ON PREVENTING THE DECAY OF SHIPS. QQ I 



be introduced also for this purpose with success. White Whitewashing 

 wash or lime water to be used between decks is much to ^''^^'=" ,<*^cks 

 be preferred to paint, both on account of its cheapness 

 and cleansing qualities, and also as it is detrimental to vege- 

 tation. 



Instead of the frames of a ship being converted to their Alterations 



proper sha})e for some months before they are put up, and P'"'^pos«<i '^i 



^1 ^ J. ,. ^ ' ■ ,, the mode of 



erward standing on a shp a year to season, as is now the building ihu*., 



usual practice ; 1 would recommend, that tliey should be 

 converted, and remain, together with the planks, in that 

 state (under cover where there shall be a free circulation of 

 air) for two years, then charred, put up, and the planking 

 imaiediatoly begun ; commencing opei-ations from within 

 board, by whtch means chips and dirt will not accumulate 

 between the timbers; care being taken, that the holes be 

 not bored too near the seams in the outboard plank. Holes 

 sliould be bored, but no treenails driven till within a short 

 time of the ship's being launched ; this wiii both convey air 

 within board, and carry off the vegetable juices, if any re- 

 main in the interior of the timbers. Tiie planks could be 

 kept in their places by the usual butt bolts, and some cop- 

 per nails, or small bolts ragged, being driren at interme- 

 diate spaces. This too would strengthen the ship, as me- 

 tallic fastenings are always to be preferred, in the wales and 

 bottom, to treenails. 



An objection may be made to the bringing round thick Remarks on 

 planks in the bow of a ship by burning, rather than the ^^ndipg the 

 usual practice of boiling them in a kiln, on account of 

 breaking their fibres. Although I do not see, that any dif- 

 ficulty can exist in the former method, as it is the usual 

 practice of the French; yet, if any should occur on trial, 

 and boiling them be considered absolutely necessary, vege- 

 tation may be prevented by dissolving some green vitriol in 

 the jvater, and afterward fixing it in the wood by a \/eak 

 alkali*. The method approved of by many judicious ship- 

 wrights, and constantly practised by the Dutch, that of 



* A solution of alum might also be tried— [1 should apprehend any sa* 

 line impregnatioa of the planks would prove injtrious to the copper 

 aheathiiig and fastenings. C] 



''' * U 2 sawujff 



