JB/540/352/001

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Ladobras near Crickoff Monday
May 3/14 1787
(Rec.d at Q.S.P. 12th July 87)

Hon.d Sir,

I am now alone, my Brother is, before this, I hope at Kioff or
on his way from thence to Cherson — I left him on Thursday se'ennight
at Propoisk, a Town upon the Soje, about 40 miles from hence by Land,
but double or treble the way by water, pursuing his course on board his
new invented Serpentine or Verenicular Barge which ever you please to call
it — Of this Barge you will expect some description; It consists of six different
Boats connected together by a particular mechanism, so as to form but one,
but pliable in every direction in the manner of a snake: each Boat or
Link, as we call it, is 42 feet in length, consequently the length of the
whole is 252 feet; the two head Links are taken up entirely with Oars,
as is the forehalf of the Third, and the whole of the sixth. In the first
Link are 36 Oars; in the 2.d 40; in the rowing part of the third 20, in
the sixth 24; in all 120, besides two at the Head of the Head Link,
and as many at the Tail of the Tail Link, to answer the purpose of
Rudders. — There are two ranks of Oars on each side, consequently four
are seen of a row when you look across the Boat; the back half of the —
third Link, and the whole of the fourth and fifth constitute the habitable
part of the Barge, which I must lose no time in telling you is destined
for Her Majesty's use, if she will vouchsafe to set foot in it. The Breadth
of this habitable part is throughout — 13 feet 5 inches in the inside, on
the outside from the bottom of the Windows the breadth is continued on each
side 1 foot 8 inches, which breadth forms a platform or footboard for people to
walk on in passing from the Head rowing Links to the rowing Link at
the Tail behind the habitable part, consequently the extreme breadth is about
16 feet nine inches. From this footboard to the floor of the Rooms in depth
and from the side of the Rooms to the side of the Boat (that is the breadth
of the footboard) in breadth forms a space all along, which opening into the
Rooms affords a continued Range of cupboards on each side. Height of the

Identifier: | JB/540/352/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 540.
Date_1	1787-05-03	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	540	Main Headings
Folio number	352	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	Correspondence/copy	Number of Pages
Recto/Verso		Page Numbering
Penner		Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number
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