Description of a Capstan. 269 



As few but mariners understand the manner in which 

 cables are hauled aboard in large ships, it will probably 

 render the object of my capstan more manifest, to give some 

 accourit of this operation. — Cables above a certain diameter 

 are too inflexible to admit of being coiled round a capstan ; 

 in ships where cables of such large dimensions are necessary, 

 a smaller cable is employed for this purpose, which is called 

 the messenger., the t\\ o ends of which are made fast together 

 so as to form an endless rope, which, as the capstan is 

 turned about, revolves round it in unceasing succession, 

 passing on its course to the head of the ship, and airain re- 

 turning to the capstan. To this returning part of the mes- 

 senger, the great cable is made fast by a number of small 

 ropes, called nippers, placed at regular intervals; these nip- 

 pers are applied, as the cable enters the hawse hole, and 

 are again removed as it approaches the capstan, after which 

 it is lowered into the cable tier. 



The messenger, or any other rope coiled round the cap- 

 stan, must descend a space at every revolution equal to the 

 diameter of the rope or cable used ; this circumstance briuo-s 

 the coils in a few turns to the bottom of the capstan, when 

 if can no longer be turned round, till the coils are loosened 

 and raised up to its other extremity, after which the motion 

 proceeds as before. This operation of shifting the place of 

 the coils of the messenger on the capstan is called surging 

 the messenger. It always causes considerable delay ; and 

 when the messenger chances to slip in changing its position, 

 which sometimes happens, no small danger is incurred bv 

 those who are employed about the capstan. 



The first method that I know of, used to prevent the ne- 

 cessity of surging, was by placing a horizontal roller be- 

 neath the messenger, where it first entered on the capstan 

 so supported by a frame, in which it turned on gudgeons, 

 that the messenger in passing over it was compelled to force 

 upwards all the coils above the capstan, as it formed a new- 

 coil. 



This violent forcing of the coils upwards aiong the barrel 

 of the capstan, not only adds considerably to the labour in 

 turning the capstan, but from the great friction which the 



nicssens;cr 



