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Belfast, 19th November, 1859. Stit--You have done-good service by your remarks on the material of iron vessels. Permit me to add a few on their construction.
It does not need any profound knowledge to perceive that the greatest strength of any structure whatever ought, to be in the direction of the greatest strain to which it can be subjected ; and that in the ease of a ship, as of a bridge,. the greatest strain it in the direction of the length.
Simple and obvious as is this theory, it is not yet generally acted on. I was at an iron ship-yard some time ago, and there saw the frame of a vessel, consisting of a series of triangles, with their planes at right angles to her i length, and forming a very good imitation of the timbers of a wooden ship. I asked the manager of, the works, " Why don't you dispose the greater part of this strength longitudinally ? " " So we ought," he replied ; but we must build in conformity with Lloyd's regulations."
This proves that an adherence to routine amounting to stupidity is no peculiar characteristic of Government establishments.
The Great Eastern is built on the common sense plan of disposing the greater part of the strength lengthwise. In iron structures there is not the slightest difficulty in doing so. In timber ones it is not so easy ; but I be- lieve that ships built on what is called the diagonal principle are strongest in the direction of their length.
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