WEIGHT AND SUPPORT IN SHIPS. 
423 
removed for the purpose of refit. Supposing this to be so, the engines and boilers must, 
of course, add greatly to the weight of the middle part of the ship, making the curve of 
weight in fig. 5 assume the form H E E H. Their effect on the ship’s immersion is but 
slight, and the curve of buoyancy consequently is but little altered, it being represented 
by the outer one of the two curves marked D I) in fig. 5 *. In this case it will be 
observed we have an excess of weight amidships as well as excesses at the extremities. 
The latter remain nearly the same as in the preceding case ; but the change of condition 
possessing most interest for us is amidships, where we have passed from an excess of 
buoyancy to an excess of weight amounting to about 80 tons on a length of 55 feet, or 
thereabouts. In consequence of this there are four water-borne sections (marked S 1 S l , 
S 2 S 2 , S 3 S 3 , S 4 S 4 ) in fig. 5 instead of two only, as there are when the ship is either fully 
laden or quite light. It would be difficult to give a better illustration of the changes 
that may take place in the distribution of weight and buoyancy in consequence of 
changes in the weights on board. 
Very few words will suffice respecting the condition of the ‘Audacious’ under circum- 
stances similar to those of the ‘ Minotaur.’ When quite light, with engines and boilers 
out, the distribution of weight and buoyancy are shown respectively by the curve H H 
and the inner of the two curves D D in Plate XVI. fig. 6. There are still four water-borne 
sections (II 1 R 1 , It 2 R 2 , R 3 R 3 , R 4 R 4 ) in this case ; but it will be observed that the excess of 
weight between R 2 R 2 and R 3 R 3 is very small, amounting to 65 or 70 tons on a length of 
12 feet, so that practically the conditions of strain are almost identical with those of a 
ship having excesses of weight at the ends only. This is therefore a very interesting 
change from the condition of the ship when fully laden (as in fig. 4), especially as the 
excess of weight at the bow is thus increased to about 160 from 115 tons, while that at 
the stern is about the same as that previously given, 210 tons. A still more interesting 
change is, however, produced by supposing the engines and boilers to remain in the 
ship when all the other weights are removed. The curve of weight then assumes the form 
H E E H in fig. 6, and the outer of the two curves D D represents the buoyancy. By 
this means it will be seen that six water-borne sections are produced, marked S 1 S 1 , S 2 S 2 , 
&c. in the diagram. At the extremities the excess of weight remains about the same as 
before, but now between S 2 S 2 and S 3 S 3 the excess of weight amounts to 155 tons on a 
length of about 20 feet, and between S 4 S 4 and S 5 S 5 to 80 tons on a little shorter space ; 
while between S 1 S 1 and S 2 S 2 , a length of about 60 feet, there is an excess of buoyancy of 
180 tons, and between S 5 S 5 and S 6 S 6 there is an excess of buoyancy of 225 tons on a 
length of about 65 feet. This is by far the most complex case we have yet considered, 
and I shall revert to it hereafter. 
The preceding cases show clearly the effect produced by varying the amount of weight 
on board a ship ; it is also obvious that changes in the stowage of the weights must 
* I have preferred marking the two curves of buoyancy in this diagram with one set of letters, as they 
lie so close together, the weight of engines &c. only giving the ship a little deeper draught in the second 
case. 
3 n 2 
