060 
SHIP-BUILDING. 
ed aft. 0 \\ U, the plane of the midship- 
frame, a, b, c, d, e,f,h, the planes of the 
timbers before the midship-frame. 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 
(>, 7, 8, 9, the plane of the timbers abaft the 
midship-frame. XX, the figure of the upper 
rail of the head. GY, the projection of the 
knee of the head. 
I lie third horizontal riband is marked on 
the plate, a, a, the projection of the cat-head. 
1 bus we have endeavoured briefly to ex- 
plain the nature and uses of the principal 
draughts used in the construction of a ship, 
which reciprocally correspond with each 
other in the dimensions of length, breadth, 
■and depth. Thus the plane of elevation is 
exactly of the same length with the horizon- 
tal or floor-plane. The several breadths of 
the timbers in the floor-plane, and that of 
the projection, are mutually transferable ; 
and the real height of- the timbers in the pro- 
jection exactly conforms to their height in 
the elevation. Thus, let it be required to 
transfer the height of the wing-transom from 
the elevation to the projection : 
Extend the compasses from the point K, 
in the elevation, down to the dotted line pro- 
longed from the upper edge of the keel, and 
setting the other foot in the point p, then 
shall the line K p be the perpendicular height 
in the wing-transom : transfer this from the 
middle of the line BAG, in the projection, to 
the point K in the perpendicular AF, then 
will AK be the height of the wing-transom in 
the plane of projection : and thus the height 
of all the transoms may be laid from the for- 
mer upon the latter. 
Again : Let it be required to transfer 
the main-breadth of the midship-frame from 
the projection to the horizontal plane : Set 
one foot of' the compasses in the point 0 on 
the perpendicular CE, and extend the other 
along the main-breadth sweep 0 G, till it 
touches the perpendicular AP parallel to CE : 
lay this distance upon the horizontal plane 
from the point u in the line of the ship’s 
length, BAG, along the plane of the midship- 
frame to tiie point 0 ; so shall the line 
0 WU be the breadth of the midship-frame 
on the horizontal plane. 
Thus also the top-timber-breadth, or the 
distance of each top-timber from the middle 
of the ship’s breadth, may be in the same 
manner transferred, by extending the com- 
passes from the line BAG, in the horizontal 
plane, to the top-timber-breadth line upon 
any particular timber, as 1,2, 3, & c. which 
will give its proper dimensions thereon. 
In the same manner the breadths of all the 
timbers may be laid from the projection to 
the horizontal plane, and, vice versa, from 
that to the projection. Thus the height of 
each timber may also be transferred from the 
elevation to the projection, &c. 
'Fhe principal utility of these draughts, 
therefore, is to exhibit the various curves ot 
the ship’s body, and of the pieces of which 
it is framed, in different points of view, which 
are either transverse or longitudinal, and will 
accordingly present them in very different 
. directions. Thus the horizontal curves of the 
transoms and water-lines are represented on 
the floor-plane, all of which are nearly straight 
lines in the elevation and projection ; and 
thus the vertical curves of the timbers are all 
exhibited on the projection, although they 
appear as straight lines in the elevation and 
fioor-pkmc. 
Of constructing ships. 
The pieces by which this complicated ma- • 
chine, a ship, is framed, are joined together ; 
in various places, by scarfing, rabitting, te- | 
nanting, and scoring. 
During tire construction of a ship, she is I 
supported in the dock, or upon a wharf, by 
a number of solid blocks ot timber placed at 
equal distance from, and parallel to, each 
other. She is then said to be on the stocks. 
The first piece of timber laid upon fhe 
blocks is generally the keel : we say gene- 
rally, because of late, a different method has 
been adopted in some of the royal dock- 
yards, by beginning with the floor timbers ; 
the artists having found that the keel is 
often apt to rot during the long period of 
building a large ship of war. The pieces of 
the keel are scarfed together, anti bolted, 
forming one entire piece, AA, which consti- 
tutes the length of the vessel below. At one 
extremity of the keel is erected the stem. It 
is a strong piece of timber incurvated nearly 
into a circular arch, or, according to the 
technical term, compassing, so as to project 
outwards at the upper-end, forming what is 
called the rake forward. In small vessels 
this is framed of one piece ; but in large ships 
it is composed of several pieces scarfed and 
bolted together. At the other extremity of 
the keel is elevated the stern-post, which is 
always of one entire straight piece. The 
heel of it is let into a mortoise in the keel, 
and having its upper end to hang outwards, 
making an obtuse angle with the keel, like 
that of the stem -. this projection is called the 
rake abaft. The stern-post, which ought to 
support the stern, contains the iron-work, or 
hinges of the rudder, which are called gou- 
gings, and unites the lower part of the ship’s 
sides abaft. See the connection of those 
pieces in the elevation, fig. 10. 
Towards the upper-end of the stern-post, 
and at right angles with its length, is fixed 
the middle of the wing-transom, where it is 
firmly bolted. Under this is placed another 
piece parallel thereto, and called the deck- 
transom, upon which the after-end of the 
lower deck is supported. Parallel to the 
deck-transom, and at a proper distance under 
it, another piece is fixed to the stern-post 
called the first-transom ; all of which 
serve to connect the stern-post to the 
fashion-pieces. Two more transoms, called 
second and third, are also placed under 
these, being likewise attached to the fashion- 
pieces, into which the extremities of all the 
transoms are let. f The fashion-pieces are 
formed like the other timbers of the ship, 
and have their heels resting on the upper 
part of the kelson, at the after extremity of 
the floor-ribands. 
All these pieces, viz. the transoms, the 
fashion-pieces, and their top-timbers being 
strongly united into one frame, are elevated 
upon the stern-post ; and the whole forms the 
structure of the stern, upon which the gal- 
leries and windows, with their ornaments, are 
afterwards built. 
The stem and stern-post being thus ele- 
vated upon the keel, to' which they are se- 
curely connected by knees and arched pieces 
of timber bolted to both ; and the keel being 
raised at its two extremities by pieces of 
dead wood, the midship floor-timber is pla- 
ced across the keel, whereto it is bolted 
through the middle. The floor-timbers be- 
fore and abaft the midship frame are then 
stationed in their proper places upon the 
keel ; after which the kelson, which, like the- 
keel, is composed of several pieces scarfed 
together, is fixed across the middle of the 
floor-timbers, to which it is attached by bolts 
driven through the keel, and clinched ’on the 
upper part of the kelson. The futtocks are 
then raised upon the floor- timbers, and the 
hawse-pieces erected upon the cant timbers 
in the fore part of the ship. The top-timbers 
on each side are next attached to the head 
of the futtocks, as already explained. The. 
frames of the principal timbers being thus 
completed, are supported by ribands. 
The ribs of the ship being now stationed, 
they proceed to fix on the planks, of which 
the wales are the principal, being much 
thicker and stronger than the rest. The 
harpies, which may be considered as a con- 
tinuation of the wales at their fore-ends, are 
fixed across the hawse-pieces, and surround 
the fore part of the ship. The planks, that 
inclose the ship’s sides are then brought 
about the timbers ; and the clamps, which 
are of equal thickness with the wales, fixed 
opposite to the wales within the ship : these 
are used to support the ends of the beams, 
and accordingly stretch from one end of the 
ship to the other. The thick-stuff, or strong 
planks of the bottom within-board, are theft 
placed opposite to the several scarfs of the 
timbers, to reinforce them throughout the 
ship’s length. The planks employed to line 
the ship, called the ceiling, or foot-waling, is 
next fixed in the intervals between the thick 
stuff oi the hold. The beams are afterwards 
laid across the ship to support the decks, and 
are connected to the side by lodging and 
hanging knees. 
The cable bits being next erected, the car- 
lings, and ledges, are disposed between the 
beams to strengthen the deck. The water-j 
ways are then laid on the ends of the beams 
throughout the ship’s length, and thesprikett- 
ing fixed close above them. The upper deck 
is then {flanked, and the string placed under 
the gunnel or piansheer in the waist. 
They proceed next to plank the quarter- 
deck and fore-castle, and to fix the partners 
of the masts and capsterns with the coamings 
of the hatches. The breast-hooks are tin n 1 
bolted across the stem and bow within-board ; 
the step of the fore-mast placed on t Ire -kel- 
son ; and the riders fayed on the inside of 
the timbers, to reinforce the sides in different 
places of the ship’s length. The pointers, if 
any, are afterwards fixed across the hold dia- 
gonally to support the beams ; and the 
crotchets stationed in the after-hold to unite 
the half-timbers. The steps of the main- 
mast and capsterns are next placed ; the 
planks of the lower-decks and orlop laid ; the 
navel-hoods fayed on the hawse-holes; and 
the knee of the head, or cutwater, connected 
to the stem. The figure of the head is then 
erected, and the trail-board and cheeks are 
fixed on the sides of the knee. 
The taffarel and quarter-pieces, which ter- 
minate the ship abaft, the former above and 
the latter on each side, are then disposed! 
and the stern and quarter galleries framed 
and supported by their brackets. Th< 
pumps, with their well, are next fixed in the 
hold ; the limber-boards laid on each side of 
the kelson ; and the garboard strake fixed oft 
the ship’s bottom next tu the keel without. J 
