16 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
Wellington. The second length, of 70 ft., is shunted off the ways, but can be 
attached in an hour or two when it is required to raise a long vessel The 
object gained in disconnecting the two pieces, is tbe saving of wear and tear 
and waste of power in hauling up and lowering this extra length of cradle, 
which is not required for any vessel not exceeding 200 ft. in length. The weight 
of the cradle is about 200 tons, and that of the part detached about 60 tons. 
The centre longitudinal beam consists of a double line of 18in. x 12 in. iron- 
bark timber, made into continuous length by scarfing each length of timber 
together, the scarf being secured by wooden keys and a scarf plate on each 
side žin. thick ; distance pieces are fixed at intervals of 4ft. to keep the two 
beams at their proper distance from each other. The outer beams are of 
18in. x llin. iron-bark, secured in the same manner at the scarfs as the 
centre beams, while the width between the centres of the outer beams is 30 ft., 
corresponding with the width of the ways. 
The wheels are of solid cast iron, each wheel having a 2lin. wrought iron 
shaft cast in, and are 1 ft. in diameter ; the wheel carriages, also of cast iron, 
being secured to the longitudinal beams with four І ір. bolts. There are 
sixteen pall carriages fixed in convenient positions on the centre beams, to 
allow the palls to fall into the rack cast on the centre ways; cranked bars and 
triggers are fixed to allow the palls to be freed under water, after a vessel is 
placed on the carriage. The power to raise a vessel is applied to the fore part 
of the centre beams, a pulley wheel 4 ft. in diameter being fixed suitably for 
the chain to pass over; the wheel works loose on a shaft of Din. diameter. 
А. cross beam, made of two pieces of iron-bark 16 in. x 8 in., is fixed across 
the lower end of each length of the carriage ; two strong diagonal struts are 
also fixed from the centre to outer beams. These beams and struts serve to 
keep the outer longitudinalsin their position when a vessel is being raised, the 
fore part of the outer beams being kept to gauge by iron rods crooked at 
each end and dropping into а socket. On the longitudinal beams are placed 
the bilge beams, or slide beams, formed of a snitable shape to take the bilge of 
a vessel, being of a depth of 1 ft. over the centre beam and 2 ft. over the outer 
beam ; they are seeured to the outer beams by means of iron brackets and 
cotters, and to the centre beam by means of an iron catch fitting into one side 
of theslide beam, in the shape of a mortise and tenon in wood work. A space 
of 8in. or 10 in. is left between the beams, which is filled with wedges fixing 
the slide beams firmly in the catches. The slide beams are 15 ft. apart from 
the centre, there beiag twelve slide beams on each side of the carriage. At 
the end of four slide beams on each side there are sockets in which standards 
are placed for keeping the ends of the ropes used for working the sliding blocks 
and palls above water. The sliding blocks work on the top of the slide beams, 
and on to these blocks pieces of wood are secured with dogs to suit the bilges 
