SHIP Bl 
ditto, by longitudinal curves, by which the 
several breadths are limited, and as they 
would appear to the eye, placed' directly 
over, and looking down on, the aforesaid 
sections, whether cutting .the solid (sup- 
posing a ship a solid body) either by hori- 
zontal, diagonal, or sheer planes. 
Thirdly. The body-plan, or plan of pro- 
jection, are the transverse sections of the 
ship, at the joint of every frame-timber, 
showing the half breadth of each frame- tim- 
ber, as it stands perpendicularly to the two 
former plans : hence, the frames contained 
between 0, or the midship, that being the 
broadest frame, and the stem, are repre- 
sented on the right-hand side, and the 
frames at aft 0 on the left hand of the mid- 
dle line in the body plan, are respectively 
called the fore and after body. 
It may be necessary to add, that in all 
these plans only one half of the ship is re- 
presented, as each side must be supposed 
to be exactly alike, and that they must be 
very accurately drawn to the dimensions 
given, which have all been examined by 
proper calculations, submitted to the most 
precise scrutiny, and the results have ac- 
tually stood the best test, that is, experi- 
ment ; the said ship having been really 
built, and found to answer every expecta- 
tion. Now, in the clearest manner pos- 
sible, we will endeavour to point out the 
utility of these plans, in the construction of 
the various curves that form the body of a 
ship, in their different points of view, whe- 
ther transverse or longitudinally, as on the 
several plans they will present themselves 
in very different directions; for, although 
the horizontal water-lines are represented 
by curves in the half-breadth plan, they are 
straight lines in sheer and body plan, and 
so likewise the appearance of the timbers ; 
for, although they present themselves as 
vertical curves in the body plan, they ap- 
pear as straight lines in the sheer and half- 
breadth plan ; these premises being well 
understood, we may proceed to the con- 
struction of these several plans ; and first, 
hi the V 
Sheer plan, draw the stem kpel, stern- 
post, &c. thus: draw a straight line that 
shall represent the upper edge of the rab- 
bit of the keel, more than the main half 
breadth of the vessel, above the lower edge 
of the paper, then to your right-hand square 
up the foremost perpendicular, allowing 
room to represent the head. Now, as the 
limits of our design will not admit of our 
continuing the dimensions of all the before- 
mentioned ships ; and as only one can be 
selected to form the sheer draught, the 74) 
gun-ship is made choice of, as being, of all 
vessels, the most handsome, and arrived to 
the greatest perfection in the construction ; 
therefore set aft 180 feet from the foremost 
perpendicular, and square up another, call- 
ing it the after perpendicular, which gives 
the length of the gun-deck, or first prin- 
cipal dimension. Then square up another 
perpendicular, 69.0 feet abaft the foremost 
one, which is the midship perpendicular 
marked 0 thus, and called df ad flatt. Much 
has been said concerning the situation of 
this transverse section, it being the broad- 
est part of the ship, and containing the 
greatest area of .s\;rface ; its judicious dis- 
posal will certainly facilitate the velocity of 
the vessel. All have agreed, and expe- 
rience has confirmed it, that its position 
should always be before the middle of the 
vessel’s length, or its centre of gravity. 
The French say, about ^ the length of the 
vessel from aft, and nearly there, may be 
its best position, as vessels, in general, have 
been found much better constructed since 
the midship has been fixed nearer the 
stern. 
Set up from the upper edge of the keel, 
or rabbit, the height of the under side of 
the gundeck, at the middle line, or middle 
of the ship, which is 24 feet 5 inches at the 
foremost perpendicular, 22 feet at 0, and 
25 feet 4 inches up the after perpendicular ; 
having these three heights, the. hang, or 
sheer of the deck may be obtained, all fore 
and aft, by a drawing-bow, the lath of 
which is pressed by Its screws, until it im 
tersects the said heights set up, as this is 
supposed to produce the arch of a circle 
equal to the sheer of the deck ; the upper 
side of the deck is then shown, by a line 
drawn 4 inches above, and parallel to 
its under side. Then, when the , under- 
side of the gun-deck intersects the foremost 
perpendicular, set forward 4 inches for the 
rabbit of the stem, and 7 inches afore the 
rabbit, for the fore-side of the stem, and 7 
inches abaft the aft-side of the rabbit, for 
the aft-side of the stem, the whole making 
18 inches, the moulding of the stem ; then 
with a radius equal to 24 feet, half the 
moulded breadth, sweep an arch which will 
form the aft-side of the stem below the 
gun-deck, intersecting the line drawn for 
the upper edge of the rabbit of the keel ; 
then lengthen the radius to the fore-side of 
the stem, and sweep a circle parallel to the 
aft-side ; then sweep in the aft-side of the 
