On the Dry Rot. 171 



not answer the purpose, except that it was barely sufficient to go 

 around the bows, the other part being badly rent, and of course 

 was rejected. I therefore went into the woods a second time, 

 when the leaves were full grown and the bark would peel, and 

 had two thrifty white oaks cut for the after pieces. These tim- 

 bers were put in immediately, and so were the plank-sheers, 

 without any seasoning whatever, and the room between the tim- 

 ber above the air streak was filled with salt, which was supposed 

 to be a preventive against the dry rot. The workmanship was 

 of the first order. 



The vessel was launched, and completed in July, 1811. That 

 autumn she went to sea, and after the declaration of the war of 

 1812, she came to Middletown, and was laid up here until the 

 peace of 1815. In that spring, when she was to be fitted out 

 again, it was found that she must be repaired in her hull ; and on 

 opening her, it was perceived that the dry rot had made such de- 

 struction among her timbers, that it became necessary to build 

 her anew from her middle wale up. But the three quarter- 

 timbers spoken of, which had been cut green, were sound, and 

 appeared new, although their neighbors on each side of them, 

 were destroyed by the disease ; and it is a remarkable fact, that 

 the spikes, when pulled out of them, were bright, and appeared 

 new, but those parts of them which came in contact with the 

 outside planks, (which were made from timber cut in December,) 

 were badly oxidated, so much so, that they were reduced in size 

 nearjly one quarter. The plank-sheers forward, which, it will be 

 remembered, were cut in December, were destroyed by the dis- 

 ease, but the after pieces were sound and dry, and the under 

 sides appeared like new timber seasoned in the shade ; and what 

 is remarkable as to them is, that altliough some of the timbers on 

 which they rested were so decayed that they might be picked to 

 pieces, yet there was not the least appearance of it on them, 

 which shows, that although surrounded by corruption, they were 

 themselves, at least up to that period, incorruptible. Thus it can 

 be seen, as respects this vessel, that not only the season of the 

 year, which in the popular opinion is the best to cut timber in, 

 for the purpose of making it last well, was strictly adhered to, 

 but also the precautionary measure of applying salt, which is, 

 even at this day, thought to retard the progress of the disease. 



