869 
the Necessity of lifting Ships . 
The above account was accompanied with certificates 
from sir John Henslow, surveyor of the navy ; Mr. M. 
Didram, master-shipwright of Portsmouth-yard ; and 
Mr. John Carpenter, foreman of Sheerness dock-yard, 
confirming Mr. Sepping’s statement. 
Reference to the Engraving of Mr. Sepping’s method 
of obviating the necessity of lifting ships. Plate 10. 
This plan and section of a seventy-four gun ship de- 
scribes the method of obviating the necessity of lifting 
ships, when there may be occasion to put additional false 
keels to them, or to make good the imperfections of those 
already on ; also, when it may be necessary, to caulk 
the garboard seams, scarples, the keel, &c. ; by which 
means a very considerable part of the expense will be 
saved, and much time gained. The blocks are cleared, 
and again returned by the following process. A suffi- 
cient number of shores are placed under the ship to sus- 
tain her weight, and set taught, stationed as near the keel 
as the working of the battering-rams fore and aft will ad- 
mit. Avoid placing any opposite the blocks, as they 
would in that case hinder the return of the wedges with 
the battering-rams. A blow must then be given forward 
on the outer end of the iron wedges with the battering- 
rams in a fore and aft direction, which will cause them 
to slide aft, as shown in the plan. The battering-rams 
abaft then return the blow, and the wedges again come 
forward ; by the repetition of this operation, the wedges 
will be with great ease cleared, and the angular block on 
the top will drop down. When the work is performed, 
the block must be replaced under the keel, and the 
wedges driven back by working the rams athwart- ships* 
as described in the section. 
N. B. In returning the iron wedges, to avoid strain- 
ing the angular blocks, it is proposed to leave a few of 
VOL. I® 3 A 
