44 MEASURES ADOPTED [1843 



on the starboard gangway, direct to the capstan. A 

 similar purchase was also applied to the foremost spar, 

 and all hove to an even strain. 



The mast head purchases attached to the coasting cable 

 were arranged as follows : 



From each mast head, a lashing block c ; lashing block 

 on the cable, d. The runner, of five inch hawser, rove 

 through c and d, and its end secured to the mast-head over 

 the shoulders of the rigging ; on this double runner the 

 barges long purchase, falls four inches prepared rope with 

 double blocks, was used for the runner tackle, the hauling 

 part rove through a block at e, below the cap, and led 

 amidships ; when taut, luffs were clapped on these falls. 

 The power of these purchases was sufficient to bring 

 about ninety fathoms of the fifteen inch cable taut, and 

 during the day it stretched sufficiently to let its bight 

 fall into the river. Until required for further use, a 

 strain was maintained sufficient to keep it just out of 

 the water. Of the heavy spars which were floated 

 down the river, a powerful raft was constructed, 

 consisting of eighty pieces of timber, and disposed as 

 follows : the twenty largest were first formed into a 

 single raft, occupying an area of about sixty feet by 

 twenty ; four strong cross riders were secured on these, 

 and the raft increased in this manner to four tiers, the 

 outer, upper spar, being calculated to admit of the 

 bilges of the water casks taking between it and its neigh- 

 bour within, so as to render them independent of their 

 lashings, their floating powers enabling them to press 

 heavily into their proper positions. As such a mass of 

 timber attached to the side of the ship might, during the 



