past. In the latter, you will find proofs that all our ships with the old sails are, in particular situations, exposed to unavoidable destruction. I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)“Malcolm Cowan.”
“Observations on the Dangers to which his Majesty’s Ships and Vessels are unnecessarily exposed, from the present mode of making Sails in his Majesty’s Navy; and on the unnecessary Expence attending them. By Captain Malcolm Cowan, R.N.
“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.
“From the experiment that has been made in the royal navy, the difference in the duration of the sails made with horizontal cloths, and those of the old make, has been proved to be as eighteen months to eleven[1], making a difference of seven months wear in favour of those with the horizontal cloths; and they are every way stronger, more effective, and stand nearer to the wind.
“By the old method of reefing the courses on the yard, the loss of a ship and crew in a gale of wind on a lee-shore, may originate from either of the following apparently trifling accidents, which the old sails are liable to, and which could not happen to the new sails[2] that reef at the foot; namely:
| Number of Accidents, | |
| “Courses that are half-worn may require reefing to preserve them from splitting, when there may not be sea-room to perform the operation, and either of them may split. | 2 |
| “From the splitting of the courses in hauling them up to reef on the yard, or afterwards in setting them. | 4 |
| “From carrying away either of the two clew-garnets to each course in hauling them up to reef, which might split the sail by shaking it. | 4 |
- ↑ “The common made sail lasted eleven months; the sail with horizontal cloths and seams eighteen. A top-sail for a 64-gun ship costs 80l.
- ↑ “A line-of-battle ship can reef one of the new courses in two minutes, without hauling it up, or starting tack or sheet. This fact is well known among the officers of the navy.
