Chapter XXI: Part VIII: =421.=--Stowing Hammocks

Nothing adds more to the smart and favorable appearance of a vessel of war than a neat stowage of hammocks. The superintendants of this necessary duty are often at fault, forgetting that negligence in the performance of this service is seldom permitted to pass unnoticed.

In the stowage of hammocks, the officer should stand on the opposite side of the deck, a position which will enable him to preserve a symmetrical line, and guide and direct the stower in his progress fore and aft the netting; they are also enjoined to be careful that the hammocks of the men be properly lashed up. Defaulters in this particular should be reported to the First Lieutenant. Seven turns at equal distances, is the required number of turns with a hammock-lashing.

_Note._--In piping-down hammocks, the officers are cautioned not to
permit the men to throw them on the deck.

=422.=--COCKBILLING YARDS--(_Mourning_).

The most appropriate time for cockbilling yards seems to be daylight, and dark the most proper time for squaring them again; the day then looks as if it were issued in and closed with mourning.

At 8, or the hour of hoisting the colors half-mast, sway up the top-gallant yards, slip the lizard, parrel the yards, and cockbill them with the others previously reversed.

To allow the lower yards to top up properly, the trusses must be slacked; and if the topsail sheets are of chain and go with a whip, one of them must be unshackled from the clew, and to assist the lift in topping, a burton is required.

To allow the topsail yards to top up properly, they must be hoisted two feet or so off the caps, the parrels and braces must be slacked, and paunch mats taken out; if there are jaws on, slack the jaw-rope. Trysail and spanker gaff should be lowered well down, and swinging booms dropped into the water.

The way of topping the yards ought to be governed by the side on which the top-gallant yards are sent up: for instance, if the main-top-gallant yard be sent up on the starboard side, the main and main-topsail yards should be topped to port. The squaring them, when topped, should be done with reference to lower yards; which, in the first place, are topped as high as the top rims will allow; then being squared by the braces, the topsail and top-gallant yards have only to be parallel.

=423.=--DRESSING SHIP WITH FLAGS.

Though in some particulars the following remarks on dressing with flags refer peculiarly to ships in general, they are applicable to all classes of vessels; so much so indeed, that but little variation will be found necessary in applying them to line-of-battle ships, and so on down to a schooner.

One mode of dressing a ship with flags is to make an arch of them from the flying-jib-boom to the spanker-boom-end; another is to trice the flags up by the signal halliards, stopping them out to the yard-arms: but the best way, perhaps, is to combine these two modes, if there be flags enough. Hoisted to the trucks ought to be the ensign, jack, or the flags of the nation in whose port the ship is lying, or whom it is wished particularly to honor; and to give these room to display themselves, the rest of the flags should only be triced as high as the top-gallant mast-head.

1 American Ensign. 2 Ottoman-Greek. 3 Norden. 4. Stralsund. 5 Greek. 6 Brandenburg. 7 Hanover. 8 Prussia. 9 Saxony. 10 E. Morocco. 11 Maltese. 12 Arabia. 13 Columbia. 14 Mexican. 15 Brazil. 16 Hayti. 17 Japan. 18 Mogul. 19 Buenos Ayres. 20 Spanish. 21 Tunis. 22 St. Domingo. 23 Old Sardinia. 24 Majorca. 25 Peru. 26 English (blue). 27 Venezuela. 28 Chili. 29 Normandy. 30 English (white). 31 French. 32 Tripoli. 33 Salee. 34 Old Portugal. 35 Algiers. 36 Senegal. 37 Oporto. 38 Central America. 39 English (red). 40 E. Russia. 41 Sandwich Islands. 42 American Jack. 0 Commodore’s Broad Pendant. _Note._--Those which have no numbers affixed are the ship’s signals, or, rather, the telegraphic numbers.]

If it be determined to combine the two modes of dressing, as mentioned above, that is, with up and down flags, as well as with an arch, it will prevent confusion and superabundance, and produce an equally good effect to have up and down flags at the main only; and to hoist them, whips or halliards should be placed for the purpose, through the top-gallant studding-sail halliard blocks, and taken _outside_ the brace blocks.

The flying-jib halliards will hoist the foremost part of the arch, viz.: that which extends from the flying-boom-end to the fore-top-gallant mast-head. To the mizen-top-gallant mast-head it must be hoisted by a whip placed for the purpose, and hauled out to the gaff-end by a whip.

From the gaff-end the flags composing the arch drop to the water, being stopped out to the boom-end, and distended under it, as well as under the flying-boom, by small hand-leads: there ought also to be downhauls on the arch; also whips with downhauls between top-gallant mast-heads. Care and taste are necessary in sorting and placing the flags. The ensigns should be in corresponding places--for instance at the lower yard-arms. The square flags should all be together; also cornets, pendants, &c., or else a square flag and cornet alternately, and so on.

Bad feeling is sometimes occasioned, when foreign ships-of-war are assembled, by placing national colors injudiciously, in dressing ship. This ought to be studiously avoided. This fact has given rise to the practice, on “gala days,” of hoisting nothing but the national flags at each mast-head, or, if in honor of another nation, the flag of that nation at the fore.

One principal beauty, however, of the manœuvre in question, is to have everything so prepared and foreseen, that immediately the yards are crossed, and decently squared, and the mast-head flags broke, all the others may be triced up so as to find their places readily and without confusion, hands previously prepared, laying-out together at the same time to each yard-arm, stopping the up and down flag-halliards there: and then at the “word,” laying-in _together_.

At sunset, the best way, perhaps, is to haul the flags down just before sending down the top-gallant yards.

=424.=--KEEPING THE COPPER CLEAN.

The good or bad condition of the copper on a ship’s bottom above the water line, has a wonderful effect upon her appearance. If daubed over with blacking, or otherwise neglected, when possible to attend to it, a slovenly appearance is communicated to the outside look which a ship of war ought to be exempt from.

One way of managing is to scrub off all spots, and rub it occasionally with an oily cloth, when there is leisure; and if this is constantly attended to, perhaps it is the best and simplest plan, although I have heard yachts find river mud better.

Another way is to paint it with red ochre and oil, mixed to the color of new copper. When well and effectually done, this will preserve a good appearance for a long time; but the finest and calmest weather must be taken advantage of to lay it on, as the least ripple will wash all off in its way when wet.

To clean the copper under the water line, seize on to a handy spar of sufficient length, half-a-dozen strong, coarse deck clamps, and apply them against the ship’s bottom from a stage, if it can be got; if not, from the largest boat, previously keeling the ship, by running the guns in on one side, and out on the other. The copper of a small vessel may be completely cleaned in this way.

If the copper on the trysail mast, and fore and main-masts of brigs and schooners be attended to and kept clean, it tends very much to the appearance of the vessel. The most common obstacle to this is grease, which generates verdigris excessively, but may be easily prevented by attention.

=425.=--FURLING FROM A BOWLINE.

The stress of the work here being on the bunt-lines and clew-ropes, but few hands are required on the topsail clew-lines.

WORDS OF COMMAND.

Call--“All hands furl sails.”

Man the bunt-lines and clew-lines (including the clew-ropes and head downhauls).

“Aloft, top-men;”--stand by to furl sails.

“Aloft, lower yard-men;”--haul taut--shorten sail--lay-out.

Furl-away, gather up, and pass the gaskets;--lay in off the yards;--stand by the booms. Down booms--rig them out to the mark;--square the heels. Square yards, stopping up gear at the same time. When the yards are squared by the braces, the boatswain ought to hurry ahead, to square them by the lifts. At the same time haul taut the bow-lines, jib and staysail-halliards, and see all the clew-lines close up.

When the yards are squared by the lifts, haul taut topsail and top-gallant sheets, and reef-tackles, as well as all other slack ropes, (heels of the studding-sail square, &c. &c.)

_Note._--The topsail and top-gallant sheets and reef-tackles ought
not previously to be hauled taut, because they then interfere with
squaring the yards by the lifts.

_Remarks._--The tacks and sheets are generally kept unrove in
harbor, and the courses hauled up by the clew-ropes one bunt-line
and leech-line of a side; the topsails by the bunt-lines only, led
through a lizard at the clews, or clew jiggers. The hauling down of
the headsails is much facilitated by having the halliards racked
and overhauled at the mast-head, and a hand there ready to cut the
racking, when the word is given to shorten sail.

=426.=--HIGH AND LOW BUNTS.

Low, or rolling bunts, require bunt-gaskets, and are tedious in stowing and securing snug--high, or French bunts, require no gaskets, but secure to the topsail-tye by a becket and stopped. Being larger, and more open abaft, the slack sail is more easily stowed in them than in low bunts; neither is any time or labor lost about bunt-gaskets, a circumstance not to be overlooked, in competing with other vessels.

The look is a matter of taste; in general, however, topsail-yards are thought neatest, with first or second-reefed earings hauled partly out, but neither reef-points tied, nor bunt-gaskets on; the bunt described is a French bunt, being secured to the tye by a midship-becket in the first reef band, and the sail furled in the skin of the first reef and back-cloths.

_Note._--The proper place for the furling-glutt, is two-thirds of the
depth of first reef.

=427.=--TO CLEAR MAST-HEADS.

Clear mast-heads form a distinguishing mark of a ship-of-war. To make them so, the eyes of the rigging ought to be carefully placed, boused down a-midships by the mast, and beat down at the mast-head with a commander, and the shrouds set up in their places with care. The eyes of the stays, and the slings of the lower yards, ought also to be sent down over all, and nothing more should be on the lower mast-heads, observable to the eye.

Over topmast-heads the ginn-blocks ought to go first, with a span lashing to the pendants, so as to take them close up to the trestle-trees; rigging and stays, same as lower mast-heads--standing parts of ties, through a score in the heel of topgallant-mast, inside of the trestle-trees, and taken abaft the mast-head and lashed together close down on top of the stays. It would be well to put a quarter-seizing on each side, around both stay and tye. This does away with the not uncommon, but slovenly practice, of hitching the standing part of the topsail-tye over the rigging, and expending the end, by heaping it up with five or six turns half-way to the cap.

Opinions are divided as to whether mast-heads painted white, or black, look the best. This is a matter of taste; but it is a matter of certainty, that black shades and conceals, while white tends to display, what a seaman is proud of, the neatness and good order of his rigging, which should not be concealed by a white canvass mast-coat.

The neatest mast-heads I ever saw were painted white, with the upper half of the top-rims and lower-half of the caps of the same color; the lower half of the top rims, and the upper half of the caps, being black; thus the large space of white was terminated and relieved above and below, by a neat, small, but distinct line of black. The topmast cross-trees, topmast-heads, and lower halves of topmast-caps were also white; upper half of caps black. Topmasts scraped close up to the cross-trees, the eyes of the topgallant and royal rigging covered with canvass, in place of service, and painted black--no paint above topmast-head caps, nor outside of the bowsprit-cap. With clear mast-heads, ought to be combined neat tops, wherein the ropes are flemished, and kept low and snug.

=428.=--PLACING BELAYING-CLEATS IN TOPS.

If the belaying-cleats for studding-sail tacks and halliards, topgallant and royal lifts, and royal sheets, are placed on the cross-pieces, or carlines of tops, and not on the shrouds or mast-heads, the rigging there will look much neater.

=429.=--MAKING SWABS.

Old rope, called junk, is unlaid into yarns. Make a grommet with a good strand; then take some of the yarns of the junk, take the twist or lay well out, and middle them in the grommet, and continue to fill up (to the size required), close to the grommet; clap on a good seizing of spun-yarn, and then, if wished, _snake it_; sometimes the handle, or grommet, is made by splicing both ends together, the splice laying in the head of the swab. In making the grommet, the ends of the strands should not be cut off, but seized-in with the rest of the swab.

=430.=--STOWAGE OF SWABS.

Swabs in the head are an eye-sore; attention should be directed to the contrivance of some other stow-hole for them, to which they should be rigorously confined, except when in use.

=431.=--JUNK.

Junk is supplied for the purpose of working up into various uses--such as into swabs, spun-yarn, knittle-stuff, lacings, seizings, earings, gaskets, &c., &c.,--all of which the supply in proper kind is generally inadequate. Good junk is got out of such materials as condemned cables--they having been necessarily made of the best stuff, and condemned before being much injured. Old messengers, old rigging, &c., make bad junk, not being condemned generally until much worn.

Of the worst junk swabs and spun-yarn should be made; of the best, knittle and seizing-stuff, lacings, earings, &c. The seizing-stuff is intended for blocks, ratlines, &c.; the knittle stuff for making mats, as well as lacings and earings, for studding-sails, boats’ sails, &c., and the spun-yarn for fitting and refitting. A surplus stock of all these ought constantly to be at hand, in store, for the purpose of refitting or replacing anything that may happen to be carried away, without loss of time. In order to effect this, the watch on deck, or part of them, ought to be constantly at work about the junk, when circumstances permit, drawing, knotting, and balling of yarns, and assisting the ropemaker in laying up the above mentioned small stuff, either till the junk is exhausted, or till there is an ample stock on hand.

Large junk, such as lengths of cables, should be unlaid before being put below, that it may admit of being snugly stowed.

=432.=--MAKING MATS, AND CHAFING GEAR.

The breadth of mats for lanyards of rigging, is determined by the size of the dead-eye, which the mat ought nearly to cover; the length by the distance from the upper to the lower dead-eye. For lacing, small beckets should be worked in each corner and side. The mats on the foremost swifters of the lower rigging and backstays, should be longer than the others, on account of the foot and clew of the courses, when reefed and hauled aft, grinding against them high up; or shifting mats for that especial purpose should be kept, to put on at sea and take off in harbor. Thrum-mats are required for the paunch of lower topsail and topgallant yards, to prevent chafing. Those that follow are only required at sea; so that for neatness and economy, they may always be taken off when going into harbor.

To take the chafe off the rigging, when the lower yards are braced up, a large square hanging mat is required, thrummed on each side of the futtock-shrouds. This has a lanyard in each corner, and is clapped on thereby, with the upper half on the foremost futtock-shrouds, the lower half on the foremost swifters; the middle part being in a line with the catharpens.

On each side of the bunts of the courses, before all, a thrum-mat is requisite, to prevent the head of the sail chafing against the stay where they come in contact, when the yards are braced up. A breeches-mat is also required on the stay itself, for the same purpose. Small, square, neat mats, in the way of leech-lines, on each side, are also necessary, to prevent chafing.

To prevent the topsail yards, when braced up, from chafing the foremost shrouds of the topmast rigging, a quarter mat abaft the yards on each side, is required.

A thrum-mat is necessary on the horn of each foremast cross-tree, to prevent their wearing holes in the topgallant sails.

For the backstays, in the wake of the lower yards, when braced up, mats or platting, or some such substitute, is necessary as a protection. Merchant vessels use _Scotsmen_ [slips of wood so called]; but for ships of war, I think leather, snugly stitched and kept on in harbor, as well as at sea, is the best.

In a brig, the boom-mainsail will sometimes have a hole fretted in it, by chafing against the quarter boat’s stanchions, or the belaying cleats there; these ought therefore to be protected by mats.

=433.=--GASKETS.

There is a great risk of gaskets marking and spoiling the looks of the sails, if not thoroughly dried before being used.

The number of sea-gaskets must depend upon the size of the ship; the smallest, however, such as a schooner or brig, requiring four for each side of lower yards, and the same for topsail yards. For topgallant and royal yards, half the number is enough; for boom mainsail, six; for jib and flying-jib, five each.

Harbor-gaskets answer best with one end tapered and the other worked with an eye. By reeving and unreeving the tapered end through the eye, and round the jackstay, they are then easily put on or taken off. Their length ought to be sufficient for a round turn round the sail and yard, with enough of end to tack in and secure between the sail and round turn abaft, or rather, on upper quarter abaft. Their breadth is a matter of fancy, but broad ones are generally preferred. They should be carefully placed upon the yards, as nearly as possible, at equal distances.

_Note._--If any long gaskets are used, half the number is sufficient.

=434.=--SCRAPING AND GREASING MASTS.

When the blacking of the rigging is dry, the masts ought to be scraped and cleaned, then greased. For the men to stand upon when scraping the lower masts, rig triangles of capstan bars, with whips to the mast-heads; for hoisting and lowering, with the topmasts, handspikes answer instead of capstan bars, and the royal and topgallant masts may be managed from a bowline in the end of a girt-line, or a span from shroud to shroud.

To prevent spotting the deck, the deck-cloths ought to be spread, and some hands kept constantly sweeping up the shavings.

The topgallant and royal yard-arms should not be neglected. The studding-sail booms, except when new, ought to have the least possible shaving taken off them by a carpenter, and then varnished. This does not injure them more than scraping, and keeps them infinitely smoother.

Before laying on the grease, the captains of the tops, &c., should report that everything is scraped and ready, and the boatswain should examine.

_Note._--It is customary in some ships first to scrape masts, then
tar down the rigging, and lastly paint; but there is objections to
this, as the men are liable to daub the masts when tarring down, and
they would have to be done over again.

Studding-sail booms should never be greased, as they are liable to
daub the sail.

=435.=--MANNING YARDS.

If previously aware that the yards are to be manned in the course of the day, clap on life-lines instantly; the topgallant and royal yards are crossed in the morning, the hands laying out and in together; then square yards.

Fewer men being required for manning yards than furling sails, those required for the former may be easily sized and _selected_ from among the latter, keeping them always on their respective yards--the tallest outside.

The yard-arm men extend their outside arms straight, holding on by the studding-sail halliards, whilst they clap their inner arms over the life-lines, holding it fast under the arm-pit; the next man in the same way extends his outer arm, and grapples the shoulder of the yard-arm man; then passes his inner arm over the life-line, clasping it under his arm-pit, and so on to the bunt.

The appearance of the boat, at whatever distance it may be, is the customary signal for manning yards; yet it would be at times a preferable rule to endeavor to judge of the distance, and act so that the men may not be more than ten minutes or a quarter of an hour aloft.

The men on the yards ought to face the boat; that is, when the boat is abaft the beam, they ought to face aft; when before the beam, forward: but in a ship, when the commodore[36] ascends the side, the hand on the cross-jack and mizen-topsail yards ought to face forward--all others as before, aft.

[36] Or the personage whom it is intended to honor.

=436.=--MAN ROPES--(SIDE).

If side or man-ropes be covered with canvass or baize, the stitches should be taken through the strands of the rope, to prevent the covering getting out of its place, and puckering; and to take the chafe or nip in the wake of the eye-bolt, through which they reeve, a small bit of leather should be neatly stitched on.

The handsomest and most durable man-ropes are those entirely pointed over with neat, small line. The job is a tedious one, but worth the expense and trouble.

=437.=--SPARE DEAD-EYES.

A good plan for spare dead-eyes of rigging is to have them in two pieces, and with small bolts fixing them together, so that in the event of carrying one away, it can be easily replaced, without having to take chain, plate and all to a smiths’ shop.

=438.=--HIDE ROPE.

Where there is much and continued friction, or a short nip, hide rope is found to have great advantage over hemp; some say thirty per cent. Thus it is good for wheel-ropes, whip for hatchway, topsail-ties, trusses, topgallant and royal sheets and yard ropes, parrels, jib-pendants, lacings, reef-pendants and lashing, studding-sail tacks and halliards.

For preservation above deck, hide rope should have a coating of two parts of grease and one of tar; below deck, a coat of neats’ foot oil. When not wanted, such as wheel-ropes in harbor, it should be kept under cover.

_Note._--Hide rope is now allowed by regulation for tailing all
sheets, also for ties, truss, pendants, &c., &c. (_See rigging
table._)

=439.=--HAWSE-HOLE WINDSAIL.

A windsail to carry the great draught of the hawse-holes down into the holds, &c., is a very useful thing, though not common.

=440.=--FIGHTING-LADDERS.

Some ships have fighting ladders of rope always set up, ready, and the wooden ones for common use placed against them.

_Note._--Iron Jacob’s-ladders fitted amidships in hatchways are very
useful in the morning when washing decks, or at quarters, when the
wooden ladders are unshipped.

=441.=--HAWSE BUCKLERS.

Bucklers are of two sorts; half-bucklers, shipped when the cables are bent, and blind-bucklers when they are unbent. The object of the first is to prevent shipping water through the hawse-holes, while the cables are bent, and are put on, after filling with shakings the hawse-hole through which the cable runs; they are secured by upright, iron bars, slipping on and off upon grooves above and below.

Blind-bucklers are put on after a plug (called hawse-plug, of the size of the hawse-hole) has been thrust in. They are secured the same way as the half-bucklers.

When the cables are ordered to be clear for running, the half-bucklers should be unshipped.

_Note._--Half-bucklers are made with a score to fit the cable.

=442.=--MAKING FAST A WARP TO A VESSEL.

The best place for making a warp fast to, is the bitts, after passing through the spare hawse-hole: _there_ it will not interfere with the side or paint work; is perfectly clear, quite secure, and ready to let go in an instant. If made fast to the cables, which is next best, it is more difficult to let go.

=443.=--FITTING QUARTER BOATS’ GRIPES.

Boats’ gripes are made with spun-yarn or small rope, as a sword-mat: one end is secured round the davit-head, the other, when the boat is up, passed under her bottom, and secured in the _chains_ with a lashing.

=444.=--FITTING GIGS’ SLINGS.

Gigs’ slings are made as sword mats. When sufficient is made to take the boat’s bottom and clear the gunwales, the spun-yarn, or rope between each part, is fitted as a stopper or selvagee, parceled and served over, and a thimble seized in the bight, which the tackles hook to. The stretches, made of wood, are put between both parts of the slings, long enough to keep them two or three inches off the gunwale.

For the span, measure the length from the after ring-bolts to the slings; when in their place, leave six inches for splicing, and cut the rope; measure from the after-slings to the fore ones, leaving about six inches and cut; measure from the fore-slings to the ring-bolt in the stern and cut; splice a hook and thimble in the ends, the other ends splice together, forming two cut splices, large enough to go over the thimbles in the slings, and seize them in their place.

_Note._--Some prefer artificial eyes worked in the ends of the
slings, to go over the end of the stretcher; this is not so safe.

=445.=--SCRUBBING A BOAT’S BOTTOM, ON LEAVING HARBOR.

It frequently happens in preparing for sea, a large boat’s bottom, such as a launch, or any other boom boat, requires cleaning, and there happens to be no place at hand to haul her up on shore, in preference to hoisting her up and doing it aboard, and causing a great _muss_ on deck; hoist her out of the water by the cat, and another tackle to the bowsprit, and scrub her bottom from another boat (or catamaran).

=446.=--CARRYING LIGHT BOATS ON LAND.

The best way to cary a boat, is to upset her, and let the men, with their jackets on their shoulders, (or some such protection against the sharp pressure of the gunwale,) stand under and take the gunwales on each side on their shoulders; some hands may also be advantageously placed in amidships under the thwarts.

=447.=--MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON WORKING BOATS.

If a boat be crank, or if it be wished in working to windward to accelerate speed, all hands should sit down in the bottom of the boat. If in haste, working to windward, pull the weather oars.

A boat with only one sail, such as a lug, should never attempt beating to windward, except when necessary to give the crew a spell.

Let no one ever sit on the gunwale, but accustom the crew to sit in their places, and to make and shorten sail without stirring from their seats. Besides the due execution of this manœuvre, the safety of the boat is much implicated in the degree of attention paid to this rule.

In taking in a lug sail, lower the halliards and haul down on the weather-leach.

_Note._--Keep boats out of the water as much as possible.

=448.=--DUTIES OF BOATS’ CREWS.

Nothing sooner indicates the order and discipline of a vessel of war, than the clean state and efficient condition of the boats, together with the personal appearance of their crews. In this particular, sufficient care is not always observed in the service; in well regulated ships, the coxswains are compelled to report to the senior lieutenant the state of their respective boats, and in the morning to ascertain from the officer of the boat, the manner he may require the crews to be dressed for the day &c., &c.

=449.=--BOATS GOING ON DISTANT SERVICE.

Memoranda of articles required for distant service--viz.: spyglass, compass, pencil and paper, chart, watch, lead and line, tinder-box, grapnel and rope, stern-fast, hammer, nails, spike for guns, spare rope, (size of boat’s gear,) spare tiller, spare oars, blue-lights, lanterns and candles, casks or kegs for water, arm-chest, flints, turn-screw, towing-nets, pea-coats, muffling for oars, fishing-lines, iron pot, fuel, each man a knife, an axe, a maul, a crowbar, needles, twine, colors, rations for the boat’s crew at discretion.

=450.=--BOATS UNDER SAIL.

Care should be taken that the halliards be coiled up clear for running, that the sheets be not belayed, and that the crew, in shortening sail to a squall, do not shift their seats, or, as is too common a custom, stand upon the thwarts to gather in the shaking sail; in lowering a lug, or lateen sail, haul down alone on the luff, (the fore-leech;) the after one better be left untouched.

Coxswains should also be cautioned of the danger of letting go the helm. This is often inadvertently done wrong--sometimes to secure the heel of the bumkin, or to get a pull of the main or mizen-sheet. By this thoughtless practice, boats are liable to fly up in the wind, the sails to be taken aback, be difficult to lower, and eventually to cant over and capsize to windward.

=451.=--GIVING A ROPE TO A BOAT.

When a boat from a lee-tide, or running-sea, requires from the ship the aid of a rope, care must be taken that the tow-line be passed as far forward as possible. The position of the fore-channels is too far aft, and causes too short a scope. The tow-line should be passed from the cat-head, with a slip-rope to the crown of the spare or sheet-anchor, which, if slacked when the bowman secures the tow-line, the boat will ride with a good scope, and with comparative ease.

_Caution._--The tow-line should never be made fast to the ring in
the bow of the boat; it should be passed through the ring by way of
a fair-leader, and eventually secured to the bottom of the boat or
thwart.

_Mooring boats._--Boats are best moored at the guess-swarp-boom. In
this position they ride under the eye of the officer of the deck, and
are less liable to be damaged than when secured alongside, or moored
astern.

Boat-keepers, unless especially called to assist in the execution of
urgent or heavy service, should never be permitted to leave their
boats.

=452.=--CROSSING A BAR WITH SURF, IN BOATS.

As a boat will not rise over surf as over an unbroken wave, but on the contrary, the surf boils over and into the boat, the less surface there is presented, and the higher it is out of the water, the better. For this reason a boat ought to be kept stem on, or right before it, when the heaviest waves approach, waiting till they are past, to pursue her way edgeways across the bar.

_Stem on_ is the safest, the smallest surface and the strongest and highest part of the boat being in that way presented to the surf, while the rudder and oars possess sufficient power to maintain the position assumed. Right before it has the disadvantage of lowness of stern, which makes pooping more likely than taking water over the bows--protracted exposure to the wave, (for you must go along with it,) and the tendency to gripe and broach-to, which from the rudder being lifted and left out of the water, and rendered useless as soon as the broken wave passes it, is often irresistible and fatal, and can only be counteracted by the skill and steadiness of the crew, in steering the boat by their oars until the rudder comes again into play. If a boat broaches-to in these circumstances, she will most likely fill, and instantly upset, in which case, I believe the best plan is to cling to the boat (or some of her gear), and endeavor to right her again, if possible.

=453.=--HAULING UP BOATS.

A gig’s crew may haul up their boat, but for all other boats, it requires at least double the number of their crews, assisted by rollers and tackles.

A line-of-battle-ship’s launch may be hauled up by five-and-forty hands, in the following manner: run her bow on to the beach, and let a few hands on each quarter keep her in that position, by setting their oars against the ground; next sweep her with a hawser, and guy it up at the stern to a proper height by several turns of the painter; to this hawser hook on the double block of a long tackle, the other end, or single block being overhauled to a proper length, and made fast as most convenient.

Pass the bight of another hawser round the stern post, and having guyed it up on each side to the main thwart, there hook on, on each side, a quarter tackle also, overhauled to a proper length, and hooked on at the other end, as most convenient; man these with the remaining hands: then having placed rollers in succession to take the boat’s fore-foot and keel, proceed to haul away. When up, the loose thwarts set against the ground and wash streak will keep her upright. Smaller boats do not require quarter tackles; a few hands on the quarters to keep them upright, answer the purpose. Heavy boats especially should not be turned bottom up, it strains them so much. The loose thwarts might be placed for the rollers to roll on, if the ground is soft.

=454.=--LOWERING BOATS.

On lowering boats from the quarter or stern, care must be taken that the moment the boat touches the water, the _after_ tackles be quickly unhooked from the slings or ring bolts. If in a tide’s way the precaution be not observed, the probability is, the boat will immediately fill, and the men in the boat be exposed to imminent peril.

=455.=--TURNING UP THE HANDS.

In calling up the hands, or calling the crew to the performance of their duties, the boatswain too often indulges in piercing pipes, and drawling tones of superfluous length. Boatswains have a singular propensity to demonstrate the soundness of their lungs, by an endless protraction of a note on their piercing pipes. They should not be so fond of supplying the place of sea birds. This is not the worst feature in their taste; for when at last they utter the required summons, they give it forth in tones so drawling, that the first words are often forgotten before the last are out.

_Note._--A-l-l h-a-n-d-s a-b-o-u-t-s-h-i-p.--This lengthy summons,
and a longer-winded whistle, and each pipe and phrase three times
repeated by the boatswain and his mates, the ship may be ashore
before the leader of the band is convinced how _dearly he has paid
for his whistle_.

=456.=--INSPECTION OF RIGGING--MORNING AND EVENING.

In the morning the boatswain will be required to inspect as early as possible the state and condition of the standing and running rigging, and to report the result of his examination to the officer of the morning watch. He should be particularly careful to see that the ratlines of the rigging are properly secure; that the topsail sheet service is not chafed, and that all the quarter and paunch mats are properly placed.

_Evening._--The boatswain should inspect at evening quarters all the
rigging, stoppers and necessary gear required upon the occasion of
clearing for action; so that in the event of being surprised by an
enemy at night, such gear may be placed at hand for immediate use.
He should also see that the toggles fitted to the lower and topsail
braces, be securely seized to their respective parts.

=457.=--INSPECTION OF STOWED ANCHORS--(AT SEA)

In boisterous weather, and particularly if the ship be laboring or lurching heavily, the boatswain should inspect the several anchors, and see that they are securely stowed. In small vessels, where anchors, in a heavy sea, are constantly buried under water, it is necessary to take the precaution of passing preventer stocks and shank lashings. The quarter boats should also be inspected, and the boatswain should report to the officer of the watch the result of such inspection.

=458.=--INSPECTION OF BOATS--(AT SEA).

Every evening after sunset, the boatswain will be required to inspect the boats on the booms, to see that they be perfectly clear, and that their sling-spans be severally hooked for hoisting out. In tropical climates it is strongly recommended to uncover the boats after the sun has set, in order that they may benefit by the dew and air. Each cover should be made up and placed in the bow of the boat.

=459.=--GAMMONING THE BOWSPRIT.

The better way to gammon the bowsprit in a large ship, is to get a caulker’s stage under the bows, fore and aft, under the bowsprit; secure one end snug to the stern, then get a stout tackle from the extreme end of the bowsprit; overhaul down and sling the outer end of the stage; hook on your tackle to the slings, lead your fall down on the stage; send the men down, and bouse well taut, so as to get the weight of the stage as much as possible on the bowsprit. Now your stage being secured, you can proceed to gammon your bowsprit.

Get two stout luff-tackles on the stage and voil block; then get a span around the inner end of the stage to hook your voil block to; having your voil hooked, clinch your gammoning round your bowsprit with a running clinch or a running eye; jam your turn well round the bowsprit, then reeve down through the gammoning hole up over the bowsprit, then pass your end down through the scuttle on to the stage; reeve it through the voil blocks on the stage; clap on your luffs, and bouse away, leading your fall fore and aft the stage.

_Note._--Leading your fall in this way has a tendency to lift up
the inner end of the stage, and of course your pulling down, and
the weight of the stage on the gammoning, must certainly bring the
bowsprit snug down in its bed, and set your gammoning up very taut.
Having got your first turn taut, rack it well; pass another, and so
on until you fill up your gammoning hole, jamming your last turn
under all parts of the gammoning on the opposite side of the bowsprit
from the way you have passed your gammoning.

When you are setting up your gammoning, two men ought to attend with
commanders, to beat it solid round the bowsprit.

When they are setting up, some people use a great deal of tar and
slush on gammoning, but the less the better. A piece of good leather
under your gammoning is much better than tarred parceling; and when
your gammoning is passed, turn your leather over aft and nail it
down to the bowsprit. Your gammoning ought to be strapped with large
strands in the room of rope, it being much softer and better to the
gammoning, and all well covered to protect it from the weather. If
you use parceling, let it be dry and new, with a coat of tar over all
when completed.

=460.=--PRECAUTION IN REEVING RUNNING-RIGGING.

In reeving running-rigging, the boatswain is recommended not to cut and reeve, but on the contrary, to reeve and cut.

However correct the rigging list may appear, there will be always found a difference of a few fathoms in rope; and it so happens that the difference is _invariably_ on the wrong side, the allowance being said to be shorter than the measurement per rope.

_Note._--It were much to be desired that the running-rigging,
previous to reeving, should be stretched to the capstan. The old
practice of taking the end through the coil will in some measure
relieve the rope of many of its kinks, but taking the mere turns
out of a rope is not sufficient to facilitate its run through the
blocks. Such ropes as topsail-sheets, topgallant-sheets and braces,
and jib and staysail-halliards, should be all stretched before they
are rove in their respective blocks. Moreover, if there be any time
more than another that a vessel will require her ropes to run freely,
it is upon the occasion of her first leaving port, with a green and
undisciplined crew.

=461.=--TOPSAIL TYES.

Topsail tyes are now rove in some ships sufficiently long to send the yards down with, and when not wanted for that purpose, the surplus ends pertaining to the standing parts secured to the mast-head.

In some ships a strop and thimble are fitted under the rigging, or a score cut in the heel of the topgallant-mast for the purpose of reeving through the standing part of the tye, which is secured breeching-fashion with two strong seizings, and then stopped down the topmast rigging.

In shifting yards, this method will be found to save much time and trouble; the surplus end will also answer to sling the topsail-yard with, when going into action.

=462.=--PRECAUTION IN BLACKING THE RIGGING.

In blacking the rigging, the first precaution that should be taken by the boatswain, is to cover with old canvass, or hammocks, the lower mast-heads, and particularly the caps. The blacking should be put on hot. Thin tar, with a certain portion of lamp-black, hot salt-water, whisky, and a little litharge mixed together, make an admirable mixture for blacking the rigging.

It is not recommended to blacken the royal and topgallant rigging aloft; this rigging may be previously blackened and triced up to dry.

=463.=--FORE AND MAIN BUNTLINES.

The buntlines of the courses are frequently found to jam aloft, and when rove on the bight, and led forward, constantly to become cable-laid. Buntlines will be found to lead fairer, and to haul the sails higher up, by fitting them after the following method.

In the fore part of the top between the trestle-trees, cut two holes; into these holes insert leaden pipes, backstay-fall fashion; hook to the foremost bolt, on each side of the lower cap, a block, through which each buntline-leg is to be rove; take each through the holes cut in the top, and pass them down before all, and toggle them to the foot of the sail, the hauling part to lead aft through the lubber’s hole, and a block turned in at a proper distance, to allow the after leg to act the part of a pendant.

Through this block a whip purchase is rove; by this method the buntlines will be always kept clear, and they will be found, on letting go the whips, to overhaul themselves. In port, when the ship is moored, the buntline-blocks, with the ropes rove, may be unhooked from the bolts in the cap, and placed in the top, immediately over the holes through which the foremost legs are rove in, and can be hooked in a moment, when wanted.

=464.=--TOPGALLANT MAST ROPES.

For expedition the mast-rope rove upon the bight, with lizards taken through the royal sheave, must be preferred to the old method of fidding masts, by the double operation of two mast ropes, namely the long and the short. If delay is desired, or in other words, people prefer going the longest way to work, the short mast-rope must be put in requisition. The mast rope, however, rove upon the bight with lizards, is better calculated for harbor practice than for sea service. The mast rope which is here recommended is applicable to every purpose, may be fitted as follows: The rope is rove as usual, stopped to the topgallant mast-head, and royal sheave-hole, leaving a long end over the upper stop to hitch to the bolt in the cap before cutting the stops.

To prevent the ropes from slipping, rack both parts together above the sheave-hole in the heel of the mast.

=465.=--FUTTOCK SHROUDS.

In all vessels of war, futtock shrouds are too long. Ships whose lower yards are slung high, and braced sharply up, have their futtock shrouds considerably shorter than the established length.

=466.=--TOPS AND HALF TOPS.

Many seamen affect to disapprove of half tops, asserting that two halves can never be so well secured as the whole. This is mere prejudice; for practical purposes a half top must be always preferred, especially in large ships.

=467.=--STRIKING OR HOUSING TOPMASTS.

The absence of forethought, or a little practical precaution on the part of the boatswain and petty officers, is sometimes the cause of this operation being one of no little labor. When the hands are turned up, strike topmasts. The lanyards of the after rigging, back-stays and topmast-rigging should be severally slacked, whilst the jib-stay, fore-topmast-staysail-halliards, topsail-halliards, topsail lifts, reef-tackles and topgallant-sheets ought to be well overhauled. Steady hands should be placed to attend the spring and standing-stays.

When blowing hard, head-to-wind, topmasts constantly bend in the cap, from the circumstance of letting go and overhauling too much of the stays.

Should there be any unusual strain on the top-tackle-pendants, it is well to “stand-fast” the falls for a few seconds, in order that the people aloft may examine the vicinity of the trestle-trees; and the mast may produce sufficient strain to carry away the top-tackle-falls, if not the pendants. This precaution is most particularly directed during periods of striking topmasts in the dark.

When the masts are struck, they should be kept on the right slue, and their heels securely lashed, in the event of the ship parting, or it becomes necessary to set close-reefed-topsails, with the mast down. The practice of sheep-shanking back-stays is not recommended; the back-stays may be set up through the medium of good luff-tackles, and by such means the mast may be rendered sufficiently secure to support the strain of a close-reefed-topsail.

=468.=--SWAYING UP TOPMASTS.

In performing this heavy operation, every care should be taken to overhaul well, and to see that such of the standing and running-rigging are perfectly clear, which are calculated to impede the ascent of the masts.

The topsail-lifts, topsail-tyes, reef-tackles, jib and staysail-halliards should be well overhauled below and aloft, and the lanyards of the topmast-rigging and back-stays be got ready for setting up, the moment the mast is fidded and stayed. The forecastle men should have luffs led along the bowsprit, and tackles up and down the foremast ready for staying the fore and main-topmasts. No topmast should be fidded by a single top-tackle-pendant. It is true that small vessels are not allowed a second pendant, but such ships should reeve a hawser through the dead sheave for the purpose of acting the part of a preventer, in the event of the top-tackle-fall parting. The same precaution should be taken with respect to the position of the cross-trees overhead as has been already mentioned under the head of rigging topmasts.

_Note._--Such ships should be prepared with stoppers, with two tails
and a toggle, so as to clap on the top-tackle-pendants about a foot
abaft, and under the top-block hooked to the cap.

Topmasts ascend comparatively easy until the fid-hole comes within
six inches of the trestle-trees; then a heavy strain is brought upon
the pendants, particularly upon the falls.

=469.=--UNMOORING.

It frequently occurs in unmooring vessels of war that the veering-cable is not sufficiently veered. In weighing the first anchor, a considerable strain has been felt at the capstan, in consequence of the ship not being permitted to bring the cable up and down. It is recommended to veer three or four fathoms after the cable is said to be up and down. This can do no harm; it will put the whole strain of the ship on the anchor; that is, in weighing, and thereby facilitate tripping it.

=470.=--REEF LINES TO THE TOPSAILS.

Few ships in the service are fitted with these lines. In some ships they are attached. In reefing topsails, when blowing fresh and particularly when steering a course, or going large, reef-lines assist materially to spill the sail and enable the men on the yards to get hold of the points, which are difficult to reach when the canvass is bellying to the breeze.

Reef-lines are thus fitted:--Take a piece of small rope, splice one end into an eyelet-hole in the head of the sail, seize it around the neck of one of the first reef-points, on the foreside of the sail, in a straight line with the eyelet-hole, leaving enough slack to prevent the sail girting; then seize it under to the second, then the third reef; splice an eye in the end and seize it to the neck of a close-reef point. In large ships there should be three reef-lines on each yard-arm; in small vessels two will be sufficient.

=471.=--REEFING COURSES.

To execute this service with security as well as with celerity, the reef-earings should be formed of rope sufficiently strong to bear being boused out by the boom-jiggers; by this method the inner turns of small rope may be passed with facility.

The outer earing should be led through a block or cheek, fitted for the purpose; this earing, it must be remembered, is not to be considered as a substitute for the reef-pendant; it should also be hooked and hauled out by a separate tackle. It is the general custom now, to fit all reef-earings on the bight, and pass on both ends.

=472.=-- TOPGALLANT-MASTS STRUCK.

When topgallant-masts are struck, care should be taken that a small mat be placed between the topmast and the heel of the topgallant-mast; proper heel lashings should also be fitted for the purpose of securing the latter.

=473.=--HAILING ALOFT.

Hailing aloft, in well regulated ships, is much repressed by the boatswain; for bluster is a general indication of but little work, or the truth of the adage, “_All noise and no work._”

=474.=--PROPORTIONS FOR CABLES--(_Hemp_).

The sheet and bower-cable, one inch in circumference for every two feet of beam. The stream-cable and messenger, two-thirds of the sheet or bower chain-cables, which are used for bowers; an allowance is made of one eighth of an inch for the diameter of the wire of the links, for every inch of circumference of the hemp-cables. The same rule applies in all cases where iron rigging is substituted for hemp.

_Note._--Cable-yarns are spun two-fifths longer than the cable for
which they are intended. The yarns for one hundred and twenty fathoms
of cable, must be two hundred fathoms long; for a shroud-laid rope
the yarns are one-third longer--_i. e._, ninety for sixty fathoms.
(_See table of cables._)

=475.=--PROPORTIONS FOR ANCHORS.

For the sheet and bower-anchors, take two-thirds the number of feet which the ship draws with all her stores, &c., on board, and add it to the breadth of beam, allowing one hundred-weight for every foot. The stream-anchor one third of the sheet or bower.

For ships smaller than frigates, an allowance of five hundred weight for every hundred tons burthen, should be made for sheet and bower-anchors.

In stocking an anchor, add together the length of the shank, and half the round of the ring, for the length of the stock. The stock is as many inches in thickness in the middle, as the shank is long in feet, and is tapered to half the size at the end. In puddening an anchor ring, cut the lengths three times the round of the ring.

_Note._--This anchor is for hemp-cables; if for chain-cables, the
length of shank may be reduced one fourth, but not in weight. (_See
allowance table._)

=476.=--WHAT LENGTH IS NECESSARY TO FORM A CLINCH.

In bending cables, the length of rope necessary to form a clinch, is equal to the length of the shank of the anchor.

=477.=--REFERENCES TO SKETCH OF TEMPORARY RUDDER.

A. A piece of oak fitted with iron pintles, before launching or while in dock, and supplied to the ship when going to sea;

B. A piece for the back, and provided for the same;

C. A spare topmast, cut off clear of the sheave-hole; a jib-boom might do, of the _new regulation_.

D. Iron bolts;

E. Chocks;

F. Iron-pig ballast (if necessary);

G. Eye-bolt in quarter-deck beam, to be put in when required;

H. Rope-guys (through the heel-chock E), to assist in hanging the rudder. (_See sketch of temporary rudder._)

=478.=--TO SPLICE AN OLD CABLE TO A NEW ONE.

Take the old one to a rope-walk, unlay the strands, and splice them to the strands of the new one with long splices, after which lay up the latter. It can be done in another way, but it requires a good and neat _marlingspike-sailor_ to do it.

=479.=--STRIP SHIP

Begin aloft, and go down regularly, sending down by a reverse operation. Commence with the topgallant and royal-rigging, and rig in the flying-jib-boom: next send down topsail and lower yards, topmast-caps; unrig the topmasts, get in the jib-boom and spritsail-yards; get off lower caps, tops and rigging; unrig the bowsprit, and unrig all gaffs, booms and davits.

_Note._--Tally and strop-up rigging as fast as unrove and sent down.

=480.=--PROPORTIONS OF SPARS FOR MERCHANT SHIPS, LENGTH OF SPARS, &c., &c.

Main-mast equal to two-and-a-half times the ship’s beam.

Fore-mast equal to eight-ninths the main-mast.

Mizen-mast equal to five-sixths of the main-mast.

Bowsprit two-thirds of the main-mast, one-third of which ought to be in-board.

Main-topmast three-fifths of the main-mast.

Main-topgallant-mast one-half of the main-topmast, exclusive of the pole, which is generally one-half the length of the top-gallant-mast or a little longer.

Fore-topmast three-fifths of the foremast.

Fore-topgallant-mast one-half the length of the fore-topmast, exclusive of the pole, which is half the length of the topgallant mast.

Mizen-topmast three-fifths of the mizen-mast.

Mizen-topgallant-mast one-half the length of the mizen-topmast, and the pole one half the length of the topgallant-mast.

Jib-boom the length of the bowsprit, two-thirds of which length is rigged without the bowsprit-cap.

Main-yard twice the ship’s extreme breadth.

Main-topsail-yard two-thirds of main-yard.

Main-topgallant-yard two-thirds of main-topsail-yard.

Fore-yard seven-eighths of main-yard.

Fore-topsail-yard two-thirds of fore-yard.

Fore-topgallant-yard two-thirds of the fore-topsail-yard.

Royal-yards two-thirds the length of the respective topgallant yards.

Cross-jack-yard same length of main-topsail-yard.

Mizen-topsail-yards the same length of the main-topgallant-yard.

Mizen-topgallant-yard two-thirds of mizen-topsail-yard.

Spritsail-yards five-sixths of the fore-topsail-yard.

_Remark._--Some have the spritsail-yard the length of the
fore-topsail-yard, or nearly so; if it should be much shorter, the
jib-sheets will chafe against the spritsail-braces.

Spanker boom the length of the main-topsail-yard; it is however
made sometimes longer, and sometimes shorter, according to
fancy. Mizen-gaff two-thirds of the spanker-boom--liable to the
same variation. Topsail yard-arms to be long enough to haul out
close-reef-earing.

=481.=--THICKNESS OF SPARS--MASTS.

It has been customary to allow for every three feet of the main-mast’s length, one inch of the diameter in the partners; nine-tenths of an inch in diameter in the middle, between the partners and the extremity of the head, and two-thirds under the hounds, and all other masts in the same proportion; and with these proportions masts have been usually made: I am however of opinion that one-quarter of an inch to the foot is much better.

=482.=--YARDS.

For every four feet of their length, allow one inch of diameter in the slings, and half that diameter within the squares at the yard-arm.

=483.=--DISTANCE FOR PLACING LOWER MASTS, _in vessels of two masts_.

Foremasts one-seventh the length of spar-deck from forward. Main two and five-sevenths as far from the foremast.

_Note._--The above rule is not to be considered proper for all
vessels; their places must be governed by the form of the vessel.

=484.=--RULE FOR PLACING MASTS IN A SHIP.

Take the ship’s length from the after part of the stem to the fore part of the stern-post, and divide it into sevenths. Place the foremast one-seventh of this length from the stem, the main-mast three-sevenths from the fore-mast, the mizen and stern-post. This rule is for a full-built ship; it must therefore be varied when applied to vessels that are sharp, and the stem and stern posts of which rake; the foremast must accordingly be placed farther aft, the mizen-mast farther forward, and the distance between the masts proportionably regulated.

=485.=--RAISING SHEARS ON A WHARF.

The following sketch will show the plan of raising a pair of shears on _a dock, or wharf_, the shears being 91 feet in length, and 29 inches in diameter, and connected together at the top by heavy trestle-trees. They are used for masting ships, and raising heavy boilers of steam-vessels, &c.

=486.=--TO FIND THE TONNAGE OF A VESSEL, BY THE UNITED STATES’ MEASUREMENT.

The length is taken from the fore part of the main stern, to the after part of the stern-post. The beam is measured at the extreme breadth to the outside of the bends; three-fifths this beam is taken off the length, before the calculation is made. For a double-decked vessel, half the breadth of beam, is called the depth of hold, and for a single-deck it is the same, except that the hold is measured at the fore part of the hatchway, from the deck down to the ceiling alongside the keelson.

To proceed on in this calculation, after all the allowances have been made, the length must be multiplied by the breadth, and the product by the depth of the hold; then divide the last product by 95, and the quotient will give the tonnage required.

Formerly the British divided by 94, both for merchant vessels, and ships of war; but I have been informed they now divide by 100, which is the reason that they make our ships’ tonnage less than we do.

_Notes on the tonnage of a vessel._--The ship-carpenters’ tonnage in
Philadelphia differs from the United States’ measurement.

A rule staff is laid under the keel, projecting; a line is plumbed
from the upper part of the stern to the rule staff; the keel is
measured from its after part to the plumb line, and including the
rule staff, this is called the length of keel straight rabbit. The
beam is measured from skin to skin, on the inside; three-fifths of
the beam is taken off the keel straight rabbit, for the length, and
the calculation, in other respects, is the same as in the United
States’ measurement; so that the carpenters’ tonnage in Philadelphia
will be less, according to the rake of the stern-post, &c.

The dead rise of a vessel is found by having a staff half the beam
from skin to skin, at the extreme breadth, which staff is laid even
across on the ceiling of the fore part of the main hatchway. One
of the timber boards being taken up, a line is let fall from the
staff to the skin alongside the keelson, and what it measures is the
vessels dead rise; so that in order to know how sharp a vessel is, it
is customary to ask how much dead-rise she has.

=487.=--STEPPING AND RAKING LOWER MASTS.

Foremasts of all ships should be stepped plumb, or perpendicular, to a water-line. All mainmasts should rake one inch to every four feet above deck, and all mizen-masts should rake one inch to every three feet above deck. All bowsprits should be stepped in a direct line, drawn from the step of the mainmast to the lower part of the bowsprit bed; this line answers for the lower part of the bowsprit.

It has been the opinion of many sea-officers, that a mast, by raking, will aid a ship in sailing; but it has been satisfactorily proved, that it has the contrary effect: for instance, a ship that has her masts perpendicular only, has to bear them in two positions; the one on the step, and the other on the side of support; her yards hang free, brace easy, and bear no strain against them; whereas a ship with her masts raking, has to bear them in three positions--the one on the step, one on the side of support, and the other, which is very great, on the fore and aft stays; her yards also hang very heavy against the mast, which adds also to the fore support. This must cause a great check in the progressive movements in the ship. A sharp vessel or ship, with a lean harping, by raking her masts, frequently eases her in pitching, but never adds to her sailing, the wind having less power on her sails, and the principal reason why a ship’s main and mizen masts, should rake a little from her foremast is, that by separating the masts in this way, the wind has a better chance of effecting its full power on all the sails, and of striking that part of them, which otherwise would be of little or no advantage to the ship.

=488.=--MOORING.

It has been argued and proved, that if ships have room to lay at single anchor with chain-cables, they are more safe than when moored. The following example is given as an illustration.

Let A be moored with 75 fathoms S. E. and N. W. and B be at single anchor, with the same scope of chain; a gale commences from the S. W.; the strain on each of A’s cables is double the strain on B’s.

It blows harder, and B lets go her other bower, and veers 150 fathoms on the first, and 75 on the second cable. A also veers 150 fathoms on both cables, but B still keeps her advantage, the strain being only as 88 to 100; it is clear, therefore, that if either ship parts her cable, it must be A that will part first.

If A had her mooring swivel on, she could not veer with any advantage, as the strain on that part of the cable between the swivel and anchor must remain constant; for this reason, it is obvious that moorings should _not_ be laid down across the prevailing winds.

The above may be shown practically by stretching a small line between two points, and suspending a weight in the middle; see what weight it will bear, and afterwards try what the same line will bear vertically; the latter will be the ship at single anchor, the former the one moored.