But the new ships, because of
their length and sharpness, precluded this; for, though they rose
sufficiently to an approaching wave for all purposes of safety,
they often went through the crest of it, and, though shipping a
little water, it was not only easier for the vessel, but the
shortest road.
Nature seems to have furnished us with the finest design for a
vessel in the form of the fish: it presents such fine lines--is
so clean, so true, and so rapid in its movements. The ship,
however, must float; and to hit upon the happy medium of velocity
and stability seems to me the art and mystery of shipbuilding.
In order to give large carrying capacity, we gave flatness of
bottom and squareness of bilge. This became known in Liverpool
as the "Belfast bottom;" and it has been generally adopted. This
form not only serves to give stability, but also increases the
carrying power without lessening the speed.
While Sailor Jack and our many commercial rivals stood aghast and
wondered, our friends gave us yet another order for a still
longer ship, with still the same beam and power. The vessel was
named the Persian; she was 360 feet long, 34 feet beam, 24 feet 9
inches hold. More cargo was thus carried, at higher speed. It
was only a further development of the fish form of structure.
Venice was an important port to call at. The channel was
difficult to navigate, and the Venetian class (270 feet long) was
supposed to be the extreme length that could be handled here.
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