158 ANCHOR 



Btrumente of iron, having ono, two, and throo tooth, which were not apparently very 

 different from thoao wo now employ. Tho anchors which aro used by many of tho 

 races inhabiting the shores of the Indian Ocean aro made of the so-called 'iron-wood,' 

 which is so dense that it sinks in soa-wator. The anchor is an instrument of tho 

 greatest importance to tho navigator, since upon its taking and keeping hold depends 

 his safety upon many occasions, especially near a lee shore, where he might be other- 

 wise stranded or shipwrecked. Anchors are generally made of wrought iron, eicept 

 among nations who cannot work this metal well, and who therefore use copper. The 

 mode in which an anchor operates will be understood from inspection of fig. 50, where, 



from tho direction of tho strain, it is obvious that the anchor cannot move without 

 ploughing up the ground in which its hook or fluke is sunk. When this, however, 

 unluckily takes place, from tho nature of the ground, from the mode of insertion of 

 the anchor, or from the violence of tho winds or currents, it is called dragging the 

 anchor. When the hold is good, the cable or the buried arm will sooner break than 

 the ship will drive. Anchors aro of different sizes, and have different names, ac- 

 cording to the purposes they servo ; thus there aro bower, stream, and kedge anchors. 

 Ships of the first class have seven anchors, and smaller vessels, such as brigs and 

 schooners, three. 



The metal employed for anchors of wrought iron is known as ' scrap iron,' and for 

 the best anchors, such as Lenox's, they also use good ' Welsh mine iron.' 



It is not practical, without occupying more space than can be afforded, to describe 

 in detail the manufacture of an anchor. It docs not, indeed, appear desirable that we 

 should do so, since it is so special a form of mechanical industry, that few will consult 

 this volume for the sake of learning to make anchors. Tho following will therefore 

 suffice. The anchor-smith's forge consists of a hearth of brickwork, raised about 9 

 inches above the ground, and generally about 7 feot square. In the centro of this 

 is a cavity for containing tho fire. A vertical brick wall is built on ono side of the 

 hearth, which supports the dome, and a low chimney to carry off the smoke. Behind 

 this wall are placed the bellows, with which the fire is urged ; tho bellows being so 

 placed that they blow to the centro of tho fire. The anvil and the crane by which 

 tho heavy masses of metal aro moved from and to tho fire are adjusted near tho hearth. 

 The Hercules, a kind of stamping machine, or the steam hammer, need not be described 

 in this place. 



To make the anchor, bars of good iron aro brought together to be faggoted ; tho 

 number varying with the size of the anchor. Tho faggot is kept together by hoops 

 of iron, and tho whole is placed upon tho properly arranged hearth, and covered up 

 by small coals, which are thrown upon a kind of oven made of cinders. Great caro 

 and good management is required to keep this temporary ovon sound during the 

 combustion ; a smith strictly attends to this. When all is arranged, tho bellows 

 are set to work, and a blast urged on tho firo ; this is continued for about an hour, 

 when a good welding heat is obtained. The mass is now brought from tho fire to tho 

 anvil, and the iron welded by the hammers. One portion having been welded, tho 

 iron is returned to fire, and the operation is repeated until the whole is welded into 

 one mass. 



This will be understood by referring to tho annexed figures (fig. 51), in which the 

 bars for tho shanks, A A, and tho arms, u B, are shown, in plan and sections, as bound 

 together, and their shapes after being welded before union ; and c c represents tho 

 palm. 



