1852.] DOCKING SHIP. 55 



111 these our early operations, recourse was had to 

 blasting, to aid the clearing of the docks. Charges, vary- 

 ing from twenty to four pounds, were tried ; but the least 

 possible quantity of powder which will effect a crack, 

 the more judicious. This is very easily understood by 

 any person endeavouring to extract by one end, and hori- 

 zontally, a pane of glass from a sash : the entire pane 

 may slide out freely, if whole; if broken at convenient 

 angles, it may come out by pieces ; but, if severely 

 cracked in radii from the centre, it will be so much 

 pressed at the sides as to require to be removed piece- 

 meal. Ice is still more stubborn. I am fully satisfied 

 that no man who really understands his business, and is 

 not pressed for time, will call in the aid of gunpowder. It 

 is highly dangerous to the dock-sides, which it generally 

 splits, and causes to tumble to pieces the instant it be- 

 comes relieved from pressure. Blasting ice is in itself 

 quite a distinct science, as much so as flint-making, 

 pebble-cutting, or geological operations. 



But, in dealing in the theoretical points, I must not 

 lose sight of the actual manoeuvre, which is of itself 

 quite an exciting spectacle. I have before stated that 

 method is indispensable ; it therefore becomes the duty 

 of the officer superintending to have all his men duly 

 stationed : an officer to each saw-gang and triangle ; the 

 carpenter, with his crew, to line out the clock ; and others 

 ready to carry out any special orders of the chief. The 

 carpenters line out a space of a wedge-shape, once and a 

 half the length of the ship, say a hundred and eighty feet 

 in length, on a middle hue, sixty feet wide at the outer 

 month, and thirty feet at the inner extreme. The side 



