SHIP.BUILDING. 



planks fliifted of various lengths, according to their thick- 

 refs ; as two and ahalf and three-inch plank to have a fix-feet 

 ftift, and two planks between ; and four-inch plank and 

 upwards, to have a five-feet (hift, and three planks between 

 every two butts on the fame timber. It is poffible, how- 

 ever, to have a very bad fhift, and yet have three ftrakes be- 

 tween every two butts on the fame timber : that is, when 

 the butts rife one above another in a regular manner, like 

 fteps ; for, as the upper butts, or thole in the top-fide, are 

 the moft likely to give way, all below would be inclined to 

 follow ; as, if the (hip begins to break her fheer amidlhips, 

 it is moft probable that the butts afore and abaft would yield 

 proportionably ; therefore, let one of the butts between 

 have a double fhift, or extend twelve feet ; then will the 

 ftepping of the butts before mentioned be prevented, and 

 the planks be twenty-four feet long. 



The ivales muft be wrought of f uch length, and the butts 

 fhifted, fo as to give the Itrongeft fhift to the ports and each 

 other. To do this, fome of the planks in midfhips fhould 

 have a three-port fhift ; that is, fhould over-launch three 

 ports ; being careful, in large fhips, to make one butt an- 

 fwer for the pump-dale fcupper. To affilt the converfion, 

 the planks may be wrought top and butt. When the wales 

 confiif of four ilrakes, they have a fair feam in the middle ; 

 but if wrought in three ftrakes, let the two lower ftrakes 

 be worked top and butt, and the upper ftrake of a parallel 

 breadth. 



The thlck-jlujf, or diminifhing ftrakes, from the lower edge 

 of the wale to the thicknefs of the bottom plank, being of 

 Englifh oak, is wrought top and butt, and fhould be fhifted 

 from the butts of the wales to the regular lengths of the 

 bottom plank as foon as poffible. 



The plank of the bottom is Englifh oak-plank ; as low as 

 the light water-mark, and below that, may be Eaft country 

 plank of the belt quality. The Englifh plank is worked 

 top and butt, to twenty-four-feet lengths at leaft. Now, to 

 break the fhift, fo as to work Eaft country plank to advan- 

 tage, requires care ; for, as juft obferved, the general fhift 

 of Enghfh plank is twenty-four feet, whereas Eaft country 

 plank is from thirty to fifty feet ; confequently, the beft 

 way is to work a double fhift at firft, or one of forty-eight 

 feet in length. It rarely happens that the fhift is broken 

 from Englifh plank to Eaft country plank, without intro- 

 ducing two planks between two butts on the fame timber in 

 fome places ; and, it may be admitted, owing to the 

 fuperior length. Be careful, in fhifting the Eaft country 

 plank, to keep the fhift as nearly equal as poffible, not being 

 confined to butt on one timber, but to make an ad- 

 vantage of drawing the butts having no lefs than a fix-feet 

 (liift. 



Eaft country plank is wrought of a parallel breadth from 

 ten to eleven inches, excepting forward and aft ; for the 

 fore and after-hoods that come into the rabbet fliould be 

 Englifh oak-plank. Four or fix ftrakes nearcil the keel may 

 be of elm or beech, obferving to fhift the butts clear of the 

 fcarfs of the keel ; and, likcwife, that no butt is placed 

 under the pumps, and to work them very broad at the port. 

 The edges and butts of the fix or eight flrakes next the 

 keel in Eaft India (hips, are rabbetted clofc ; and fine flannel, 

 dipt in tar, is put between, and thick kerfcy, alio dipt in 

 tar, is fprcad between thofe planks and the timbers. 



In planking the fore part of the bottom, the breadth of 

 the ftrakes muft be confidered, and alfo the (hapc of the 

 bow, that every ftrake of plank may be brought into the 

 rabbet ; and every plank fhould be kept from fnying as 

 much as poffible. But, in full-bowed fliips, it would be 

 jmpolfible to bring every ftr*ke to the ftem without too 



much fny. It is, therefore, cullomary to work in the 

 bow of fuch fhips a drop-ftrake next under the wale, or 

 more, if necefl'ary, and a fleeler at about four ftrakes 

 under it ; by which means all the ftrakes that come in the 

 rabbet will be of fufficient breadth. In order to take out 

 the fny, bring the fteeler well forward. In moft fhips, a 

 drop-ftrake abaft, clofe up under the wale, affifts the planks 

 very much ; and to produce a fair edge, be careful not to 

 work too broad on the fafhion-piece. 



The plank of the top-Jtde is generally wrought in parallel 

 breadths, therefore it had better not be more than nine 

 inches broad. The top-fide, being cut by the ports, drifts, 

 &c. requires the greateft ftrength to be given to it in ftiifting 

 the plank ; as no butt fhould be placed immediately over or 

 under a port, unlets there are two planks between. The 

 planks in wake of the main-matt fhould have a three-port 

 (hift : the others, afore and abaft, may have a two-port 

 fhift. As it is ftronger to butt between the ports, it may 

 be allowed fufficient to have a fliift of 5 feet 6 inches, where 

 a plank comes between ; or five feet, where two come be- 

 tween. But there ftiould not be lefs than a fix-feet fiiift where 

 no plank comes between. The channel and fiieer-wales, in 

 large ftiips, fhould work down to the flops of the ports in 

 midfhips ; and, where the fheer lifts forward and aft, fhoiHd 

 work down to as many ports as may leave fufficient flop, 

 and afford wood to receive the port-hooks, letting the wood 

 fo worked down be continued fix inches each way beyond the 

 flops of the ports ; thence to hance one foot to the regular 

 breadth : but, by all means, let planks run through, if they 

 hold but five inches after the ftops are cut, fo as that the 

 port-hooks will clear the feam ; for planks, however broad, 

 working down to the ports, make that part no ftronger than 

 any other. 



Forward in wake of the hawfe-holes, the planks fhould 

 be fo wrought as to have the feam to cut the plank as 

 little as poffible by the holes ; and care muft be taken that 

 no feams come behind the cheeks. 



The fiieer-ftrakes, as they are the greateft ftrengthener* of 

 the upper part of the top.lide, fhould have their butts dif- 

 pofed with the utmoft care, in order to produce the greateft 

 ftrength between the drifts, and give the (Irongeft (Ivift to 

 each other. They are wrought of parallel breadths, with 

 hook and butt fcarfs about four feet long between the 

 drifts. The butts afore and abaft may be fquare, cfpecially 

 behind the channels, which fhould be of Enghfh oak. The 

 others, owing to their great lengths, muft be of Eaft coun- 

 try plank. 



Obferve ; if the channel or (heer-wales are in three ftrakes, 

 two of them may be wrought top and butt, to alfift the 

 converfion. 



In planking the in/iJe, attention muft be paid that tJie butts 

 of the clamps, fpirkittings, and ftrings in the waift, fhould 

 give fhift to the butts outfide. 



Clamps, when wrought of a fingle ftrake, fhould have 

 hook and butt fcarfs about four feet long. 



Gun-deck clamps and fpirkitting fiiould have a three-port 

 fhift in midfhips, as fhould likcwife thofe of the middle and 

 upper deck. Clamps and fpirkittings, when wrought in 

 two ftrakes, may work top and butt, and one butt of the 

 latter is to come in wake of the pump-dale fcupper. 



The clamps of the lower deck cannot be wrought toward* 

 the after part of the fhip, agreeably to the hang of the 

 deck, fo as to admit of the after-beam's coming home to 

 the timbers, as it would wound them too much, or produce 

 too great a fny ; therefore the clamps may lift aft to pro- 

 duce an eafy edge, and fome of the after-beams, of courfe, 

 muft face on tlie clamps. 



4 A 3 However 



