894 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 10, 1885. 



vided first,. 3 Five olay piKeons— Swift and Stanton divided first. 3, 

 Five clay-pjgeona-Wardvvell flrst. 4. Five bladrbtrds, straiglitaway 

 —Hnow first. 5. Five clay-pigeons -Wilson lli-st. R. Five blackbirds 

 -"Samson first. T Five clnv pipreonB^Warduell and Henry divided 

 first. 8. Five cla.v-piijeoiiK—WjuThvon ami Stanton divided first. !>. 

 Five blackliirds -L;iwson, -iwiCt and Palmer divided first. 10. Medal 

 rnatch. (en clay pigeons- SuD w iook the first nieda) with V, Stanton 

 the second with 8 ami \Ynrdnell tliw third with 7 out of 10. 11. Five 

 blackbirds- Ward wi II first, ii. Five blackbirds— Ward well first. 



National au.v ASSOCIATION Toitrnaments.— Special Notice.— l\lBin- 

 bers desirous of organizing l-ournaments in their vicinity, under the 

 allspices of the As.soi"iatiou, are requested to notify the uiuler-igned. 

 All the expenses of (he same will be paid by us. Malce your arraoge- 

 uients for 1886. We propose to establish a circuit of tournaments 

 annually. Claim your dateh now. General office and headquarters, 

 iV1a«ou, Ga.— Matt R. FrkemAn, Vice-President and aeneral Manager; 

 F. C. ETnaiottK, Secretary, Macon, Ga. Send 10 cents for hand book 

 containing rules, conptitulion, etc, "Fau-ty started and its future 

 depends entirely upon the manner in which the sportsmen throughout 

 the country respond. -'-C. M. Stark, April 18, IS^.—Adv. 



AMress all comimmicatioiis to the Forest and Stream PiMish- 

 ing Co. 



CRUISE OF THE COOT. 



HI. 



ADAPTABILITY to snrroundings is a chief requisite to life aboard 

 a small ^j^cht. Without such gift a constant Avar between boat 

 and man renders e.vistence in the limited cabin .space like durance 

 vile. Things must bp taken as they are. not as they miKht be. This 

 philosophical reflection had 1 o be drawn upon from the outset aboard 

 the Coot. She was represented to me as a' perfectly tight boat. No 

 doubt she was, from the standjjoint of a i^ersoii e;i rapport with the 

 foibles and vanities of sloop yachts in general. Leaky centerhoard 

 trunks are all but universal, and so accustomed have people become 

 to the failing that it would be hard to take to task any one who had 

 overlooked what has become a natural attribute through long stand- 

 ing. Indeed every well regulated centerhoard trunk ought to leak and 

 one which does not would proboidy gi^'e rise to suspicion. The Ooot 

 belonged to the numerous clasB aiu>ve suspicion. The leaks were 

 traced and it was resolved to reduce her lo a lower order by stopping 

 up the leaks with Cottoo. a light trunk lieing all the Coot's crew 

 aspired to. 



Of course the trunk split up the cabin into two o'dong halves, and 

 was always in the way. A mild piece of deception had been at- 

 tempted by covering the trunk with a mahogany top to serve as a 

 table. But after going out of (me cabiu door arid in at the oi her t-o 

 get from .Mde to side, it seemed like a erne] joke and the Coot's crew 

 sought a short cut. This was discovered by lying flat on top of the 

 crunk and rolling off to the desired side. Bruises and contusions 

 soon suggested rbat the boat could stand it, if you only could. Then 

 I cast about for an improved method of transition from the living 

 apartment to the divin across the way. Suddenly I fotmd myself 

 plump into the hunk with a "Why, how did you do that?" By doubl- 

 ing up in a ball and vatuting over the fence in the middle. Only 

 ready adaptability to circunisiTibed dimensions could bring about 

 this convenient substitute for more seemly but roundabout processes. 



The builders of the Ooot must Jiave been of an economical turn of 

 mind. They cut limbea-s only on ihe port side, prohalily with the 

 thrifty idea that it would be quite suftlcietit for the lioat to leak on 

 that side only. Oddly enough the pump was placed on the opposite 

 side. There were other peculiarities about the boat. At the risk of 

 drawing disdain from other centerhoard sailors, I may confess that 

 the board was always such a nuisance that it often remamed up 

 wlien it should have tieen do .vn, and way down when it sbould have 

 been botised. At the start I religiously attended the board, imbued 

 with a sublime faith in the inexorable necessity of a board to make 

 the Coot go straight about her- business. When ali t;he old wood in 

 the boat bad been split up into sticks to jam the board down and a 

 silk umbrella had been impres.sed for like service — fo"-, like all truly 

 good boards, it stuck fa*t evei y time— I grew less persistent in my 

 attentions. Finally the board « as allowed to take care of itself. It 

 suited me best, and the Coot did not seem to mind it a bit either. 

 She went about her business pretty much the same, board or no 

 board. A compromise was struck by dropping the board half way 

 and leaving it there for all time. Since then we get along together 

 with much less ftiction. Allot which inclines me to the belief that 

 in a boat of the Coot's draft, Syin. aft, the value of a board is over- 

 rated, and an 8in. rocktr keel might do just as well for cruising, giv- 

 ing more room in the cabin, a tighter and stronger boat, and no in- 

 convenient increase of druft. But you could not "sound" with the 

 board 1 That reminds me. 



Having my own misgivings about such a proceeding, I ventured to 

 purchase a lead and line. . It was with some hesitation that I entered 

 the chandlery store with that end in view. I felt guilty of needless 

 extravagance, for was not the Coot invested with that great blessing, 

 a centerhoard, to do all the sounding ui an automatic way'.' Would 

 it not tly up. pr itesting. did I presume to cheat it out of it« lawful 

 allowance ot water y Up she pons, and round goes the boat off shore I 

 What nicer and neater than thair Surely a lead and line were super- 

 fluous elabora'ious aboard the Coot. But once in the clutches of the 

 storekeeper, a trade bad to be made. I picked ont a little one— just a 

 little three pouni one to swear by. 



"And will 10 fathoms be enough, j'oii think?" 



"Enough ! Sir, I have a centerhoard boat I" 



"Abl" 



And the wily old 'longshore shark shook his oakurn curls and 

 backed ofC his wonden leg as he blinked his approval with the same 

 kiln-dried blink he bestovved upon all customers, and then chopped 

 off the line at fi>2 fathoms. That line has grown beautifully less by 

 degress. First, a stop was cut off; then a painter for the dmgy; then 

 a rope for the backet-till now my leadline is but a remnant of good 

 intentions, and the Coot may yet be hung up by falUng back upon 

 the slovenly custom of waiting for notice from her board. 



All boats have a characlei-. The Coot had hers. She was funny at 

 times, and occasionally obstreperous. She had a wondrous liking for 

 buoys. If there was a buov within range of her swing, she was dead 

 certain to coddle up to that buoy with a fondness as persistent a-s It 

 was disagreeable. It matters not how tide might flow or wind might 

 blow. Let the Coot catch sight of anythmg floating with some re- 

 seniblance to a buoy, and she at once set at naught all established 

 precedence of action, she would shoot and surge restlessly about 

 her anchor, from one side to the other, then in c rcles, then she would 

 back and fill, until by degrees .she worked up close to her fondling, 

 when a sudden crash would announce the attamment of her desires 

 and fetch ine out of the cabin at a bound to find the wretched object 

 of her affection bumping away undei- the harpius. rubbing gleefully 

 up and down the Coot's side and punching her playfully in the ribs 

 to my distraction. And the spiteful Coot appear, d to enjoy the 

 diversion, for she would hug the buoy and never let go till anchor 

 was litted. The pair were inseparable. So pronounced was this pre- 

 dilection, and so foroibl> had 1 been impressed therewith through 

 numerous shirt-tail encounter.^ with the thermometer below freezing 

 point, that after vainly fighting, then arguing, and finally plead mg 

 with the Coot and her chums, I gave up all attempts to keep them 

 apart, and preferred saihng five miles further to the next harbor 

 when one of those detestable buoys was near around. They became 

 objectb of hatred and vilification. 



The Ooot was always headstrong in getting under way, particularly 

 in a crowd of other boats, or with the beach bandy for grounding or 

 a pier convenient for collision. Like all catboats. she was a most 

 unseamaubke vessel to handle, though simple and amenable enough 

 when once in hand by the steersman. With the mast up in the eyes, 

 It was a feat of gymnastics to swig off on the halliards in making 

 sail and to break out the anchor by hard heaving, (.>nce the sail was 

 up, the Coot would go gyrating about the ancnor at a terrific rale, 

 enough to upset all calculations for making a "cast" or planning 

 maneuvers in advance. Slie was for the time being beyond control, 

 and she knew it. Like a frisky mule, she refused to be brought into 

 harness. With sheet in, she would lie down to the puffs and drive 

 over her anchor with suchforce that the line could not bs thrown off 

 the stembead for fear of losing the ground tackle altogethfr. Wi>h 

 boom wide off she refused to be eased, but would take ihe wind 

 astern, cavort down hill with all possible haste, get the Hue athwart 

 hawse, jibe over with a crash and keep on repeating the trick. It 

 vras the fault of the ng. With sloop or cutter the mamsad will keep 

 the yacht head to wmtl and give .yon a chiinre, after which yon lioist 

 headsaU and pay off al. will, tint tlieie v.m.s u't paying olf attoitli Hit^ 

 Coot. It just resolved itself ii:to a li^'Ut, and btlU luck eveiT tjriio. 

 1 tried getting the apfihor flra; t! id liia! iug sajl afterward. But the 

 Odof was Quit^ up to' nuih a ijunje, .Alth9ngh she \youl(j 

 n$.vef lie win'* or i^Aa i-'ut u/vjays ewogs at isonie yni 

 ftiwoUfitftbte c' f.ffl'eii^ -J nil ftjsias'fed 'Uus foree'oinsf feat, 



£,HBweuWbat- .:S up to tha wind aad iSi^ffc doTfrK to les- 



Then you had to hoist sail off the wind, and if there wfis do searoom 

 the predicament was worse thah donfoundidg. After much obiurga- 

 tioB 1 played a trick on the Coot which makes her do all the' work 

 and answers fairly well, if not in too close quarters. Sail was made, 

 the lx)om squared off and the anchor line carried aft to the cockriit. 

 As the Coot broke her anchor I would haul it in over the counter 



, , - - , - -.J over the counter, 



steering the boat with one foot on the tiiler and bringing her up into 

 the wind, the anchor in the meanwhile tieiug taken aboard abaft and 

 stowed in the cockpit. In coming to the cat was swung into the 

 wind, the anchor thrown out from the cockpit and the slack of the 

 line run forward and made fa.st over the stem head with a clove 

 hitch. Then sail was lowered with all possible speed, as 

 the Coot refused to lay in the wind like a self- 

 respecting sloop, but instantly romped off tuU tilt on 

 the wind with the risk of breaking the anchor out of its new hold If 

 the peak did not happen to coma do.vn. and it seldom did, as the sail 

 would fill away in a second, then there was trouble ahead until the 

 canvas had been snugged down. For a thoroughly nns .'anifinliko 

 and uncontrollable rig, commend me to the cat. But witli all its faults 

 it has some good points as an offset for short woi-k in river sailing 

 when single-handed. It is somctiitng gained to have no head sheets 

 to tend. But that is all, going wid^' the yacht yaws in a friKhtful 

 way and takes the helm bard up one moment and bard down the 

 next, if there be any sea. In smooth water the strong weather helm 

 which cannot be let go for an in.stani, and the fuss and check of the 

 rudder are annoying. It is but rough and crude work, this sailmg of a 

 catboat yawing three points either wa.y, compared to the fine touch 

 ot guiding a steady keel boat, swerving not a quarter point from the 

 mark you have ahead. 



The Ooot, like all of her class, was a very unsteady boat at an 

 anchor. She fretted and fumea and tore about, and she pulled Avith 

 a vicious snub at her line to every blast of sea. Being light in draft 

 with a large cabin house, the wonder was that she never tailed to 

 wind. The Coot refused to tail to anything. She was at cross pur- 

 poses with everything. She pitched and rolled like all shoal boats, 

 with a quick, jerky, mixed up motion. In short she had no stability 

 of character, nut alwavs seemed out of sorts with her lot. In these 

 respects she fully hved up to the reprehensibio traits of the whole 

 family of American centerhoard vessels. Knowing the contrary and 

 unsteady behavior of the breed I made light of the Coot's failings, 

 and the tomboy and her crew got along well together. One thing 

 was awkward tor the lone sailor. If caught out after dark or in 

 want of something below, it was dangerous to leave the stick to fill 

 or light lamps or to get a bite or a fresh chart. In light weather with 

 searoom it coiald be done. But in a chaimel with passmg vessels or in 

 puffy V* mds the risk was great. Not that the Coot was necessarily in 

 danger of capsijiing. but she would round up and pay olT on the other 

 t-ack with such speed that coUision. beaching, a knockdown after 

 losing way or sternooard in irons arid a circus in general was the 

 programme to be dreaded. Nor was lashing the helm an escape, as 

 the yacht was not .steady enough on her course to be under control. 

 Heaving-to a catboat is supposed to be effected by easing away sheet 

 and fastening down the helm. Hut that requires deadening the way 

 and is not to be depended upon. The Coot, for example, would at 

 once turn tail to wind after losing steerage w.ay, and swei-p up in a 

 quarter-mile circle, "O about and repeat on the other tack, frisky 

 demeanor not tolerable in narrow waters. In spite of being stifTeV 

 than the common run of her kind, a light breeze would lay the Coot 

 rail-to, and a wind of nice sailing strength would sand the waier 

 pouring along the lee gangway, while the dust would fly over the 

 weather bow and aft into the helmsman's face at every bit of sea 

 encountered. As soon as the boat began to pitch, sailing became a 

 nuisance, for the yacht would, come almost to a dead 

 stop at every bound. At such work she fell very much 

 short in point of efficiency compared to a hull fashioned more on cut- 

 ter principles. In fact, when the Coot would have to lie at her moor- 

 ings from sheer inability to accomplish anytning to windward, a 

 lieavier, deeper and narrower boat could he putting in good licks to 

 her next destination without hardship to vessel or crew. The Coot 

 would come down into a sea with a blow and a squash, shattering the 

 wave and scattering soap suds far and wide, bringing up with a thud, 

 at the same time tossing her boom about in the most ungainly and 

 unprofitable manner, when a cutter model would simply bow grace- 

 fully, though perhaps deeply to the oncoming roller, but continue 

 about her business in steady fashion as though nothing had happened. 

 It was the difference between a boat evolved from smootti water sail- 

 ing and one devised to cope with unruly conditions. There was no 

 help for It but to make tbe best of the bargain and tickle the Coot 

 along on her voyage as fine weather warramed. In her light draft 

 she had the advantage for spending the night or a gale on a mud flat, 

 where she was at all events safe under a snug lee. C. P. K. 



CHAIN CABLES. 



^"^HE use of chain cables is now so universal, that it 'is somewhat 

 L difficult to realize the fa«t that they were unknown before the 

 present century. In the chapter devoted to the history ot the sub- 

 ject in Mr. Traill's interesting work on "Chain Cables and Chains." 

 we are informed that the first recorded instance of chain being used 

 for cable was in the year 1808, in the Ann and Isabella, of 291 tons, 

 built at Berwick. The cable was made in Bell street. North Shields, 

 by Robert Flmu, of rectangular Welsh iron, worked round by the 

 hand hammer on the anvil. I'ae date is prooably fixed by the re- 

 markable incident which occurred soon after in the Tyne, and which 

 exemplifled the importance of the new departure. A great flood 

 occurred while the river was full of ice, ana not only was the Ann 

 and Isabella held by her cable, but a whole tier of ships made fast to 

 her were also saved, their hempen cables having been cut by the ice. 

 Flinn also constructed a machine for testing cable, and the firm 

 which he originated continued to manufacture cable till within the 

 last seven years. The second noticeable name in connection with 

 chain cable is that of a lieutenant in the Royal iNavy, Samuel, 

 afterward Sir Samuel, Brown. To him may be attributed the in- 

 troduction of the shackle and swivel, so indispensable to the safe use 

 of chain for cable. Brown's shackles were placed at intervals of 

 35 fathoms, and his cable was formed of short twisted links. In 1809 

 the first of them was tried in the Penelope, a vessel which )ia<l been 

 captured from tne French, and which he hhn.self commanded on a 

 voyage to and from the West Indies; He considered that through 

 having the chain cable he was able to nring her into the Thames 

 three weeks before the arrival of anj' of the vessels with which he 

 had been in company in entering the Channel. They had to keep 

 under sail on the ebb tide, whereas he had been able to stand in from 

 mid channel on the last quarter of the flood and ride out the ebb at 

 anchor, which was only po.s.sible with an iron cable. Samuel Brown 

 also succeeded in introducing iron cables into the Royal Navy. In 

 consequence of a report written by him to the Navy Board, a com- 

 mittee was appointed, and as a result of their investigation two ships 

 of the line, the Namur and the Monarch, the frigate Crescent, and 

 the sloop Alonzo, were each supplied with two bower iron cables of 

 100 fathoms each. In 1811 a further step was taken by a general 

 order being issued for the supply of iron cables to all vessels stationed 

 in open roadsteads at YarmontVi, Leith, Liverpool, Portsmouth and 

 the Thames, where hempen cables might be liable to injury from ice, 

 oi' f rom passing ships. The general adoption of iron cables in the 

 Royal Navy was, however, a matter of time, and hempen cables were 

 carried, if not used in the navy tiniO wooden ships gave place to 

 iron. 



In 18l3 further improvements were made in the manufacture of 

 cables by Tnomas Burton of London. The stud link, pretty nearly 

 as it now exists, is due to him; and he divided with Samuel Brown 

 the chain cable trade of the River Thames for some years. 



About the same time with Burton's invention, a well known Tyne 

 firm, at present known as Hawks, Cra vshay & Sons, had been so far 

 concerned in the manufacture ot chain cable as to put down a testing 

 machine able to work up to 90 tons strain. They also commenced to 

 make stud link cables, the consequence being a suit for an infringe- 

 ment of Burton's patent, ultimately compromised. The particulars 

 collected by Mr. Trafil of repa-ts from masters of vessels in 

 which chain cables were first used are interesting, as showing the 

 disadvantages attending tfle employment of the old hempen cable, 

 and also the reluctance of both the government and private owners 

 to trust the new material. It was not till 18:^3 that some vessels built 

 on the Wear had their entire outfit ot chain, and two years later some 

 ships were .sent away from that port with no hempen cables. 



In the early days of chain manufacture the links had been made 

 by the plain but tedious process of cutting a piece of bolt or bar 

 iron to the length required, and then bendmg in places after suc- 

 cessive heats In a common smith's fire, fotu- heats being required 

 to form the turns for each link and two heats for scarfing. In 1816, 

 however, Samuel Brown introduced the mandril, by means of which 

 the bolt or bar iron, as it left the rolls where it was manufactured, 

 was at once wotmd round in a spiral coil. It only then remained to 

 cut it in pieces, and each link was ready formed for scarfing. By 

 this improveoient not only was much labor saved, but the danger 

 obviated of injury to the metal by successive heats. Mr. Traill traces 

 at length ttie gradual spread of the trade to most of the places where 

 it is novy carried on ; he also describes several unsuccessful proposals 

 for alterations in the shape of links and mode of manufnctun-, One 

 of the former appears sonievvln.it worthy of notice. In I.H^iM a psiteut 

 was taken out tor the construction of links, tuiclteued fonsidi r;ii)iy 

 atthe^nds, Cables so designed would, Mr. Trajll shl:)'.^'^;, last very 

 ft)nch longer than that laadt- in the ordinary way, JJearly a]\ the 

 wpar Qu irftbl^ is 'vtert- tl'e linka ntti eioh othe'v et tbt! nuds. and 



were In the habit of Charging higher ptemiums for Vessels which 

 had chain than for those oiily provided with hempen eableg, In 1884 

 Lloyd s rules only specified the lengths of cable for each class of 

 ship, an.l it was not till 1846 that it was made a part of thesttrveyor'B 

 duty 10 see that the Cables had been tested, and that the strain ap- 

 plied had been marked on each length. 



It was about this date that chain cable at last superseded hempen 

 cables in the Royal Navy, tne number of the latter supplied to large 

 ships being in 1844 reduced to three against four chain cables, while 

 w 1847 It was further reduced to two, and in 1^54 one hempen tmble 

 only was required, and five chain cables. Before iron cables were 

 used a first-rate had as many as ten hempen cables supplied to her, 

 and in some eases eleven Tne largest sizest sizes were as much as 

 2.5in. in circumference, and weighed about six tons, and even when 



servative spirit of the oil naval administration, that with so many 

 ohvion.s drawback.s, hemp for so Irmg held its position against iron. 



In ISfiO the tii'st step was taken in the direction of legislation on the 

 RUb.iect of caljles and anchors, by the appointment of a Rfiect Com^ 

 mittce to inqnn-e into the (|ncstion. This Coramittee, while reporting 

 strongly as lo the vnlnc ;md de.sirabilitv of prot>ci- tests, did not 

 recommend that they Khoulrl be compnlsory, e.xi-ept in the case of 

 ve.sse!s which were to come under the pro^'isions of the Passengers 

 Act, or were m be oniployed in any way under Mer Majesty's 

 Government. It was in IHij-J that Lloyd's Register look the decisive 

 step of making it a condition of (jlasriflcation that the vessel's chain 

 cables should have been tested at a public niacbine, and in the fol- 

 lowing year they decided not to recognize certiflC;itcs unless thi? tast- 

 ing-house was under a corjioration, or open to an inspector appointed 

 by themselves. At the same time they opened Lloyd's Proving- 

 House for chain cables at Poplar, which was managed by them till 

 1873, when the Trinity House leased it, but only kept it open for two 

 years, and since that date there has been no" testing-house on the 

 River Thames. At present there are, under the management of 

 Lloyd's Register, proving houses at Tipton, Netherton, Low Walker, 

 Chester, Cardiff and Glasgow. The only estabUshment in the country 

 not un ler their management is that at Sunderland, which is under 

 the River Wear Commissioners. Mr. Traill gives facsimiles of the 

 certiflcatee, in colored ink, issued by each separate testing house, he 

 also has taken the trouble to collect an acount of the names and 

 marks used by every testing-house which has existed .since the first 

 legislation upon cables, so that by consulting his work it is pcssiblo 

 to identify the test of any old chain on which the marks are distinct. 



Legislation on chain cables began in 18t)4, and it was then 

 enacted that after June, 1865, it should be unlawful for makers or 

 dealers to sell unproved chain cables or anchor.--. Other Acts 

 affecting the question were passed in 1S64, 1871, 18(3, and 1874, 

 the latter giving certain powers to the Board of Trade to make 

 alterations by Order in Councd in the tests which had been 

 prescribed in detail in the Act of 1871. Mr. Traill gives the text 

 of aU the Acts and of the Order in Council, with the schedules of 

 the tests for each thickness of chain. The legal test consists of 

 breaking and tensUe strain, the ten.sile being from 6/ per cent In 

 small to 7sJ per cent, in large cables of the breaking strain in the case 

 of stud-link chain. In short, fink chain, or chain without studs, the 

 tensile strength is half the breaking strain. It is prescribed that 

 from every length of fifteen fathoms brought to be proved the tester 

 shall first select and cut off a piece of three links and subject it to 

 the pi escribed iireaking train. If this piece fail a second piece o£ 

 three Unks shall be cut off, and if it also fail the length is condemned. 

 If either the first or second piece of three lenghts stand the breaking 

 test the length is subjected to the tensile strain, and if this be passed 

 satisfactorily it is stamped as passed. It is considered by the super- 

 intendents of proving houses mat a piece of cable has failed to with- 

 stand the breaking strain if any flaw, crack or fracture in any one of 

 the three links is developed by it. In the event of any smafi fault 

 appearing under the tensile strain of such a character as not to indi- 

 cate a vital defect, repairs may be made on the premises of the 

 proving estabhshment, and after this the length must be again put. 

 under the tensfie strain. The chain may on no account betaiceni 

 away for repair. The theory of the legal system of teats is tJiat the- 

 breaking test proves the quality of the iron in the cable, but at the 

 same time inflicts fatal injuiy upon the Hnks subject to it; and the 

 tensile test is suflScient to bring out any defects in manufacture, sucli 

 as imperfect welds, t-tc. On this point Mr. Traifi makes some useful 

 remarks upon the injudicious practice, sometimes admitted, of using, 

 the vessel's new chains to check her in launching, it being the case, 

 that very great strains are brought upon them, often enough lo inflict 

 permanent injury, which may or may not bo visible. 



He also, for siinilar reasons, deprecates the practice of some manu- 

 facturers, of themselves subjecting cables to a much higher .sti-aiu 

 than the prescribed tensile test before tne chain leaves their wo. ks, 

 and in order to make sure of its passing the official test. 



Mr. Traill is evidently of opinion that the legi.slation upon tlie .sub- 

 ject of cables and anchors is wise and has had good results: hois, 

 however, quite awake to the fact that such leKislation is not all gain, 

 that shipowners are too often led by it to give up tronbling about 

 their cables further than to make sure that they ha ve passed the test, 

 That being all that is necessary, their only care is to get the cheapest 

 ground tackle possible, and hence, in spite ot very stringent legisla- 

 tion, cables and anchors are often very inferior to what a slightly 

 greater expenditm-e ot money would make them. This is only what 

 is to be expected; legislation on the mattt;r may be necessary, but it 

 cannot prove to bean unmixed good. 



Thus in stud cables, while the stud is an essential feature of the 

 cable, there is considerable latitude as to its size; it may be some- 

 what smaller than is desirable without affecting the result of the test, 

 and on the other hand, if it be larger than necessary, the statutory 

 test applied to the cable is not increased as would be the case for 

 a comparatively small increase in the diameter of the iron in the 

 curved link. If. then, the maker is paid by wei.trht for his cable, he 

 ■will frequently he very liberal in the matter of studs, which cost 

 him httle and for which the shipowner has to pay in the increased 

 weight of the chain, and also has to carry as useli^ss weight in thitj 

 ship. If payment is made by length, or for the total out/it. then 

 the studs are made lighter than is desirable. Mr. Traill gives 

 tables showing for each size of chain the size stud desirable, and 

 he also gives another column showing what is, in his opinion, the 

 miDimum size stud adniissihle. These and otner common defects 

 in chains are illustrated in series of beautifully draivn plates atthe 

 end of the work. One frequent fault in cable is when the end of 

 the link has too quick a curve, so that the part of the adjoining 

 fink bears on the side instead of on the end. Tne stram has thus 

 a tendency to open the links, besides which there is a fiability to 

 jamming of the cable. Some links of cable are faulty because of 

 the curve in tne middle being too fl-at, in fact sometimes a straight 

 line or even hollow. In that case the chain is liable to damage if 

 a cross strain is brougnt upon a Imk, ir« strength due to form beinR 

 much diminished. Joining shackles are fully illuhtra1;ed, as are 

 also anchor shackles; and while we are on this part of the subject 

 we may perhaps remark upon the generally magnificent get-up of 

 the dra-wings and letterpress. No expense hH.s been spared, either 

 for paper or engraving, and it appears pretty certain that Mr. 

 Traill cannot expect any pecuniary return for hisarduous labor. Wei 

 cannot think it possible that his lavish expenditure wfil ever be re- 

 couped by any possible sale of the book; it is indeed evident that hia 

 work is con uinore. 



One chapter of the work is devoted to a consideration of the quafily 

 of iron from which cables are made. It is shown that many very- 

 diverse kinds of iron are u-ied with advantage, and as ifie result of his 

 extensive experience, M. Traill merely prescribes that the iron should 

 have a breaking stram of about 3-3 tons per square inch, with a con- 

 traction at the point of fracture of about 4a per cent, of its sectional 

 area, and an elongation in a length of ten inches of 33 to 30 per cent , 

 according to the .size of the iron. If sucb iron be used, the strength 

 of stud chains under a steady tensile strain may be expected to be 

 15 to 18 that of the bar from which i hey are made; that is, the 

 link is .5 to .2 short of the strength of the double bar. If below the 

 minimum, tne work may be considered to be of bad quality, and, on 

 the other hand, greater strength than the raaxiramu stated is very 



'^'^Jn'^TraiU gives several tables of prices of chain cables from 1811 to 

 1883- in the former year they realized as much as MO per ton, but 

 from 1815 to 1843 the price gradually decfined to £li. Suice that date 

 it has fluctuated with the price of iron and the general condition of 

 trade m the coimtry. The maximum since 1843 was in 1874, and in 

 1883 the maker whose prices are given in tUe table referred lo. was 

 realizing from £12 lO.s. upwards, A list is also given of all the firms 

 engaged in the manufacture of chain cables in Great Britain, with a 

 short history of eaen. Twenty-seven firms are mentioned, of which 

 twenty have works in the Black Country, three on the Tyne, two at 

 Sunderland, one at Pontypridd, and one at Greenock, The firm which 

 has been longest engaged in the manufacture is that of Brown, Lenox 

 & Co., originated by Sir Samuel Brown, whose works were first at 

 Nan-ow street, RatclifC, afterwards m the Boroush, near Waterloo 

 Bridge, and then at M'illwall. Their works at Pontypridd, near Car- 

 nitf .'vvere started in 1818. ' « . 



ihe e.xtei]t of the chait) cable manufacture may be judged of from 

 the fact that troiii th4* early part of 1873, when the Testing Act came 

 jnt-i operation, nntil the latter part of 1883, a period of about eleven 

 years, somethmg like oi)e hundred and sixty-flve thousand tons of 

 cbftiti., I't-ptustintjuif a IwftU r:f abotifc thrse thouaaiid sji bijp fired 

 a5ile« a vajt'e pi! hc-Erly iwo an^arhalt raijiiCt''-!: st^^^ 



