On obviating the Necessity of lifting Ships* SJ5S 
No. Rb 
Method of obviating the Necessity of lifting Ships . JBy 
Mr, Robert Seppings, of Chatham Yardl *■ 
The following is a description of an invention by Mr* 
Robert Seppings, late master shipwright assistant in his 
majesty’s yard at Plymouth (now master shipwright at 
his majesty’s yard, Chatham), for suspending, instead of 
lifting, ships, for the purpose of clearing them from their 
blocks, by which a very great saving will accrue to the 
public, and also two-thirds of the time formerly used in 
this operation. 
From the saving of time another very important advan- 
tage is derived, namely, that of enabling large ships to 
be docked, suspended, and undocked, the same spring 
tides. Without enumerating the inconveniencies arising* 
and, perhaps, injuries, which ships are liable to sustain* 
from the former practice of lifting them, and which are 
removed by the present plan ; that which relates to ma«* 
nual labour deserves particular attention ; twenty men 
being sufficient to suspend a first-rate, whereas it would 
require upwards of 500 to lift her. The situation which 
Mr. Seppings held in Plymouth- yard, attached to him* 
in a great degree, the shoring and lifting of ships, as well 
as the other practical part of the profession of a ship* 
wright. Here he had an opportunity of observing, and 
indeed it was a subject of general regret, how much time* 
expense, and labour, were required in lifting a ship* par- 
ticularly ships of the line. This induced him to consi- 
der whether some contrivance could not be adopted to 
obviate these evils. And it occurred t6 him, that if he 
* Tilloch, toL 22. p. 242. From the Transactions ©f the Society of A_rt% 
who voted him the gold medal, 1804, 
