CUNNINGHAM'S Patent Mode of reefing Topsails from the Deck.—Most persons, even those who are not sailors by profession, are aware that the operation of reefing topsails is one of the most important on board a ship. By its means the amount of surface of canvass exposed to the action of the wind is regulated; and it is in consequence a manoeuvre that is in constant operation, as it is also one that requires to be promptly and skilfully performed. Indeed, the safety of the ship, and therefore of those on board her, will, under various trying circumstances, often depend on the ready adaptation of the amount of sail to the varying force or direction of the wind. Through a reef not being taken in, and the sail thereby reduced in time, a mast may be carried away or a sail split at a moment when the salvation of the ship may depend on them. Or again, through a reef or reefs not being shaken out in time, and an increased amount of canvass thereby set on the ship, on a sudden falling off of the wind when entering a port, she may miss the entrance and be swept to leeward of it, to the destruction of herself and all on board her. We are, indeed, assured by those who have had ample opportunities for observing it, that such is a periodical cause of loss of ships and lives to a great extent at our pier and bar harbours, especially on our east coasts. Any contrivance, therefore, which will reduce the time required for the performance of this most important operation will necessarily be of great value.

The operation of reefing is, moreover, not only an important one, but it is one requiring much skill and activity, and is often attended with great danger. How many a fine fellow has been thrown from a topsailyard, and been drowned or smashed upon the deck, through the carrying away of an ear-ring, a reef-tackle, or a weather-brace! There is probably, indeed, no one manoeuvre on shipboard which has, in this last form alone, caused so great a sacrifice of life.

Any contrivance, therefore, which shall reduce, or altogether remove this danger, must be looked on as a public and a national boon.

We may also observe, that in a man-ofwar, when engaged with an enemy, the operation of reefing topsails could hardly be performed in the, present mode, however necessary, since the introduction of the Minie rifle and other improvements in fire-arms would enable an opponent to pick off every man exposed aloft. This advantage of an efficient plan for reefing sails without sending men aloft is therefore well deserving of consideration.

The beautiful invention we are now treating on has, we believe, most successfully remedied the evils above alluded to. It is the production of H. D. P. CUNNINGHAM, Esq., E.N., F.S.A., a gentleman who, although not a seaman by profession, has, during a long period of service in Her Majesty's Navy, had ample opportunity for observing the defects of the old system of reefing topsails, and has brought an ingenious and scientific mind so effectually to bear on the subject, as will, we believe, produce a complete revolution in that department of seamanship, and as will, v?e think, entitle him to the thanks of his country, and to the gratitude of seamen of all nations.

We should not speak in such high terms of any ordinary invention; but we write advisedly when we state that we consider this to be one of the first magnitude.

We extract'the following statements from the explanatory pamphlet published by Mr. CUNNINGHAM on his patent:— " The following advantages and capabilities have been practically proved to be obtained from this invention:—The topsails, topgallant sails, &C., can be reefed from the deck, without sending any one aloft, with extraordinary speed, and few men. Three hands have been found sufficient to reef the main-sail of a 500-ton ship in two minutes; and the reefs can also be shaken out from the deck with the same facility.

" The sails stand as well, if not better, than on the old plan, and there is no remarkable alteration in the cut, shape, or general appearance of the sails and yards.

*' The sails will wear longer than on the ordinary plan; it is calculated that a ' CUNNINGHAM'S Patent Topsail' will wear two years longer—the reason of this is attributable to the absence of reef-points, and consequent constant rub of the same against the sail; also, to the threads of the canvass, when the sails reefed, bearing an equal strain throughout the surface of the sail, and to the sail not being subjected to violent shaking, as upon the old plan, as the Patent Topsails always remain set, even in reefing.

" A great saving in wear and tear of cordage is effected; and the number of running ropes reduced.

" The action of lowering the topsail, closereefs it, which is very convenient for bringing up in roadsteads, tide-ways, &c., as the sail is already half stowed; and in making sail, when tile topsail is sheeted home, a closereefed sail is at once set, and the ship brought under command; the simple operation of hoisting the topsail shakes the reefs out.

Attention is particularly called to this, as to short-handed vessels, which may be frequently obliged to get under weigh in crowded anchorages, narrow channels, &c., it is a most important advantage.

" In the case of sudden lee shores, falling wind, running under the luff of high lands, entering bar harbours, or all the many other situations in which ships are sometimes placed, when their safety depends upon reducing or making sail with the utmost speed; the ability to reef and make sail from the deck, with the speed and facility afforded by CUNNINGHAM'S Patent, cannot fail to increase the safety of ships. The same advantages hold good in the case of ships having their crews reduced by sickness, desertion, or death, especially in distant foreign ports, where the difficulty of obtaining seamen may be very great." Having enumerated the practical advantages and capabilities of his invention, the Patentee calls attention to the difficulty which at present exists in procuring efficient crews for merchant ships. The deficiency does not exist only in the number of men offering to ship, but also in the ability of those who do come forward: and there is no reason to believe that these evils will diminish.

The most important sails of a ship to work are the topsails; to handle these sails properly, on the old method, regular seamen are required; and in a merchant ship, it requires almost every man in the ship to reef even one topsail, hence it becomes a necessity that almost all the crew shall be seamen.

Numerous testimonials contained in Mr. CUNNINGHAM'S pamphlet, testify that his Patent Topsails, &c., do not require so many seamen to work them. The captain of the barque Clio reports having himself close reefed his main topsail with the aid of one of his passengers ; and all the reports concur in stating, that the operation which formerly required almost every man in the ship, and those regular seamen, can be accomplished by two, three, or four hands, who, if they can pull a rope, have no more seamanship required of them.

The late loss of the new ship Tayleur, is a melancholy example of the jeopardy to which a ship may be liable by the inefficiency of the crew, when rigged in the old manner.

In this instance, it appeared that the crew were unable to reef her topsails, and in consequence she drove for many hours bodily to leeward with her topsails flapping to pieces on the yards, and which resulted, with other concurrent causes, in her destruction; had the Tayleur been fitted with self-reefing topsails, her otherwise inefficient crew might.

have been enabled to get her under snug commanding sail so soon as it was required; and even when brought on a close lee shore, - the ability to make sail speedily would have rendered it possible to get the ship's head round (which could not be done with the reduced sail the ship was under when lost), and thus the danger so fatal to her would have been averted.

Without diagrams, (which our space does not admit of,) it would be difficult, if not impossible, to convey a clear idea of the mechanism, in detail, of Mr. CUNNINGHAM'S plan. We shall not therefore attempt it, but refer them to his own pamphlet. Suffice it to say, that the yard to which the sail is bent is so constructed as to revolve on its centre, by which means the sail is rolled round it by the act of lowering the yard, the whole operation of reefing and unreefing being therefore performed by means of ropes from the deck, by simply lowering or hoisting the yard.

The Patentee states, that his invention is applicable to top-gallant sails as well as to topsails, and even to courses if required.

We have not space to quote the many testimonials from masters of vessels which have been fitted with Mr. CUNNINGHAM'S topsails; but they are evidently of a trustworthy and practical character, and may be seen by reference to his pamphlet.

A large number of merchant ships, of various sizes and of different nations, have already been furnished with these sails, who uniformly report highly of them. We have not heard that it is yet contemplated to make trial of them in the Royal Navy of this country; but a Committee was a short time since appointed by the Minister of Marine in France to examine and report on them; and we are informed that a French man-ofwar has been ordered to be fitted with them forthwith. The Minister of Marine of Denmark has likewise recently communicated with Mr. CUNNINGHAM respecting his patent, with a view to its adoption in the Royal Marine of that country.

It has, we believe, been advanced as an objection to the very advantages of this plan, that their tendency will be to deteriorate the character of the British seaman—that by gradually removing the obstacles which his.

indomitable perseverance and energy have hitherto gloried in surmounting, and by so smoothing his rugged path that there shall be no call for the skill, endurance of hardship, and defiance of danger, amid which he has "hitherto been cradled and reared, those high qualities will disappear from his character, and our maritime pre-eminence will sink to the level of that of other countries. We, however, attach no weight to that objection; similar ones have been formerly advanced against the introduction of steam power and other discoveries, which have revolutionized, not our public services alone, but our whole social machinery. Yet our star appears not yet to be on the wane! Nor, indeed, have we any fear for the future. The characters and peculiarities of oar sailors arc, no doubt, already very different from what they were in the days of Nelson and Jervis, and they may yet change again and again. But the greatness of our national character, and our progress and influence in the world, depend not on such surface qualities, but on those deeper and more enduring qualities of mind and heart, and physical capability, with which God has in his bounty been pleased to endow our race, without doubt for the purpose of furthering and carrying out His own scheme of benevolence for the welfare and happiness of the whole human family.

That glorious path we have long since entered on. Although we may not have made the most of our opportunities, yet we have not so far abused them that they have been taken from us. We believe that no such changes as those we have above alluded to, apart from our own unfaithfulness, will occasion their withdrawal. And our heart yet warms within us at the confident belief that our beloved country and our race are yet, through long ages to come, destined to be, in the hands of the Almighty Ruler of the universe, one of his chief instruments for promoting the advancement and civilization of the world.

We will conclude this digression into which the interest of the subject has led us, by recommending Mr. CUNNINGHAM'S deckreefing sails to the careful attention and consideration of all shipowners into whose hands this paper may fall.