24 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 
it is ont into water deep enough to allow a vessel to pass over it. The stem 
or nose of the vessel is hauled up into the guide on the head of the cradle, 
which is simply a pair of iron bars bent to the proper shape and bolted on to 
the cradle. The stern of the vessel being hauled into its proper place, the keel is 
over the centre of the carriage ; the back guides are then lifted up to secure the 
vessel in its place. The back guides are strong iron bars, working separately 
on a 4in. pin, passing through strong uprights bolted to the side of the 
longitudinal beams at such distances as may be required to suit the length of 
а vessel. So soon as a vessel is thus fixed in position, the cradle is hauled up 
until the keel rests its whole length on the cradle, and the bilge blocks being 
then pulled under the vessel’s bottom she is hauled up out of the water, the 
palls being dropped so soon as the bilge blocks are pulled into their proper 
position. These palls prevent a vessel running back into the water in the 
event of its. being necessary, from any cause, to take the weight off the 
machinery, and also serve to keep the cradle in its plaee when up on the ways. 
To launch a vessel, the cradle is hauled up sufficiently to allow the palls to 
be lifted. It is then lowered, by means of the large chain, conveniently near 
to the water's edge ; the large chain is then released, and the cradle and vessel 
allowed to run out by their own impetus, taking, of course, the small chain. 
The mode of releasing the Jarge chain is by knocking the pin out of the 
shackle which secures the return end when passed round the wheel at the 
head of the carriage, the pin being made conical for the purpose. The impetus 
caused by running out generally carries the vessel clear of the cradle, but if, 
from any cause, the vessel does not run out sufficiently fast to clear the cradle, 
the small chain serves to haul it into deeper water to clear it, and, the engine 
being reversed, the small chain hauls up the cradle out of the water. 
It is sometimes required to raise a second vessel when the cradle is 
occupied. This is effected by blocking the vessel already up off the cradle. 
To do this wooden blocks are placed under the vessel between all the bilge 
beams of the cradle, and the weight of the vessel taken off the cradle by 
wedging these blocks up tightly. To allow the cradle to be removed, and to 
clear the keel of any vessel requiring it, small pieces of wood, 2 in. thick, are 
nailed on to the keel blocks on the centre longitudinal beam before a. vessel is 
taken up. When a vessel is tightly wedged up on to the wooden blocks, as 
described, these small pieces are split out, leaving a space between the keel of 
the vessel and the cradle. The bilge beams are removed by knocking out the 
wedges and releasing the ends from the teeth on the centre beam, and taking 
' out the cotter pins on the outer longitudinals. The bottom of the vessel being 
thus cleared of the cradle, it is hauled out from under by means of the 
small chain; the bilge beams, etc, are then replaced in position, and the 
cradle lowered into the water in the usual way, the chains working under the 
