OF the different guides to which the mariner has recourse in providing for the safety of his vessel as she forces her way through the trackless deep, none is of more importance, as none is more ancient, than that of the sounding-line and lead. How many a proud vessel and rich cargo, and how great a multitude of human lives have been preserved by the silent, but warning voice of this simple instrument, and how many have perished through neglecting to employ it, since the time, now 1800 years ago, when its use is thus recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, in describing the celebrated voyage and shipwreck of Saint Paul, when on his way to Rome to appear before Cassar:— " But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near some country, and 'sounded,' and found it 20 fathoms; and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it 15 fathoms. Then fearing lest they should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day." We are not aware that there is any more ancient record than the above of the operation of sounding, but doubtless its first adoption was coeval with the building of vessels larger than mere boats. There can be little doubt also that the instrument used was identical with that of the present day, viz., a lead and line having marks affixed to it at different distances to indicate the depth ; for so great a depth as 20 fathoms could cot have been reached, except by a line with a stone or metal weight attached to it, and the heaviest available substance would naturally have been employed: we know also that lead was used by the ancients for different purposes, and amongst others that it was at that very time employed by the Romans as sheathing for the bottoms of their ships, to which it was fastened with nails of bronze.

And certainly it is not a little singular, when we consider the refinements and improvements which the cumulative efforts of the human intellect have introduced in every art and science, and in all branches of knowledge, not a little singular is it, that so rude an instrument should have continued unimproved upon until the present day. We say rude instrument, not on account of its simplicity —for the most simple mechanism if it is exactly fitted to effect its end is the most beautiful—but rude, because it imperfectly fulfils its end, and is inadequate to meet the requirements of the present day when, owing to the enlarged size of shipping, with their consequent increased draft of water, and still more to the greater rapidity by which, through the adjunct of steam power they are propelled through it, it is impossible, even for the most skilful leadsman, to obtain correct perpendicular soundings without checking the speed of the vessel and delaying her on her way. Whilst then, the compass, the sextant, the telescope, the chronometer, the vessel herself, have undergone change and improvement, we repeat that singular it. is the rude and primitive lead and line of the Greek and Roman pilots remain in the hands of our seamen at the present time.

We would not, however, omit to mention the lead which was invented by Manby the inventor and patentee of the well-known Patent Log. This lead is constructed on the same principle, viz., that of registering the distance run by the number of revolutions of a water-screw recorded on a suitable dial. In the case of the lead, the vane or screw registers the distance from the surface to the bottom, on the correct supposition, that as the axis of the screw revolves in a vertical direction when the weight attached causes it to descend, so the number of revolutions made by it will correspond with the vertical depth. With this lead correct soundings may be obtained in very considerable depths, even when the vessel is in rapid motion. It is not, however, in use as an ordinary lead to supersede the common and primitive hand-lead, either in the Royal or Merchant navies, probably for two reasons: first, because it requires to be delicately handled, as a blow would destroy the precision of its screw; and secondly, because it is hardly quick enough for use in shoal water, where it is essential to get cast after cast as quickly as possible: for this ingenious instrument must be taken out of the water and examined before the depth to which it has descended is known, and the fingers of its dial must be reset before it is hove again.

Still more strange, however, nay, inexplicable is it, that the use of this most important safeguard against disaster should be so almost universally neglected amongst our mercantile marine, notwithstanding the disasters which are constantly arising from it. In this respect, indeed, we have not simply stood still, but have retrograded, and the example of the seamen of Adramyttium, above alluded to, may even now be held up as a pattern to those of our own country; for we read that so soon as they deemed that they drew near land they sounded, and although they found so great a depth of water as 20 fathoms, they went but a little further, when they once more hove to and sounded again, and that then, on finding the water had shoaled to 15 fathoms, they attempted to anchor.

It is an example of carefulness to the ships. True, it did not their prudence in this instance should enable them to save their vessel, since her loss was necessary to the carrying out his purposes as regarded his servant Paul; and so it may not be his will that such precautions should in every case be effectual now; but nevertheless, it is the duty, as well as the interest of those who hold command of ships, and have the lives of others intrusted to their care, to adopt every possible precaution to ensure their safety; since we are nowhere given to understand that God will interfere with the course of nature for the purpose of helping those who will not help themselves.

What is the reason then for this strange neglect, which is productive of so much disaster and misery ? For there is a reason for everything under the sun. Is it that in our thriving, money-making, commercial country, the anxiety to grow rich, to add " field to field, and house to house," so engrosses attention as to leave no time for such precautions? That the vessel must hurry and disgorge her wealth, that she may hasten away for more? If human life only were at stake we should conceive this possible, when we consider how the sympathies and better feelings of our nature are blunted and hardened by the love of money, which is the " root of all evil;" but riches are also at stake, although the owners of vessels are generally, more or less, protected from loss by insurance. Is it then from the increased general activity of the human mind in the present day, ever urging onward its possessor, for whom the locomotive engine whirls not quick enough over its iron road —for whom the sharp prow of the leviathan steamer cuts not fast enough the parted wave—for whom the electric wire conveys but too slowly the expression of his will ? Is this the reason that he cannot delay to be commonly prudent, and that one after another, to say nothing of smaller craft, our noble merchant steamers laden with rich cargoes, and having hundreds of human beings on board, run on shore and are lost, yet that in scarcely one of them do we ever hear of a cast of the lead being taken until too late. We have not space to multiply instances, but will merely quote two of the most recent as types of many more. Tims in the able and judicious Report to the Board of Trade on the circumstances attending the loss of the Tayleur, by Captain WALKER, recently presented to Parliament, we find it stated that " I further think the wreck of this vessel might have been prevented, had the master taken the precaution of using his lead." Now here was as noble a ship lost as ever left an English port. Of great size, being 1979 tons; of the most approved form, being built to sail fast; new, this being her first voyage; with a valuable cargo, and 528 human beings on board; and lamentable to say, 290 of the unfortunate creatures, who had placed their faith in such encouraging appearances, miserably deprived of life, probably through the neglect of the simple precaution of obtaining occasional soundings.

The second case we will name is that of the Olinda, an iron screw-steamer, of 1138 tons, likewise new, (built in April, 1853) well built, well found, well officered, and well manned, which was lost on the north coast of Anglesea, on the 20th of January last. This, also noble vessel, in charge of a Liverpool pilot, is taken through an acknowledged intricate and dangerous passage, on a dark night when the land-marks could be but indistinctly seen, at the speed of ten miles an hour, at which speed no correct soundings with an ordinary lead and line could be obtained, and we are not told of its use being attempted until after the ship was on shore, when the Captain directed a quarter-master to fake one and sound round the ship, to ascertain if there was any probability of their extricating her from her perilous position. It was, however, too late, and she became a total wreck. In this instance happily no lives were lost; but there might have been.

We abstain from making any comments or reflections on the captains of either of these two vessels, or on the pilot, or on any other circumstances connected with their loss, desiring only to exhibit them as indications of the too common neglect of the particular precaution we are treating on, as we have above quoted in contrast the practice of the ancient seamen of a bygone race.

We should not, however, complete our argument, or do justice to a public department of our own Government, if we did not also contrast with it the practice of the Board of Admiralty and its effects.

So strict, indeed, are the regulations enacted by them on this subject, that the leadsman is required to be at his post whenever the land is in sight, or there are any other reasons to suppose its proximity.

And on a man-of-war being lost, or getting on shore, any breach of this rule is fatal to the Captain and Master, or the officer in command of the deck at the time. Now it may seem almost ridiculous to some, that on the steep shores of the Mediterranean, and other parts of the world, a man's time should be wasted hour after hour, and day after day, in heaving the lead where the depths of the water extend far below the utmost limit of his line, even hundreds of fathoms down; or it may again, as it has done, excite the risibility of some to see a tiny cutter tender assiduously heaving the lead in shearing under the stern of her leviathan sister the 120 gun ship in one of our own ports. But let this most judicious rule, which establishes a habit, and ensures as a piece of mechanism, that the leadsman shall be always in his place, be judged by its effects. How many men-of-war do we hear of being wrecked or getting on shore in comparison with merchant craft? The disproportion is indeed very great. On our own coasts alone, in the past year, upwards of 800 vessels were wrecked or seriously damaged, in addition to numberless other cases where they stranded, but got off again without much injury. Yet how rarely do we hear of the loss, or even the getting on shore, of a man of-war. We do not mean to attribute this great disparity solely to the use or neglect of sounding; we know that there are many other causes; that, as a matter of necessity, a merchant vessel cannot be so fully and efficiently officered and manned; that she can seldom be so well found; that from her build, or the nature of her cargo, she cannot always be so manageable.

Of some of these points we may hereafter separately treat; but we have no hesitation in stating that it is " one" of the causes, and to it therefore we desire to draw the attention of the Shipowner and the Master; even if it be not considered deserving the attention of the Legislature, which however we think it is.

We have stated, that it is singular that no alteration or improvement has been made in the simple lead and line, still in general use, since its first employment by the primeval navigators on the shores of the Mediterranean until the present time. We have, however, much gratification in bringing now to the notice of our readers, a beautiful and likewise simple sounding instrument, recently invented by the Rev. E. L. BERTHON, of Fareham, whose scientific and ingenious mind has enabled him to render a well-known principle available for effecting this purpose; a principle which is so infallible that it cannot err, and the adoption of which possesses other advantages over the ordinary method of ascertaining the depth of water by lineal measurement. A description of this instrument will be found at p. 133 of the present Number of the Life-Boat Journal.