ECONOMY AT SEA. 1*3^. 



experienced (lie leafl injury from fo much Iron being about 

 the yards, owing to the precaution which I took of ferving 

 the iron worl; aud paying it with pilch, which I think ferved 

 as a non-conduflor. I have a higher opinion of iron work ^f the iron 

 than ever I had, and think the iron rigging in the plan we yards, and cap- 

 ufed to talk about while the (hip was building, would anfwer tain's high 

 to admiration, and might be the means of preferving the ufe'of"iron 

 ipafts of men of war, when in adion, as being lefs liable work In rigging. 

 to be cut with fliot. When I can manage it, I mean to rig State of ex- 

 the rnizen raaft of a Qiip wholly with iron, to give it a trial. Pfimentonpart 

 TiTi T T ,, • . -of the flieathing 



When I examme the bottom, I will give you my opmion of will be attended 



the pieces of fheathing fteeped in your preparation to prevent ^°' 



*u c J 1 • .u u ., T-i I II great ufe of the 



the worms from deitroymg the bottom. 1 he large rollers j^rge rollers for. 



which you had let in beneath the hawfe holes for the cables to the cables. 

 work on, were of very great benefit, and I think faved us 

 the labour of two men in weighing anchor, they alfo prevent- 

 ed the wear of the cables very much, and were greatly liked 

 by the failors, as making the purchafe more lively, 

 Your's very (incerely, 



ALEX. SMITH.'' 



The iron flings which Captain Smith mentions, were on a Further account 

 plan of his own, and difFcirent from thofe ufed in men of war, jj| j 

 in not requiring above three or four feet of chain for each 

 yard, and ferved merely to fufpend the yards from the point ^ 



of the tops ; which method greatly faved the wear of the 

 mafts, and permitted the yards to work more freely. Iron 

 flraps were alfo ufed to moft of the blocks inftead of hemp. 



The rollers for the cables were about fourteen inches long «»d of the 

 and eleven in diameter, and worked on iron gudgeons about " ^ " ""* 

 two inches in diameter, in brafs fockets. The rollers which 

 have been hitherto ufed for this purpofe, were generally much 

 too fmall, feldom exceeding the diameter of the cable; which 

 dirainifiied fize both increafes the fridlion and injures the cable, 

 from the fmallnefs of the nip which they occafion ; or, in other 

 words, from the acutenefs of the angle at which the cable is 

 forced to bend in paffing over them. 



In concluding this account I beg leave to mention, that I ?''°" «ranfverfe 

 could, in building another fliip, greatly diminifli the fpace ufg^ in future 

 neceflary for the tranfverfe forms ufed in ray plan, by fetting in this place, 

 them farther afunder, and forming them of iron, which ^^ ''"'* '°°'"* 



niQthod 



