SHIP-BUILDING. 



fourth futtock will, in like manner, make the fides of the 

 middle deck ports in three-decked (hips, and the fides of 

 upper deck ports in thofe of two decks. 



With refpeft to the frame-timbers, it is, in the firft in- 

 ftance, of the greateft confequence to the Itrength of a 

 fhip, that they (hould be cut as little as polFible by the ports 

 on each deck, fcuttles, fcuppers, &c.; and, fecondly, that 

 all the timbers defigned to make the tides of ports, are, or 

 fhould be, continued, if poffible, without fcarfing, up to 

 the top of the fide. Thofe timbers, however, in the fudden 

 turn of the body, having fo much compafs in their length, 

 and others which run up to receive the rough-tree rail having 

 too great a length to be otherwife obtained, mull be admitted 

 to fcarf, as Ihewn in the difpofition, Plate II. 



Thofe timbers that run up to make the fides of quarter- 

 deck ports, forecalUe ports, or to the rough-tree rail, 

 fhould, if poffible, be made of timbers Handing up on the 

 upper deck fills, over the upper deck ports. The fide 

 along the waift, between the ports, may be filled in with 

 fir timber, laid fore and aft, and dove-tailed into the 

 frames. 



All timbers in the range of the fore and main channels 

 fhould run up to the top of the fide; and the filling-timbers 

 between each frame are all to be equally fpaced between the 

 frames ; and all the openings between the range of the chain 

 and preventer-bolts are to be filled in folidly with dry oak- 

 fillings, as are alfo thofe over every gun-deck and middle 

 deck port, that there may be folid boring in wake of the 

 port-rope-pipes, and muzzle-lafhing eye-bolts ; alfo behind 

 iron knees and ftandards. But as fiUings of tliis kind inter- 

 rupt the free paflage of the air, let a hole, one inch and up- 

 wards, be bored throughout their length. All fillings 

 fhould be charred, or burnt. 



All (hips (hould be as light as poffible in their upper 

 works, confidently with the fervices for which they are in- 

 tended ; and, as the frame (hould not be incumbered with 

 more (hort timbers than are abfolutely nccellary, two 

 timbers over each point are fufficient. The frame will be 

 adequately full, and every purpofe anfwered, when timbers 

 are provided to form the gallery doors, and to fill in the 

 quarters from the after-frame to the fide ftern-timbers ; 

 and forward, from the foremoft frame to the hawfe- 

 pieces. 



Having confidered the feveral fubjefts above-mentioned, 

 transfer from the fheer-draught, Plate I., the keel, likewife 

 the ftcm and ftern-poft, with the tranfoms, and llepping- 

 Lne for the heels of the cant-timbers, the under fide of the 

 decks at the fide, alfo the ports, the plank-fheers, rough- 

 tree rails, and beak-head ; then the fide llern-timber. 



Square up from the half-breadth plan, Plate I., the 

 joints and fidings of the cant-timbers, where they inter- 

 feft the water-lines, main and top-breadths, and plank- 

 fheer, to their refpeftive lines in tha flieer-plan, as Plate I. 

 at c, u, in the fore-body, and at c, 32 in the after-body. 

 Thus may their thwartlhip appearance be transferred to 

 the difpofition, Plate II. In the fame manner may be 

 fquared up the thwartihip appearance of the knight- 

 head and haivfe-pieces, which may likewife be transferred 

 as tiie reft, and alfo the hawfe -holes. 



The height of the heads of all the timbers may now be 

 taken above the bafe line in the body-plan, Plate I., and 

 transferred to their refpeftive timbers above the upper edge 

 of the keel, in Plate II. Curves being drawn through 

 thofe heights, will (hew the head of each timber on a per- 

 pendicular view in the difpofition. 



Now fquare up in the difpofition the fidings of all the 



timbers between the cant-bodies ; and as the upper deck 

 ports are lefs fore and aft than thofe of the gun-deck, the 

 upper part of the frame-timbers muft be opened fo much 

 from the joint. The frame-timbers may now be marked 

 with their refpeftive names, likewife the fingle timber dead- 

 flat, where the body turns to (hift the floors, as they are 

 always under-bevelled. 



The fore-fide, or moulding of the fide ftern-timbers, may 

 be drawn, and the gallery doors from the (heer-plan, 

 Plate I. Then the fills, and all the timbers necefi'ary to 

 frame the quarters abaft frame 36. 



The ports being drawn, their fills may all be reprefented ; 

 making the upper fills in wake of the chain-bolts much 

 deeper. Then the blocks through the fide fhould be drawn, 

 that the long timbers may not be provided, and afterwards 

 cut afunder by thofe blocks ; namely, the main tack-block 

 between D and B, the fore (heet -block between 4 and 6, 

 and the main fheet-block between 24 and 26. 



The fourth futtocks being the longell timbers in the (hip, 

 and, from their ihapc, very difficult to be gotten of the 

 whole length, efpecially for (hips which have much tumble- 

 home, or even long enough to run up fo as to make the 

 fide of the upper deck ports, particularly forward and aft, the 

 fides of fuch ports fliould have their fourth futtocks fcarfed 

 together with a hook and butt, as at fourth futtock 26 in 

 the difpofition, Plate II., giving Ihift to the port and each 

 other : or, if preferred, the fcarf fideways, as reprefented 

 at fourth futtock O. 



The third futtocks that come under the gun-deck ports, 

 are to be continued upwards to the under fide of the fill, 

 as at D. But when the third futtocks, owing to their 

 great compafs, cannot be gotten fo leng, they may be 

 fcarfed, as at 4, obferving always to get them longer than 

 the regular ihift. 



The defign of Plate II. is to have at one view every 

 timber on one fide the (hip, that the utmoft care may be taken 

 to reduce every timber to the fhortcll length admiffible ; as, 

 in a difpofition of this kind there is every opportunity of ft> 

 doing ; and likewife of pointing out and converting to the 

 beft advantage the moft fcarce and valuable timber. 



The Defign of Expanding the Bottom and Top fide. Plate III. 



The defign of expanding the bottom and top-fide, is to 

 have the lengths and breadths of all the planks at one view, 

 that the planking may be fhifted agreeable to the lengths to 

 be obtained, fo as to run no hazard of beginning with a ftiift 

 of planking that could not afterwards be continued. For 

 the planking of a (hip is a branch fo very material, that, un- 

 lefs it be judicioufly performed, it will unavoidably be very 

 injurious to, or fubverfive of, thofe good qualities that might 

 be expefted from the fuperior contlruftion of the fhip. 

 The planking ought, therefore, to be particularly well 

 performed : as, in the proper (hifting, fattening, and caulk- 

 ing, the goodnefs of every part of the materials for that pur- 

 pofe (hould, confequently, be very carefully infpefted. 



The length of plank is a very great objeft to be confi- 

 dered ; and, in the (hifting, it is principally to be obferved. 

 For Englilh plank it is allowed, and hath generally been 

 found to anfwer, that if three whole planks be wrought 

 between every two butts on the fame timber, and all the butts 

 to have a fix-feet (hift, or be in diftance from each other 

 fix feet, the planks will only be twenty-four feet long : this 

 fhift is generally followed, excepting for the wales, &c. for 

 (hips of every clals in the royal navy. But as Engliih oak- 

 plank, having fufficient breadth at the tops in that length, 

 has become exceedingly fcarce, merchant-fhips have the 



planks 



