Something about Ships and Shipping.The launch of a “first-rate” man-of-war is one of the finest sights in the world, as it exhibits the triumph of mechanical genius, and the wonderful perseverance of man. The building of such a ship is a work of great skill, labour, and assiduity, and no country possesses these qualities in greater proportion than Englishmen. It may be interesting to my young friends, were I to explain, in brief, the methods used in the construction of a ship, that when they see a mighty castle floating on the seas, such as the Duke of Wellington, carrying one hundred and thirty-one guns, they may know something about the means taken to produce such gigantic effects.In building large ships, a good ship-yard is essential. It must be a place to which the tide flows daily, and containing a good depth of water, with plenty of room, so that the ship, when launched, may not run a-ground. The most celebrated ship-yards for the building of men-of-war in England, are those of Chatham, Plymouth, Pembroke, and Portsmouth, and in these places the building of ships is performed on a very grand scale, and very large numbers of workmen are employed.ShippingThe first thing done in ship-building, is, what is called “laying down the stocks.” The stocks are large masses of timber, higher at one end than at the other, forming what is called an inclined plane, which is carried out into the water some distance, to allow the vessel to be so far immersed, before she leaves their support, as nearly to float her. The ship is supported in an upright position on the stocks or ways by strong pieces of timber, called the cradle, which can be just seen in the picture of the launch, jutting out under the stern of the ship. The cradle is not fixed to the stocks, but moves loosely upon them, and when the ship is to be launched, slides down the ways with the ship, and falls to pieces when she reaches the water.The first thing done when the stocks are built, is the laying down of that part of the ship called the keel. This is laid down in the middle of the stocks, and is supported by pieces of wood placed across the said stocks. On the top of the keel branch out, on each side, long, bent, square timbers, called the ribs, which, at the lower poop in the middle of the ship, form nearly a quarter of a circle on each side, and are afterwards carried nearly upright. Upon these timbers, when they cross the keel, is laid, in the same direction as the keel, another long square timber, called the kelson. The keel and kelson are fastened together, at every place where the floor timbers cross them, by iron bolts passed through all. That portion of the ribs which touches and crosses the keel is called the “floor timbers;” upon the kelson are the steps of the masts.The ribs are divided into several parts, which are called futtocks. To the ribs the planking is nailed, and boltedthrough them; after which the seams are caulked. This is done by forcing oakum, saturated in tar or pitch, into the spaces between the planks, when a good coat of tar is laid over the whole. That part of the ship which is always under water is covered with thin sheets of copper. This is done to prevent the attack of a destructive little animal called the wood-worm, which eats its way into and through the planks, making holes nearly an inch in diameter. These holes would, by admitting the water into the hold of the ship, soon sink her, as it is impossible to stop the ravages of these insects while the ship is at sea. The worm attacks every part that is below the water-line in such immense numbers, that every plank in the bottom of a vessel that has not the protection of copper has been found full of them on her arrival into port.The ribs of the ship are of a bent form. Of course no tree would be large enough to form them of one piece; they are, therefore, made in different lengths, each length being called a futtock; and they are distinguished as first, second, or third futtock, according to their position in the ship. These are joined together with great exactness: if not joined properly the vessel would soon tumble to pieces, for, when on a heavy sea, a ship is very much strained in various directions, and the creaking noise the timbers make is so dreadful, that inexperienced persons think the ship is going to pieces.A great deal also depends on the position in which these ribs are placed, not only for the purpose of containing her cargo, but to enable the ship to sail well. Now, if the broadest part be placed too near the stern or after-part of the vessel, which is towards you in the drawing of thelaunch, she will not pass through the water so swiftly as she would if it were nearer to her bow, or the fore-part of the ship.3 masted shipIn the after-part of the ship is the captain’s cabin; the poop is directly over it; and here is the quarter-deck; the middle of the upper deck is called the waist or gangway, and beyond that (forward) the fore-castle. These are all the divisions of the upper-deck, which is largest in the ship, and, in some of our great men-of-war, is three hundred feet long—the depth of hold being from fifty to sixty, and the breadth fifty-five feet.The next deck is the main-deck, and immediately under the captain’s cabin is the admiral’s state cabin. In the fore-part of the ship is the galley or cook’s room, and near to it the sick bay. These are the principal divisions of the main-deck. A portion of this deck, in front of the admiral’s cabin, is commonly called the half-deck.Under the admiral’s cabin is the ward-room, where the lieutenants and other commissioned officers mess. This is on the middle deck. In the after-part is the gun-room, where the mates, some of the midshipmen, the assistant masters, and assistant surgeon, and the ship’s clerks mess.The following are in the hold:—1. The boatswain’s and carpenter’s store-room; 2. The powder magazine; 3. The tanks and water-casks; 4. The shot-well; 5. The pump-well; 6. The provision-stores; 7. The spirit-room; 8. The bread-room. The after-magazine is situated under the front of the great gun-room. Thus the ship is now described so far as her hull is concerned, and now I will say a few words about getting in the masts.When this is to be accomplished, which is rather a formidable job, the ship is first taken alongside of a shear-hulk, or into a dry dock, by the side of which are erected shears. A very fine specimen of the latter machinery is to be seen in Woolwich Dock-yard. The shear-hulk is a large, strongly-built vessel, and well moored by strong chains in a convenient spot on the water, where any ship can approach her. This vessel is fitted with a strong, perpendicular mast; and two others, called the shears, fixed on pivots or hinges to strong frame-work on the deck. The upper ends, meeting in a point, are suspended by strong latches from the mast-head in a slanting direction, leaning to such a distance over the side of the hulk, as to hold the mast to be fixed in the ship alongside her directly over the holes in the deck; when they are lowered into their places, and fixed tight with wedges—of course it is only the lower masts that require the adoption of this method to fix them in their places—and when their great length and consequent weight are considered, it is very certain none better could be used.The length of the main-mast in a large, first-rate ship, is about one hundred and eighty feet from the keel to the top; the main-top-mast is sixty feet; above it the main-top-gallant-mast, forty-four feet, being altogether about two hundred and sixty feet, from which, if we deduct fifty-two feet, the depth of the hull, we have left two hundred and eight feet, the height of the main-mast above the deck. In light winds, royal and sky-sail-masts are set, which will add from thirty to forty feet to its height.Large men-of-war, such as the one I have described, will carry a great number of hands; they frequently amount to athousand, of which two hundred are marines; yet, although a ship is thus thronged with people, the admirable order and regularity with which everything is conducted, preserves her from many of the disasters to which smaller ships with fewer hands are liable.It has been ascertained that the actual weight of a seventy-four gun-ship, including the hull, rigging, guns, stores, officers and men, together with six-months’ provisions, amounts to two thousand eight-hundredtons, and the quantity of water displaced when the ship is afloat is equal to about one hundred thousand cubic feet.The stowage of large ships is admirable. The live-stock often forms a considerable item in a ship’s stowage. It is generally for the use of the officers, and consists of cows, sheep, pigs, and poultry. The latter, and sheep, are stowed away upon the main-deck, under the waist, between the guns; and the pigs in that part of the ship called the manger, on the lower or gun-deck; the cows are kept in boxes or stalls; the sheep in pens, in one or two tiers; and the poultry in hen-coops. The whole are under the charge of the butcher and poulterer.I could tell you a great deal more about ships and shipping, but space prevents me doing so; and as a great many of our ships are now engaged in the war against Russia, it will not be out of place to hope that our brave sailors may not be “savagely slaughtered” by the Russians, and that the Great Bear may have his claws clipped before we have done with him.
The launch of a “first-rate” man-of-war is one of the finest sights in the world, as it exhibits the triumph of mechanical genius, and the wonderful perseverance of man. The building of such a ship is a work of great skill, labour, and assiduity, and no country possesses these qualities in greater proportion than Englishmen. It may be interesting to my young friends, were I to explain, in brief, the methods used in the construction of a ship, that when they see a mighty castle floating on the seas, such as the Duke of Wellington, carrying one hundred and thirty-one guns, they may know something about the means taken to produce such gigantic effects.
In building large ships, a good ship-yard is essential. It must be a place to which the tide flows daily, and containing a good depth of water, with plenty of room, so that the ship, when launched, may not run a-ground. The most celebrated ship-yards for the building of men-of-war in England, are those of Chatham, Plymouth, Pembroke, and Portsmouth, and in these places the building of ships is performed on a very grand scale, and very large numbers of workmen are employed.
Shipping
The first thing done in ship-building, is, what is called “laying down the stocks.” The stocks are large masses of timber, higher at one end than at the other, forming what is called an inclined plane, which is carried out into the water some distance, to allow the vessel to be so far immersed, before she leaves their support, as nearly to float her. The ship is supported in an upright position on the stocks or ways by strong pieces of timber, called the cradle, which can be just seen in the picture of the launch, jutting out under the stern of the ship. The cradle is not fixed to the stocks, but moves loosely upon them, and when the ship is to be launched, slides down the ways with the ship, and falls to pieces when she reaches the water.
The first thing done when the stocks are built, is the laying down of that part of the ship called the keel. This is laid down in the middle of the stocks, and is supported by pieces of wood placed across the said stocks. On the top of the keel branch out, on each side, long, bent, square timbers, called the ribs, which, at the lower poop in the middle of the ship, form nearly a quarter of a circle on each side, and are afterwards carried nearly upright. Upon these timbers, when they cross the keel, is laid, in the same direction as the keel, another long square timber, called the kelson. The keel and kelson are fastened together, at every place where the floor timbers cross them, by iron bolts passed through all. That portion of the ribs which touches and crosses the keel is called the “floor timbers;” upon the kelson are the steps of the masts.
The ribs are divided into several parts, which are called futtocks. To the ribs the planking is nailed, and boltedthrough them; after which the seams are caulked. This is done by forcing oakum, saturated in tar or pitch, into the spaces between the planks, when a good coat of tar is laid over the whole. That part of the ship which is always under water is covered with thin sheets of copper. This is done to prevent the attack of a destructive little animal called the wood-worm, which eats its way into and through the planks, making holes nearly an inch in diameter. These holes would, by admitting the water into the hold of the ship, soon sink her, as it is impossible to stop the ravages of these insects while the ship is at sea. The worm attacks every part that is below the water-line in such immense numbers, that every plank in the bottom of a vessel that has not the protection of copper has been found full of them on her arrival into port.
The ribs of the ship are of a bent form. Of course no tree would be large enough to form them of one piece; they are, therefore, made in different lengths, each length being called a futtock; and they are distinguished as first, second, or third futtock, according to their position in the ship. These are joined together with great exactness: if not joined properly the vessel would soon tumble to pieces, for, when on a heavy sea, a ship is very much strained in various directions, and the creaking noise the timbers make is so dreadful, that inexperienced persons think the ship is going to pieces.
A great deal also depends on the position in which these ribs are placed, not only for the purpose of containing her cargo, but to enable the ship to sail well. Now, if the broadest part be placed too near the stern or after-part of the vessel, which is towards you in the drawing of thelaunch, she will not pass through the water so swiftly as she would if it were nearer to her bow, or the fore-part of the ship.
3 masted ship
In the after-part of the ship is the captain’s cabin; the poop is directly over it; and here is the quarter-deck; the middle of the upper deck is called the waist or gangway, and beyond that (forward) the fore-castle. These are all the divisions of the upper-deck, which is largest in the ship, and, in some of our great men-of-war, is three hundred feet long—the depth of hold being from fifty to sixty, and the breadth fifty-five feet.
The next deck is the main-deck, and immediately under the captain’s cabin is the admiral’s state cabin. In the fore-part of the ship is the galley or cook’s room, and near to it the sick bay. These are the principal divisions of the main-deck. A portion of this deck, in front of the admiral’s cabin, is commonly called the half-deck.
Under the admiral’s cabin is the ward-room, where the lieutenants and other commissioned officers mess. This is on the middle deck. In the after-part is the gun-room, where the mates, some of the midshipmen, the assistant masters, and assistant surgeon, and the ship’s clerks mess.
The following are in the hold:—1. The boatswain’s and carpenter’s store-room; 2. The powder magazine; 3. The tanks and water-casks; 4. The shot-well; 5. The pump-well; 6. The provision-stores; 7. The spirit-room; 8. The bread-room. The after-magazine is situated under the front of the great gun-room. Thus the ship is now described so far as her hull is concerned, and now I will say a few words about getting in the masts.
When this is to be accomplished, which is rather a formidable job, the ship is first taken alongside of a shear-hulk, or into a dry dock, by the side of which are erected shears. A very fine specimen of the latter machinery is to be seen in Woolwich Dock-yard. The shear-hulk is a large, strongly-built vessel, and well moored by strong chains in a convenient spot on the water, where any ship can approach her. This vessel is fitted with a strong, perpendicular mast; and two others, called the shears, fixed on pivots or hinges to strong frame-work on the deck. The upper ends, meeting in a point, are suspended by strong latches from the mast-head in a slanting direction, leaning to such a distance over the side of the hulk, as to hold the mast to be fixed in the ship alongside her directly over the holes in the deck; when they are lowered into their places, and fixed tight with wedges—of course it is only the lower masts that require the adoption of this method to fix them in their places—and when their great length and consequent weight are considered, it is very certain none better could be used.
The length of the main-mast in a large, first-rate ship, is about one hundred and eighty feet from the keel to the top; the main-top-mast is sixty feet; above it the main-top-gallant-mast, forty-four feet, being altogether about two hundred and sixty feet, from which, if we deduct fifty-two feet, the depth of the hull, we have left two hundred and eight feet, the height of the main-mast above the deck. In light winds, royal and sky-sail-masts are set, which will add from thirty to forty feet to its height.
Large men-of-war, such as the one I have described, will carry a great number of hands; they frequently amount to athousand, of which two hundred are marines; yet, although a ship is thus thronged with people, the admirable order and regularity with which everything is conducted, preserves her from many of the disasters to which smaller ships with fewer hands are liable.
It has been ascertained that the actual weight of a seventy-four gun-ship, including the hull, rigging, guns, stores, officers and men, together with six-months’ provisions, amounts to two thousand eight-hundredtons, and the quantity of water displaced when the ship is afloat is equal to about one hundred thousand cubic feet.
The stowage of large ships is admirable. The live-stock often forms a considerable item in a ship’s stowage. It is generally for the use of the officers, and consists of cows, sheep, pigs, and poultry. The latter, and sheep, are stowed away upon the main-deck, under the waist, between the guns; and the pigs in that part of the ship called the manger, on the lower or gun-deck; the cows are kept in boxes or stalls; the sheep in pens, in one or two tiers; and the poultry in hen-coops. The whole are under the charge of the butcher and poulterer.
I could tell you a great deal more about ships and shipping, but space prevents me doing so; and as a great many of our ships are now engaged in the war against Russia, it will not be out of place to hope that our brave sailors may not be “savagely slaughtered” by the Russians, and that the Great Bear may have his claws clipped before we have done with him.