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Have you heard of Spalding's having made any use of his Diving bell this last Summer.
What is this said Charles Spalding. He must be a Seafaring man. Though it is not
probable he himself might like to come here: yet one might perhaps get a
Sailor of his recommendation, one who had been down with him in his bell.
If Shipwrights made the bell or whatever trade they possessed most likely they
were ingenious men, it d be might be possible to get one of them.
Edinburgh is not far from Newcastle, Notman or some of your friends might inquire about them?
I did not give Notman nor have I ever given you a sufficient description of the
qualities I want in a Shipwright. One who only knows how to put together the
parts of a Ship the draught & description being given him, as is the case with most of
these who inspect or work at the building Ships in the King's Dockyards, is not the
man for me. If he knows how to form a draught, that either is but little
it with me. First he should not be of a disposition to be frightened at
novelty. Secondly he should have had experience in and be well acquainted with the
fitting Ships for Sea. There are a number of Articles some of which are looked upon
as trifling which seldom are done or at last not done in a manner which answers
the purpose till the Ship is manned rigged ready for sailing or actually has made
a voyage. Of these articles there are no written description therefore experience is requred.
A man who has been to Sea is the more likely to have this qualification as well
that of pointing out the ne in the constructing ships on a new plan, the provisions
necessary to be made for the in the internal distribution for the conversiony of navigating,
fighting, Stowing, Pumping &c. He should be acquainted with small Vessels
as well as Ships, and better if he has had opportunities of observering those of other
nations and still better if he had seen the Canoes in the South seas and
the flying proa's of the Ladrene Islands. If these latter advantages are not
to be obtained, the working neatly so as to be able to make models would be a
great recommendation. But the having been at Sea is not to be dispensed with unless
an extrardinary degree of merit in a Sailor who should come should render knowledge of that kind
in a Shipwright less necessary.
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Identifier: | JB/540/129/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 540.
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1784-12-23 |
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540 |
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129 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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