made with an easy round to prevent the cables from chafing.

The timbers in the head are narrow pieces of oak, standing nearly perpendicular, their lower ends are fayed and fastened on the upper cheek, and the upper ends bolted to the main-rail; the middle and lower head rails being let into them and secured.

The cross-pieces in the head are also pieces of oak let in and bolted to the main-rails; they have knees at each end, which secure the headrails. Between the two main-rails the head is framed with carlings and ledges. There are also seats of ease in the head for the convenience of the seamen.

The bumkins are pieces of round fir timber, bolted to the middle of the main-rail; their inner ends are secured by cleats against the bows, and the outer ends project from the rails for the purpose of hauling down the fore-tack.

The rails of the stern are of oak, fayed to the round-aft of the stern and to the round up, and bolted to the timbers: they are distinguished thus the tuck-rail, which is the lowest; the ower counter-rail, which is above the latter; the pper counter-rail; the foot-rail, breast-rail, and also the cove. The stern is then planked up with two-inch rabbeted plank, which is fastened o the timbers.

The taffrail is the upper part of the stern, and composed of light ornamented carved work. The munions of the stern are broad pieces of fir about two inches thick; they are placed equidistant from each other, and fastened to the sterntimbers to receive the sashes.

The stools of the quarter-gallery are thick pieces of plank fayed together edgeways, and bolted to the sides of the ship. Of these there are three sorts, viz. the lower, middle, and upper stools, for building the quarter-gallery.

The quarter-pieces are substantial pieces of fir timber, forming the boundaries of the stern, and connecting the quarter-galleries thereto, and to the taff-rail; their upper ends are bolted to the ship's sides, and the lower ends extend downward to the middle stool, where they are secured by iron knees.

The quarter-rails are of oak, and form the boundaries of the quarter-galleries: the lower rails are termed the rails on the lower stools; the next the breast-rails, foot-rails, and the rails on the upper stools.

The munions to the quarter-galleries are of fir, about two inches thick; they are placed equidistant from each other, and fastened to the stools and rails to receive the sashes.

The lower finishings are solid pieces of ornamental carved work, fastened to the ship's sides under the quarter-galleries.

The upper finishings are also ornamental carved work, placed upon the upper stools, and fastened at each end with nails. The dead-eyes and chains are let into the channels, and secured thereto, the chain-plates are then let on, and the chain and preventer-bolts driven and secured. The portlids to the lower gun-deck are a sort of shutters, hung by hinges, to enclose the ports in tempestuous weather. These port-lids have scuttles cut through them for the admission of VOL. XX.

fresh air, and lids hung to them with illuminators in the centre, in order to give light between decks.

The false-keel is of elm, and is fastened in a temporary manner under the main-keel, with nails and copper staples made for that purpose, to prevent the latter from being chafed, should the ship at any time strike the ground, in which case the false-keel gives way, and the main-keel is preserved.

The launch of the ship, or the bilge-ways, by which she is conveyed into the water, require some consideration to ascertain with what declivity the ways must be laid; for large ships they are generally from three-quarters to seveneighths of an inch to a foot; and for the small classes from one inch to one inch and an eighth. The utmost care should always be taken that the fore-foot be clear of the after ground-way, when launching.

In order to give a more comprehensive idea of the different timbers, we have exhibited the disposition of the frame of a second-rate ship in plate III. SHIP-BUILDING, where A is the main-keel. B the stern-post. C the stem.

D the knight-head.

E the knuckle-timber.
F the side counter-timber.
G the midship ditto.
H the wing-transom.
I the filling-transom.
J the deck-transom.

K the seven transoms under the deck-transom.
L the after fashion-piece.
M the middle ditto.

N the foremost ditto.

0, 0, 0, the floor-timbers, which cross the keel.
PPP the first futtock.
QQQ the second ditto.
R R R the third ditto.
SSS the fourth ditto.
T, T, T, the top-timbers.
V,V,V,the lengthening pieces to the fourth futtock.
U, U, the gun-deck port-sills.
W, W, the middle-deck ditto.
X, X, the upper-deck ditto.

Y, Y, the quarter-deck and forecastle ditto.
a, a, the round-house ports.

b, b, the quarter-deck and forecastle ditto.
c, c, the upper-deck ditto.
d, d, the middle-deck ditto.
e, e, the lower deck ditto.
f the entering-port.

g, g, g, the doorways to the quarter-gallery.
h, h, h, h, h, the hawse-pieces.
i, i, the hawse-holes.

k, k, the double futtocks in the fore and afterbodies.

ACBDFHK MOQ, the station of the square-timbers of the frame in the fore body. suwy, &c., the station of the cant-timbers of the frame in ditto.

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, and 21, the station of the square-timbers of the frame in the after-body.

23, 25, 27, 29, and 31, the station of the canttimbers of the frame in ditto.

Q

6

It has been asserted in the Third Report of the Commissioners for revising the Civil Affairs of the Navy, that, where we have built exactly after the form of the best of the French ships that we have taken, thus adding our dexterity in building to their knowledge in theory, the ships, it is generally allowed, have proved the best in our navy; but whenever our builders have been so far misled in the science of naval architecture as to depart from the model before them in any material degree and attempt improvements, the true principles on which ships ought to be constructed have been mistaken or counteracted, and the alterations, according to the information given to us, have in many cases done harm. From the same cause there has been infinite variety in the alterations made, and in the forms which have been adopted. The alterations being founded on no certain principles, no similarity in form of the ships could be expected, and they have the appearance of having been constructed on the chance, that, in the multitude of trials inade, some one might be found of superior excellence. While therefore our rivals in naval power were employing men of the greatest talents and most extensive acquirements, to call in the aid of science for improving the construction of ships, we have been rather remiss in quest of such discoveries as chance might bring in our way. Nothing certainly can be more surprising than that, in a nation so enlightened as this, and whose power, importance, and even safety, depend on its naval superiority, matters so essential to its preservation should so long have been neglected.

As a remedy for this great evil it has been proposed, that the ships of each class or rate should be constructed in every particular according to the form of the best ship in the same class in our navy; of the same length, breadth, and depth, the masts of the same dimensions, and placed in the same parts of the ship, with the same form and size of the sails.'

It has been generally reported that most of the plans of our ships of war have heretofore been determined by the surveyors of the navy in favor of some chance draught which may have succeeded; or by the encomiums lavished on some prize ship by the officer who may have captured her, &c. All this is perfectly natural, and if I stopped here might not be much amiss; but the mischief follows; each, in turn, suggests some change in the figure of the ship, by which she is to become a paragon of excellence; for instance, a little more sheer, a little more breadth of beam, a little more height between decks, &c., without considering how small a deviation from the original draught will alter the line of flotation, and affect her sailing; change the centre of gravity, and affect her stability; and, instead of improving, destroy every good quality which she before possessed. The disadvantages arising from such a variety of models are of serious importance, particularly when they meet with damage at sea and require immediate repairs, as scarcely any two ships take the same sized masts, yards, &c., these therefore cannot be kept in store to supply accidental losses.

Until of late most of the youths intended for

shipwrights, in the royal dock-yards, were placed under the eye of a superior workman, and continued five or six years at the practical part of their business. At the expiration of that time, young men of the best character and abilities were admitted into the mould-loft, in order to acquire the knowledge of the theory of ship-building; namely, drawing, laying off ships, &c. From this situation they were frequently employed as overseers, to superintend the building of ships of war, which were to be built by contract in our merchants' yards; hence they gradually imbibed such a knowledge of shipbuilding as to qualify them for officers in that science. We mention this in order to point out, by way of contrast, the success that may be expected to result from a superior class of shipwrights' apprentices, which, by the king's order in council, September 20th, 1809, has been established at Portsmouth dock-yard. This class consists of twenty-five young men of liberal education, who, before admittance, must be examined by the professor of the Royal Naval College, and the instructor in the theory of naval architecture. Their mornings are occupied in the study of mathematics and mechanics, and in the application of them to naval architecture, in drawing the different parts of ships, and making complete draughts and plans. The remainder of the day is employed under the master shipwright in the mould-loft, and in all the various kinds of manual labor connected with shipbuilding, as well as in the management and conversion of timber, so as to make them fully acquainted with the duties of a practical shipwright. The last year of their apprenticeship is to be served at sea, to afford them an opportunity of acquiring some practical knowledge in the steering, sailing, trimming, and ballasting of ships, &c., during which the order directs that 'they shall mess with the officers, and be treated in all respects as gentlemen.'

Nothing can be more advantageous to this country than such an establishment; and a number of young men of the highest promise have been already entered, who will undoubtedly excel the French in the science of naval architecture as much as our shipwrights at present surpass theirs in the practice of the art.

A ship of the line (Fr. vaisseau de ligne) is usually applied to all men of war carrying sixty guns and upwards. Of late, however, our fiftygun ships have been formed sufficiently strong to carry the same metal as those of sixty, and accordingly may fall into the line in cases of necessity in time of action.

The ships of seventy-four guns are generally esteemed the most useful in the line of battle, and indeed in almost every other purpose of war. It has therefore been judged conformable to our design to represent different views and sections of a ship of this class.

Merchant-ship (Fr. bâtiment marchand), a vessel, employed in commerce, to carry commodities of various sorts from one port to another.

The largest merchant-ships are those employed by the different companies of merchants who trade to the East Indies. They are ir general as large as our forty-four gun ships, and

Page 227 Vol. 20.

are commonly mounted with twenty guns on their upper deck, which are nine-pounders, and six on their quarter-deck, which are six-pounders. They are particularly employed in the Chinese trade, and some of them are said to have brought to Europe cargoes amounting to 2000 tons, the principal part of which was tea.

Prison-ship (Fr. vaisseau servant de prison dans un port), a vessel fitted up in a port purposely for the accommodation of prisoners of war, and regularly guarded.

Receiving-ship (Fr. vaisseau servant d'entrepôt, pour les gens destinés au service de la marine), a ship stationed at any place to receive volunteers and impressed men, and train them to their duty in readiness for any ship of war which may want hands.

Store-ship (Fr. bâtiment armé en flûte, pour charger des munitions, &c.), a vessel employed to carry artillery or naval stores for the use of a fleet, fortress, or garrison.

Transport-ship (Fr. bâtiment de transport), a merchant-ship, hired by the Transport Board, for the purpose of conveying ammunition, stores, &c., from one place or port to another.

Troop-ship (Fr. bâtiment de transport pour les troupes), a ship carrying her guns on the upper deck, and employed to convey troops, and on that account is commonly called a troop or transport-ship.

Ships of war (Fr. vaisseaux de guerre), are properly equipped with artillery, ammunition, and all the necessary martial weapons and instruments for attack or defence. They are distinguished from each other by their several ranks or classes.

Besides the different kinds of ships abovementioned, which are denominated from the purposes for which they are employed, vessels have also in general been named according to the different manner of rigging them. It would, however, be an endless, and at the same time an unnecessary task, to enumerate all the different kinds of vessels with respect to their rigging.

Plate II. represents a modern first-rate ship of war, with masts, yards, sails, rigging, &c., at anchor; the several parts of which are as follows:

bridles. 73. Top. 74. Cap. 75. Yard and course,

128. Backstay.

129. Yard and sail. 130. Bowlines

bridles.

and

76. Futtock shrouds. 133. Royal yard and 77. MAIN-TOP-MAST.

sail.

78. Shrouds and lan- 134. Royal lifts.

yards.

135. Royal braces.

79. Yard and sail, 136. Royal stay. with studding- 137. Royal back-stays. sail-booms. 138. Union jack.

80. Backstay.

81. Preventer-stay,

82. Stay and sail. 83. Halyards.

84. Lifts.

8. Bowsprit shrouds.

10. Jib, stay, and sail. 26. Braces.

13. Sprit-sail-yard and 29. Bowlines

course.

14. Bowsprit-cap.

30. Futtock-shrouds.

15. Jack-staff and flag. 31. Cap.

85. Braces.

86. Horse.

87. Sheets.

88. Bowlines bridles.

139. Driver boom. 140. Boom topping

lifts.

141. Boom guy-falls. 142. Gaff and driver.

143. Derrick-fall.

144. Peak-brails.

145. Peak-halyards