NOTES ON CHAIN CABLES. 

 By Assistant Naval Constructor John E. Otterson, U. S. N., Member. 



[Read at the twenty-first general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, held in 



New York, December 11 and 12, 1913.] 



ENGLISH CABLES.* 



Ships' cables in ancient times were fashioned of hemp or roots of trees, and 

 there is early mention of iron having been used in connection therewith, no 

 doubt as rings or hooks spliced to the end of the hawser. 



In 1634, Philip White, blacksmith, obtained a patent for mooring chains, 

 which reads as follows: — 



"A way for the Mooring of Shipps with Iron Chaynes by finding out the True 

 Heating Ppareing and Temping of lyron for the ppose and that he hath nowe 

 attayhed to the True Use of the said Chaynes, and that the same will be for the 

 great Saveing of Cordage and Safety of Shippes and will redound to the Good 

 of our Common Wealth." 



In 1690, Sir Cloudesley Shovel recommended that chain moorings be intro- 

 duced into the English service, but no definite action was taken until more than 

 one hundred years later. 



In 1808, a chain cable was used on the Ann and Isabella of 221 ^ tons, 

 built at Berwick-on-Tweed. The chain was made by Robert Flinn, who is en- 

 titled to be known as the first maker of chain cables. The iron came from Wales, 

 was of rectangular section, worked by hand hammer into links somewhat longer 

 than present-day links and not fitted with studs. The cable was so successful that 

 Flinn's business rapidly increased. 



In 1808, Samuel Brown, Lieutenant, R. N., took out a patent covering the use 

 of metal for ship's rigging and the use of short twisted links with swivels, and 

 shifting shackles for chain cable. In 1800- 18 10, he sailed the Penelope, fitted with 

 chain cables, 390 tons, to Martinique, Guadaloupe, and back. He reported so fa- 

 vorably on chain cables and labored so diligently to get them adopted in the Royal 

 Navy, that before his death in 1852 they had come into general use. 



In 1817, the Royal Navy decided to supply one and one-half chain cables to 

 all sea-going ships of fifth-rates and upwards, and one to all sixth-rates and 

 sloops. 



In 1833, the first machine for testing cables was installed in the govern- 

 ment yard at Woolwich. 



By 1834, chain cables were in almost general use, * * *. At this time 



*From "Chain and Chain Cables," Thos. W. Traill. Crosby, Lockwood & Co., 1885. 



