Endnote

I included this chapter on ships primarily because of the importance of Froude’s work in finding a way to refute the many spurious ideas that were prevalent in his day and in doing so show us that we could go forwards knowing that fluid flow is repeatable in the best scientific meaning of the word.

 

It is also interesting to me to read current authors still bemoaning the fact that Froude chose the treat the effects of skin friction and wave-making as independent. The success of his method seems to be an affront in some way. I think we are back with “slaves do arithmetic”. This is great pity really because Froude’s method can very often get you past seemingly insuperable obstacles.

 

I have said nothing about ship science as it is practiced because it is too arcane for me to understand it.