 84