SHIP-BUILDING. 



batten to thofe fpots, the linder fiJe of the taffrail I, and 

 infide of the quarter-pieces, will be completed to make the 

 moulds to. The cove-rail D may be alfo marked ou the 

 taffrail mould, and likewife upon the quarter-piece mould. 



Praalcal Direakns for the aSual Building. 

 Having now explained the ufual methods of forminfj the 

 draughts, and laying off the feveral parts of the {hip, it re- 

 mains only to defcribe the progreflive manner of its aAual 

 building, or putting together the feveral parts. 



A flip being provided, the blocks on which the keel is 

 laid are ufually'about five feet afunder. Each block is laid 

 upon aground-way in the middle of the flip, unlefs a frnaller 

 vefl'el is intended to be built where the launch has been laid 

 for a large (hip. In this cafe, by keeping the blocks towards 

 one fide, the flidiiig-planks may be preferved for that fide. 



The blocks, being the foundation of the whole, mi:!t be 

 ver)' carefully fixed, "and their upper furface to a declivity of 

 five-eighths of an inch to every foot in the length, obferving 

 that there may be water enough to launch the (hip into, and 

 keeping them high enough at the fore-part to clear the fore- 

 foot of the ground-ways in launching, and to admit of the 

 fliding-planks to be laid with a dechvity of about feven- 

 eighths of an inch to a foot. 



The caps or upper blocks (hould be more in depth than 

 the falfe keel ; and they fhould be ciear-grained oak, that 

 they may fplit out the eafier when the falfe keel is put 

 under. 



The upper fides of the blocks are made ftraight fore and 

 aft, and level athwart{hips ; fometimes the after-blocks are 

 raifed above a llraight line, as the great weight of the ftern 

 and overhanging generally fettle in building. 



Keel is generally elm, fawn Itiaight and fquare, and is 

 fcarfed together with coaks, with tarred flannel between each 

 fcarf, which are firmly bolted together and caulked. 



The rabbet for receiving the plank of the bottom may be 

 trimmed out, leaving about a foot at each end of the fcarfs, 

 for the better caulking the butts. In the navy, the rabbet 

 is lined parallel to the upper fide of the keel to the thick- 

 nefs of the bottom plank ; but, in moft merchant-fliips, the 

 rabbet is taken out of the middle of the keel, to prevent its 

 canting, (hould the (hip take the ground. The keel is fet fair 

 and ftraight along the middle of the blocks ; and, to keep it 

 in that pofition, tree-nails are driven along its fides into the 

 blocks. 



Dead or rifmg-'wood is of oak timber, and fayed upon the 

 upper fide of the keel. The pieces along the middiips are 

 of a parallel thicknefs, and in breadth to overhang the keel 

 about two inches on each fide. The dead-wood afore and 

 abaft, for the fecurity of the half-timbers, is as high as the 

 cutting-down. This part of the dead-wood below the 

 ftepping-line is trimmed to the (hape of the body, and above 

 the ftepping, perpendicular to the fize of the ketlfon. The 

 fcarfs or butts of the dead-wood fhould give fcarf to the 

 butts of the keel, and to each other. 



Stem is compofed of two or more pieces of oak timber, of 

 the bell quality, as fhifting it is very expenfive. It is 

 fawn to its fiding and moulding, then trimmed and fcarfed 

 together as the keel, and the rabbet taken out likewife. 



On the ftern (hould be marked, from the mould, the 

 heights of the harpins, decks, cheeks, &c. and a line fquare 

 from the keel, and a middle fine as a guide to fet it by. 



Apron is alfo oak fawn to its fiding and moulding, and 

 fayed to the aft-fide of the ftern, to fuccour it at the fcarfs, 

 which are bolted through the apron, obferving to place the 

 bolts within the rabbets. 



Bollard-timbers are oak fawn to their fiding and moulding, 



their heads in wake of the bowfprit to he left the thick- 

 nefs of the plank infide and out ; they are fayed and coaked 

 to the fides of the ftem and apron, and bolted through, where 

 prafticable, obferving to place the bolts clear of the deck- 

 hooks. Sometimes oak fillings are fayed between the ftem 

 and bollard-timbers, to keep them more open in wake of the 

 bowfprit. 



Haivfe-pieces are oak fawn to their fiding and moulding, 

 and are fayed to the bollard-timbers, and to each other, in 

 wake of the hawfe-holes ; and are opened above and below 

 the hawfe-holes, for the admiffion of air, to about one inch 

 and a half. When in their places, they are to be bolted to 

 the bollard-timbers and each other, clear of the hawfe-holes 

 and breaft-hooks. Let it be obferved, that the hawfe-pieces 

 fhuuld be fo difpofed as to be equally cut by the hawfe- 

 holes. 



Stern-pojl is oak fawn to the fiding and moulding, and 

 (hould be provided for the top, and to work upwards, if to 

 be got. The .rabbet is trimmed out on each fide, to re- 

 ceive the plank of the bottom, to the (hape of the body; 

 and a tenon left on the heel, one-third the depth of the 

 keel. 



Inner-pojl is oak fawn to a parallel breadth, and fided, as 

 the (hape of the body may require, below the head : it is 

 fayed to the fore-fide of the ftern-poft, and a tenon is made 

 on the heel as on the main-poft, and the head left long 

 enough to tenon an inch into the tranfom next above it. 



Tranfoms are oak fawn to their fiding, whether rounding 

 upwards or ftraight ; and to the moulding by their refpec- 

 tive moulds. The wing-tranfom, if fawed only to the mar- 

 gin bevelling, may be brought in for other ufcs, if found 

 dcfeftive ; for tranfoms require much trouble and expence 

 to (hift them ; the quality of the timber ought, therefore,, 

 to be of the beft, and quite free from any defeft whatever. 

 In converting the tranfoms, let care be taken to work them 

 top and butt alternately. 



The tranfoms are to be trimmed with the greateft nicety, 

 and then let on the poft, with fcores on each fide of about 

 an inch ; obferving the greateft exadnefs in letting them 

 down, and that they ftand at right angles with the middle 

 line on the poft. The ends, when cut off to the mould, 

 are left one inch and a half longer, to tenon and face on to 

 the aft-fides of the fa(hion-picce. The ends may be opened 

 or mouthed, to admit the air. 



Fnjbion-pieces arc oak fawn to their fiding, then to the 

 mouldings and bevellings ; and, when trimmed, let on to 

 the ends of the tranfoms, in the manner already de- 

 fcribed. 



Frame-timbers are oak fawn to their fiding, flraight, and 

 out of winding, then moulded and fawn to their refpeftive 

 bevellings, except the cant-floors, which are fided to their 

 proper cant. 



The frame-timbers fhould be converted of found well- 

 grown timber, without fap or vein appearing in wake of the 

 ports, and fawn full to their fidings, fo that their fcaii cling 

 may remain after t!ie ports are trimmed out. Every timber 

 fhould alfo be provided to its length, confequently each 

 fhould ftand upon its proper head ; or if one timber happens 

 to be fhort, provide the next long enough to make good 

 the deficient length, as through-chocks (hould always be re- 

 jefted, or only admitted on extraordinary occafions. The 

 heads and heels of all the timbers to have one-third of the 

 fubftance left the moulding way, when trimmed ; and the 

 feats of the chocks lliould not exceed once and a half the 

 fiding of the timber. 



In providing the floors, care (liould be taken to reverfe 



the butt end of each fucceeding floor, becaufe the tops may 



9 fometimes 



