071 Chain Calles or Moor'mgs. 301 



of the links received into it, there will be no harm ; only the chain 

 will thereby be rendered heavier, which may sometime?, though 

 not generally, be desirable." 



In the preceding specification, every position in which a link 

 can be exposed to force has been noticed, except one, which we 

 have shown in fig. 7: but it is fair to state, that any hempen cable 

 exposed to a force to be overcome in a bend as small as the 

 space at C, between the links A and B, would soon be cut in two; 

 and that no obstacle of the same dimensions, as a projecting 

 angle of rock or coral, would present suflicient resistance to 

 break the middle link, having no cohesion of parts at all com- 

 parable to that of the iron. 



The broad-headed stay we consider as an improvement of the 

 first importance in chains. Ca])tain Brown employed sharp- 

 ended pins in the middle of his links, the two ends of which 

 evidently present fulcrums over which the link may be broken ; 

 but the' broad-headed stay, introduced by Mr. Brunton, and 

 embracing as large a portion as convenience will permit of the 

 «ides of the link, tends, as much as any thing can, to give that 

 undisturbable rigidity (if we may use the expression) which is 

 indispensable, wimtever uninformed people may imagine, to 

 the perfection of a chain intended to possess the greatest pos- 

 sible strength that can be obtained from a given quantity of 

 material. 



The public, we think, have heen laid under great obligations 

 both to Captain Brown and Mr. Brunton — to the former, for 

 introducing the iron cable, and combating the prejudices of the 

 •public in favour of hemp — to the latter, for perfecting the ca])le 

 chain. It is impossible to anticipate the advantages which will 

 accrue to the public from the general adoption of iron cables. 

 'Many, many ! will be the lives which will be saved by this in- 

 vention ; not to speak of the saving of property, which, though 

 of great importance in a national point of view, is but of se- 

 condarv consideration. Such is our opinion of the safety to be 

 derived from the use of iron in place of hemp, that we have no 

 doubt whatever, that, were ships generally furnished with a good 

 scope of chain, of proper weight, and of the best construction, 

 not one instance out of a hundred that tiow occur, of ships being 

 lost on a lee shore, would take place. In rocky anchorage, hemp 

 is cut to pieces in a short time in rough weather ; but chain re- 

 geives no other injury than that of a Iktle rubbing or polishing, 

 and the weight of the bight of the latter give^ amazing ease to 

 the tossing vessel — giving way to the swelling wave that elevates 

 the sliip, and then acting byits gravity to keep her as stationary 

 a^ oircuuistanceai will permit. 



The 



