196 VVHALE-FISHEllY. 



arc suspended from davits or cranes fixed on the 

 sides of the sliip, and are usually so contrived, 

 that a boat can be lowered down into the water, 

 manned and pushed off from the ship, in the short 

 space of a minute of time. Prior to the year 1813, 

 a ship having seven boats carried one at each waist, 

 tliat is, between the main-mast and fore-mast, two 

 at each quarter^ one above the other, and one a- 

 cross the stem. As an improvement on this plan, 

 in 1813, the Esk of Whitby and John of Greenock, 

 had each their boats fixed in a line of three lengths 

 of boats on each side. In the usual way of suspen- 

 sion, it was necessary that the under quarter boats 

 should be taken upon deck in every storm, accom- 

 panied by a high sea, — an operation which, on some 

 occasions, was scarcely practicable. They w-ere, 

 likewise, subject to be damaged by the passing ice. 

 The mode adopted in the Esk and John, in a great 

 measure avoids both these inconveniences ; besides 

 which it is attended with the peculiar advantage of 

 admitting any particular boat of the seven to be 

 lowered by itself, or all the seven boats at the same 

 time. These advantages of the new manner of sus- 

 pending the boats were at once so evident, that the 

 plan was adopted in almost every new ship subse- 

 quently fitted for the fishery, and in almost every 

 old ship in the trade, excepting where want of 

 length, or the consideration of the expence requisite 

 for making the alteration, prevented it. 



