141 
SHIP-BUILDING. 
The bill-board may then be carried upwards from the upper 
side of the channel to the top of the side. The anchor- 
lining commences at the upper side of the bolster, which 
rests on the channel-wale, and is long enough at the fore-part 
for a man to stand upon. 
The main channel is 29 feet 6 inches long, placed in the 
same range as the fore channel, and its fore-end before the 
centre of the mast about six inches. 
The mizen channel is 16 feet 4 inches long, placed like the 
former, but it is more convenient when placed, as it now is, 
above the quarter-deck ports. 
The dead-eyes may now be drawn, observing to place 
them in such a manner that the chains may be sufficiently 
•clear of the ports. All the preventer-plates must be so placed 
on the channel-wales, and of such a length, that the centre of 
the chain-bolt may come about six inches below the upper 
edge, and the preventer-bolt about four inches above the 
lower edge of the channel-wales. The dead-eyes in the main 
and fore channels are sixteen inches in diameter, and eleven 
in number in the fore and twelve in the main, though lately 
another is added in each. In the mizen are seven, of eleven 
inches diameter; the centre of the foremost dead-eye is 
placed at or just abaft the centre of the mast, and the centres 
•of the others are placed so as to clear each other about three 
inches, which will admit of four-dead eyes between each 
port. It must also be observed to give each of the chain 
and preventer-plates a proper rake; that is, to let them range 
in the direction of the shrouds, which may be done, in the 
following manner: draw a pencil line upwards at the centre 
of each mast, upon which set off its length to the lower part 
of the head ; then, by drawing straight lines from that height 
through the centre of each dead-eye, the direction of each 
chain will be obtained by the direction of its corresponding 
line. The dead-eyes for the backstays are so similar to the 
former, that it need only be observed, that for the raking of 
them, the height of the top-mast to its head must be added 
to the lower mast, and that they are fixed at the after-end of 
the channel, or on stools, if need be, above the channels, as 
in the sheer-plan. 
The quarter-deck and forecastle ports can now be deter¬ 
mined, as they must be placed clear of the shrouds, and 
equally asunder, or nearly so, as circumstances will admit: 
thus, there are three on each side on the forecastle, made 
by the timber-heads there shewn, having also a timber-head 
between. But the practice now is to have a rail upon the 
heads of the timbers, and the sides birthed up on each side to 
the under side of the rail between the ports, and only three 
or four timber-heads run up, one in particular before the bill¬ 
board for the shank-painter. On the quarter-deck are seven 
ports of a side, and tour on the round-house, placed as clear 
as possible of the shrouds. 
The chest-tree for hauling home the main-tack must be 
placed near the after-end of the fore channel, or half the 
length of the main yard before the centre of the main-mast, 
and drawn from the top of the side down to the upper edge 
of the channel-wale. 
The steps on the side may next be drawn : they must be 
placed at the fore part of the main drift or gangway, about 
three feet in length, six inches asunder in the clear, and five 
inches deep : the upper step to be eleven inches from the top 
of the side, continuing the others to the upper edge of the 
wale. 
To complete the sheer-plan, the head and stern only remain 
to be drawn, the beak-head however is getting disused, and 
the bow continued to the top of the side. The figure of the 
stem is commonly square as represented at Fig. 2, PI. II., but 
Sir Robert Seppings has introduced round sterns. These, 
though not approved by all, seem nevertheless improvements. 
Sir Robert’s reasons for their adoption are thus stated :— 
They give additional strength to the whole fabric of a 
ship. i 
They afford additional force in point of defence. 
They admit of the guns being run out in a similar way to 
those in the sides. 
Vol. XXIII. No. 1560. 
From the circular form and mode of carrying up the tim¬ 
bers, an additional protection against shot is obtained, if the 
ship should be raked. 
The stern being equally strong as the bow, no serious in¬ 
jury can accrue in the event of the ship being pooped; and 
the ship may be moored, if so required, by the stern. 
A ship will sail better upon a wind, from the removal of 
the projections of the quarter galleries. 
Ships of the line have now a stern walk protected by a 
veranda, and so contrived that the officers can walk all round, 
can observe the set of the sails, and the fleet in all directions. 
The compass timber heretofore expended for transoms is 
substituted with straight timber, and worked nearly to a right 
angle, which affords a considerable saving in the consump¬ 
tion of timber. 
The counter being done away by the circular stern, the 
danger which arose from boats being caught under it is 
obviated. 
The rudder may now be represented in the sheer-plan, ob¬ 
serving, that the head is continued above the upper deck, 
high enough to receive a tiller about four inches above the 
deck; then allow for two hoops above the hole, making 
the upper part of the head 2 feet 6 inches above the deck. 
Continue upwards the aft-side of the stem-post, which repre¬ 
sents the fore-side of the rudder, from whence its breadth or 
aft-side is set off; and as this should not be more nor less 
than sufficient to direct the course of the vessel, the common 
practice is to make the breadth at the heel, or lower end, 
one-eighth of the breadth, which will be six feet for ships 
having a clean run abaft; but for merchant-ships, or those 
constructed chiefly for burthen, it may be one-seventh. 
The height of the lower hance may be fixed at the load- 
water-line, or about six inches above it, and its breadth there 
should be five-sevenths of the breadth at the heel, back in¬ 
cluded; set forward from thence 10 inches, or reduce the 
breadth to 3 feet 5 inches. The upper hance may be at one- 
third the height of the lower hance, and the breadth of the 
rudder there should be five-sevenths of the breadth at the 
lower balance, or 3 feet 1 inch; there reduce the breadth 
5 inches, which makes it 2 feet 8 inches, from whence a 
straight line may be continued to the head, which is 2 feet 
4 inches fore and aft, or larger, if the piece will admit of it: 
ei h hance should be reduced with mouldings, as in sheer- 
d‘aught, Plate I., and 3| inches drawn parallel to the aft- 
side to represent the thickness of the back. The heel of the 
rudder, at the fore part, should be 9 inches short of the under 
side of the false keel, and 11 inches at the aft-part, the sole 
included, which is 6 inches deep. 
The pintles and braces may be now represented, placing 
the upper brace about four inches above the wing-transom, 
that the straps may clasp round the standard on the gun- 
deck. The second brace should be so placed as to fasten on 
the middle of the gun-deck transom. The lower brace may¬ 
be placed 15 inches above the upper side of the keel, and 
the intermediate ones, four in number, to be equally placed 
between the two latter, making seven in all. The length 
of the braces may be governed by a straight line drawn 
from the third brace, which should be 4 feet 6 inches afore 
the rabbet of the post to the lower one, which is to be six 
feet. 
The length of all the straps of the pintles, which come 
upon the rudder immediately above the braces (except the 
thickness of the bur or saucers), may extend within four 
inches of the aft-side: Ihe pintles are 3| inches in diameter, 
and all 14 inches long, except the lower one, which is 2 
inches longer. The straps of the braces and pintles are fiye 
inches broad. r 
The length and breadth of the rudder being represented in 
the sheer-plan, Plate I., it is evident the breaks or hances are 
merely to produce the breadth as it rises towards the head, 
the greatest breadth being only required below the water, 
where it feels the motion of the ship. 
The fluid in passing to the rudder, exactly follows the 
outlines of the bottom; and supposing the rudder to. make 
2 0 an 
