[11] THE SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 447 



Ceiling, — The ceiling is of bard piue, and most of it was put on be- 

 fore tbe vessel was planked. There are two thick streaks alongside of 

 the well-log, each of which is 6 inches thick by 9 inches wide, tapering 

 to equal 3 inches in thickness at forward and after ends. These thick 

 streaks are fastened with finch galvanized iron bolts, one boltiu each 

 edge driven through the frames and clenched on galvanized iron rings. 

 There are also, besides these, five thick streaks on each side which are 

 4 inches thick by 12 inches wide, tapering at the ends to 2 J inches thick, 

 and fastened with galvanized iron bolts, half of which are driven from 

 the face of the plank and the other half from the outside of frame, all 

 clenched over galvanized iron rings.* There are two streaks of 3J by 

 9 inch plank tapering to 2 inches at the ends, and three streaks of 3- 

 inch plank, the latter fastened with galvanized- iron bolts and spikes. 



The clamps are, like the rest of the ceiling, hard piue, 3 J inches thick 

 and 12 inches wide. They are joined with lock scarf, and fastened 

 like the other ceiling. There is a bead worked on the lower edge.t 



Deck plank. — The deck plank are white pine 3 inches square, laid 

 straight, fastened with 4J-inch galvanized iron spikes let into the plank 

 and covered by bungs set in white lead. 



The plankshear is white oak, 3 inches thick, by 10 J wide, fastened to 

 the wales with f -inch galvanized iron bolts and with a J-inch galvanized 

 iron bolt driven into the back of each stanchion. 



Outside planking. — The outside planking is of white oak. The gar- 

 boards are each 8 inches wide and 4 inches thick, tapering from each 

 end of well to equal 2 inches in thickness at the wood ends to conform 

 to the thickness of the rabbet at forefoot, and at the heel of sternpost. 

 In addition to the ordinary fastening, the garboards are edge-bolted to 

 the keel with f-inch yellow-metal bolts.J 



The bottom plank are 2J inches thick, and fastened with 6-inch com- 

 position spikes in addition to the locust treenails which go through all 

 the plank and are 1J inches in diameter. All the bottom plank are 



* Besides the fastening specialized in this description, note should be made of the 

 fact that the treenails which are driven in the outside planking come through to in- 

 side of ceiling, and are wedged on each end. 



t A peculiarity of the ceiling is that the thick streaks sweep up from the bilge at 

 each end of the vessel, crossing the direction of the outside plank diagonally. This 

 method of putting on the ceiling adds very much to the strength of the vessel at the 

 ends. 



$ This peculiarity of construction adds little to the expense; it increases very ma- 

 terially the strength of a vessel, and the chauces of being saved in case she had the 

 misfortune to get on shore. It ties tho garboards to the keel m such a manner that 

 the keel, keelson and garboards combine together to form one continuous backbone. 

 Ordinarily, when a vessel is stranded, the greatest strain comes upon the garboard 

 or the keel, and if not built in this way, either the keel is twisted out of position or 

 the garboard is strained so as to work the oakum out of the seams, the result in 

 each case being that she fills with water, and the chances of her safety are decreased. 

 I earnestly recommend this peculiarity of construction to be adopted in building 

 fishing vessels. 



