62 NAVAL SCIENCES. 



the fluke D, with which it strikes deep into the ground, the knob A, and 

 the holes B and C, for making fast the cable. The blocks (fig. 24 and 

 fig. 25), the last with a notch for the fluke, are used to lay over the fluke 

 after the anchor has been sunk, and to hold it down. To the cables of 

 such permanent anchors are fastened large buoys, to which the vessels are 

 moored. 



The ropes for the anchors are called cables, and take their name from 

 the anchors with which they are used, as the sheet-cables, bower-cables,, 

 stream-cables, and so forth. Besides these there are two spare cables. The 

 cables are made of the same materials and in the same manner as the com- 

 mon ropes, and as they have to hold such a great burden often against an 

 immense pressure, are constructed of an extraordinary thickness. They 

 are composed of three smaller ropes, of three strands each, and sometimes 

 of four ropes. They often have a hollow space in the centre, called the 

 Jeart, filled with a light-spun rope. The thickness of the cable is half an 

 inch for each foot of the ship's breadth, consequently in pi. 11, fig. 1, 21^ 

 inches. The length is usually from 120 to 150 fathoms, and they are gene- 

 rally double the weight of the anchor to which they are attached. If a 

 longer cable is used, it is made by splicins; two ropes together (pi. 10, fig. 30). 

 [n the first half of the figure the splicing is finished, in the other the work 

 is going on, the strands not being braided in. The cables for kedges are 

 125 fathoms in length, and often only 120. This last measure is called a 

 cable's length, and is used to measure short distances at sea. As the cable 

 is not wound on the capstan or windlass, small ropes called messengers 

 (pi. 11^ fig. 15 c) are attached to it, which pass round the windlass, and 

 the cable is thus drawn in without bending. 



Instead of hempen cables, chain cables are now extensively used. The 

 ship, fig. 1, has two chain cables of 180 fathoms, four rope cables of 120 

 fathoms, two smaller ones of the same length, and two three-stranded 

 hawsers also of the same length. 



The Ship's Boats. Every ship is provided with a number of boats of 

 different sizes, which are used for such services as cannot be performed by 

 the ship itself, on account of its size and weight or the shallowness of the 

 water. The boats are distinguished from those in common use on inland rivers 

 by not having broad and flat bottoms, but a sharp keel with side timbers 

 arranged ship-fashion. An iron ring is attached to the stern and prow, to 

 which is hung the tackle for hoisting or lowering. They are propelled 

 by oars, but can also be fitted up with masts and sails. Each boat has 

 from four to sixteen cross-benches, according to its size, for the rowers. 

 Except those which are used to fasten the sails, and which are secured 

 with iron bands, the benches are loose, and are removed to take in lading. 

 At every bench are two thole-pins for the oars, called row-locks. The 

 smaller boats are called yawls. The smaller merchantmen have only a 

 long-boat, a yawl, and the captain's gig or jolly boat. The sails are fore 

 and aft sails (pi. 10, fig. 6), standing at two thirds the distance from the 

 prow. A staysail is also sometimes used, and a jib rigged on a boom. 

 The boats are used in heaving the anchor. The buoy rope of the anchor 

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