WEIGHT AND SUPPOET IN SHIPS. 
461 
support on a wave-crest the shearing-force probably does not exceed \ part of the total 
weight ; hence the above-mentioned fact, as to the increase of shearing-strains in a ship 
ashore, becomes obvious. 
The quantitative examples which have been chosen to illustrate the maximum strains 
incidental to suspension by the ends only are based upon the three typical ships pre- 
viously considered, viz. the ‘ Minotaur,’ the 4 Bellerophon,’ and the ‘ Victoria and Albert.’ 
As the result of calculations made for the ‘ Minotaur,’ it has been found that the centre 
of gravity of the ship, when fully laden, is 210 feet from the bow, and that when she rests 
upon the extremities the upward pressure at the bow equals 4925 tons, while that at 
the stern equals 4975 tons. These quantities obviously give the limiting values for the 
shearing-forces experienced by the ship. Next, as to the maximum bending-moment 
which will be experienced by the transverse section of the ship that contains her centre 
of gravity. Other calculations have been made which show that the centres of gravity 
of the two parts into which the ship is divided by the transverse section of maximum 
bending-moment are respectively 85 feet before and 81 feet abaft this section. Hence, 
starting from the fore end, we have — 
Maximum bending-moment=moment of upward pressure at the bow minus the 
moment of the weight of the fore part of the ship 
=4925 tons x 210 ft. — 4830 tons x 85 ft. 
= 579,300 foot-tons (in round numbers) ; or about 
= displacement in tons X^ °f the length in feet. 
In preceding investigations it has been shown that the approximate maximum bending- 
(hogging-) moments for this ship are for still water 45,000 foot-tons, and for support on 
a wave-crest 140,300 foot-tons, while in a wave-hollow the maximum sagging-moment 
amounts to 74,800 foot-tons. These figures speak for themselves, and illustrate the 
large increase in the bending-moments caused by the exceptional supports. The increase 
in the maximum shearing-force, from 450 tons in still water, 1365 tons on the wave- 
crest, and 695 tons in a wave-hollow, to 4975 tons when the ship is ashore, is no less 
striking. 
The ‘ Bellerophon ’ furnishes our second example. By means of calculations similar 
to those made for the ‘ Minotaur,’ it has been found that the transverse section passing 
through the centre of gravity of the whole ship is about 144 feet from the bow and 156 
feet from the stern, and that the centres of gravity of the parts of the ship before and 
abaft this section are distant from it 54 feet and 64 feet respectively. The weights of 
these parts are respectively 3825 tons and 3225 tons, and the upward pressures at the 
bow and stem being respectively 3666 tons and 3384 tons, we have 
Maximum bending-moment=3666 tons x 144 ft. — 3825 tons x 54 ft. 
= 321,400 foot-tons (in round numbers) ; or about 
= displacement in tonsXy of the length in feet. 
It has been previously shown that the approximate maximum bending- (hogging-) 
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