After many years’ application, in consequence of a favorable report from the Navy Board, two vessels were ordered to be built at Deptford, of thirteen tons each, exactly similar in all respects, in regard to dimensions; one being formed on the old construction, and the other flat-bottomed, with three sliding keels. In 1790, a comparative trial took place, in the presence of the Commissioners of the Navy, on the river Thames, each having the same quantity of sail; and although the vessel formed on the old model had lee-boards, a greater quantity of ballast, and two Thames pilots on board, yet Captain Schanck’s beat her, to the complete satisfaction of all present, one-half the whole distance sailed.
This experiment proved so satisfactory, that a cutter of 120 tons was immediately ordered to be constructed on the same plan; and Captain Schanck was requested to superintend her completion. This vessel was launched at Plymouth in 1791, and named the Trial. The Cynthia, sloop of war, was also built according to the new principle, and, as we have reason to believe, under the immediate inspection of the original projector.
All the officers of the Trial cutter certified, on the 21st Feb. 1791:–
“That with her three sliding keels she did tack, wear, and steer upon a wind, sail fast to windward, and hold a good wind. They also certified, that they never were in any vessel of her size or draught of water, that sailed faster, or carried a greater press of sail, or made such good weather.”
She was inspected again, in 1792, by orders from the Admiralty-Board; and the report, which was very favorable, stated, that she had outsailed the Resolution, Sprightly, and Nimble cutters; as well as the Salisbury, Nautilus, and Hyaena sloops.
The several advantages with which this invention abounds, have been repeatedly detailed at length to the world, and to
timber, connected together by transverse beams, having a mast and sail; it is steered by boards about three yards long, and half a yard in breadth, which are placed vertically between the timbers, by raising and lowering which, the raft tacks, wears, and performs all her evolutions with great facility.
