1 8 2'ransactiuiis. — -Jliscellaneo us. 



chain is passed, returning round the wheel of the engine, the lower part 

 passing out below the engine frame through a cast iron pipe 12 in. in diameter. 

 This small chain, whose length is about 1,800 ft., serves to haul down the 

 cradle and large chain under a vessel and to haul up the cradle after the large 

 chain is freed, when a vessel is launched. The total weight of the two chains 

 is about 70 tons, the large chain weighing 62 tons. 



For communicating with the vessels being placed on the slip, a wharf or 

 jetty has been erected on the east side of the slip, extending oiit for a length 

 of 500 ft., there being 22 ft. of water at the outer end. Its piers consist of 

 cast iron frames, each frame having four uprights, a large flat shoe being cast 

 on the foot of each upright. They were bolted together on the cradle of the 

 small slip, and, when lowered out into the water, were picked up by a punt 

 and lowered into their proper position by the side of the slip. The spans are 

 of 35 ft. centres, the beams being of iron-bark 16 in. x 8 in. ; but for the first 

 120 ft. the spans are shorter, the beams being of totara or hinau, and only 

 12 in. X 10 in. The beams are braced together, and planks nailed on crosswise. 



Before commencing the erection of the slip, soundings were taken along 

 various lines into the bay, the line ultimately selected being nearly S.E. by S., 

 on the centre line of the ways. I may here mention that the site for the 

 erection of the slip was moved from that originally proposed. Among the 

 objections to the proposed site, I may state that it was on an exposed spit of 

 land open to the full force of the wind through Evans Bay ; the land was 

 sandy and flat, and to carry the ways above high-water it was proposed to 

 build brick arches to the gradient of the waj'S. The height of these arches 

 above the surface of the ground at the head of the ways would have been 

 10ft. or 12ft., and adding to this the height of the ways and cradle, the keel 

 of a vessel when at the top of the ways would have been some 17 ft. above the 

 ground surface. A large expenditui-e would have been required in earthwork 

 to raise the level of the ground to this height, or else very expensive framing 

 for scaffolding. The vessels on the slip would also have been in a very 

 exposed position. The bottom on which the slip would have to be laid was 

 sand or tine gravel throughout. The site selected presented the advantage of 

 a more solid bottom, it was in a less exposed situation, being entirely sheltered 

 from the northerly winds, and more sheltered from those in the opposite 

 direction. It will be remembered that the only winds that blow with any 

 force in Wellington are from north and south, or N.W. and S.E. The line of 

 the slip is well situated, as the wind blows in the direction of up and down 

 the slip. The ways on the site selected were laid above high-water mark in a 

 cutting, in place of on a bank, the cutting varying in depth from a few inches 

 near the water level to upwards of 30 ft. at the top where the engine-house is 

 erected. Below high-water mark the bottom, for a considerable distance out, 



