_Q._—Then the water would be just as likely to go down the _Alert’s_ funnel as her grating? _A._—No; it would not be just as likely that the sea would go down the funnel as the grating; but seas might come over the weather side, and a good deal go down the grating. I do not say sufficient would go down that way to sink the ship. _Q._—How many tons of water do you calculate the _Alert_ would ship through the pantry window in the course of a minute? _A._—Nearly twenty tons. It would depend a good deal on the height of the water outside. If the vessel were on her beam ends, and the window covered with water, enough would rush in to knock everything down. _Q._—Would the wooden awning help to bring the _Alert’s_ head round in a gale? _A._—By putting up a sail aft to the wind, you can always bring a vessel up. The wooden awning might have that effect, but in my opinion it would do more harm than good. _Q._—Suppose during a six hours’ gale, keeping a certain course, the _Alert_ never shipped a sea, would you consider that a proof of her sea-worthiness? _A._—Not altogether. The moment she altered her course she might ship a sea and go down. If I were on board, and found in a violent gale that by pursuing a certain course I was safe, I would not alter that course. _Q._—Supposing your alleyways were full of water, and the bunkers had the covers on, how could the water get the covers off? _A._—It is very different with a vessel turning over and jumping. The sea would make you jump off your feet sometimes. _Q._—Have you seen the _Excelsior_ steamer? _A._—I have, but I have not travelled in her. She is fine in her lines, but she is only a river boat. No man with any experience would build a vessel like the _Alert_ to go to sea. _Q._—How much cargo would it take to make the _Alert_ sea-worthy? _A._—It could not have been done anyhow. No amount of cargo would make her sea-worthy. She might be better in a gale if she were heavily laden. She should have had about 100 tons of cargo; it would put her more on an even keel. If the forty-four tons of cargo had been put in the forehold, a difference would have been made. _Q._—Which would make the more stable cargo, 100 tons of feather beds, or 100 tons of pig-iron? _A._—They would both be the same weight, but the feather beds would be more lively than the pig-iron. (Loud laughter.) They would, however, be the very worst cargo a vessel could possibly take, for the one would be all too high, and the other all too low. There is a medium in everything.