Mr. Hwwkes's improved Capstans. 145 



the stfJk can only turn round, and cannot possibly get out 

 while the hoops remain at the ends : the stock will thus be less 

 liable to break than by the old method of hooping and bolting it 

 over the anchor, and will prevent the cutting away the strongest 

 part of the wood to make the stock square. This method will 

 make it unnecessary to take spare anchors with the stocks, 

 which take up so much room, besides adding so much weight 

 to the fore extreme of the ship, which is the more detrimental 

 as the ship becomes in the greatest danger : those pieces can 

 be prepared to be put together in two pieces with an iron 

 stock with hoops prepared, and will only require warming and 

 driving down, in much less time than is required to stock the 

 old anchor. And by putting three or four of these pieces to- 

 gether, they will make the most effective anchor without a stock, 

 and the chain can be passed through the shank if required, or 

 make it fast to the shank. 



Mr. Hawkes rests all his hopes on the importance of bend- 

 ing iron in preference to welding, which cannot be performed 

 without the greatest hazard of burning; and however inge- 

 nious the late contrivances may be, the welding difficulty has 

 never been attempted to be dispensed with. There have been 

 all manner of welding scarfs proposed ; but on considering 

 that the thin part of those scarfs (whatever shape they may 

 be) is equally subject to the same heat as the thick part, con- 

 sequently must be destroyed, provided the thick part is suffi- 

 ciently hot to weld, — and as to the clinching the shank of the 

 anchor through, and on the crown of the flukes, the immense 

 wring or strain anchors are liable to sideways, must make this 

 very dangerous, — the bending two pieces of iron and securely 

 uniting them, must be considered stronger than one piece of 

 the same size, even if welded securely, and not burnt. And 

 to do away this great danger, that has been so destructive to 

 the lives and property of all nations, is the object Mr. H. hopes 

 to obtain; and though the price should exceed from 5 to 10 per 

 cent, other anchors which are made with all those hazards at- 

 tached to them, independently of their being made without fag- 

 goting the iron, which is frequently done, time will prove that 

 anchors made on the principle proposed, will be found much 

 superior to the present mode of making them. 

 No. 9, Lucas-place, Commercial-road. 



IMPROVEMENT ON THE PERPENDICULAR AND HORIZONTAL 

 CAPSTANS, BY MR. G. HAWKES, SURVEYOR OF SHIPPING. 



These capstans are either to be made of wood or cast iron, 

 with from three to six segments of circles (as will suit best), 

 secured with bolts sideways through each other, and with 



Vol. G3. No. 310. Feb. 1824. T hoop- 



