SHI 
143 
S H 1 
dency of ships to stretch, or draw asunder their upper 
works. The decks, too, are made subservient to the se¬ 
curing more firmly the beams to the sides of the ship, by 
the planks being laid diagonally in contrary directions, 
from the midships to the sides, and at an angle of 45° with 
the beams, and at right angles with the ledges. 
In frigates and smaller vessels, iron plates, lying at an 
angle of 45° with the direction of the trusses, are substituted 
for the diagonal frame of wood in ships of the line. 
By this mode of construction, the ceiling, or internal 
planking, is wholly dispensed with, and a very considerable 
saving of the finest oak timber thereby effected; and what 
is more important, those receptacles of filth and vermin be¬ 
tween the timbers, which were before closed up by the 
planking, entirely got rid of. This is not the least im¬ 
portant part of the improvement, either as it concerns the 
soundness of the ship, or the health of the crew. 
The first ships on which the new principle was tried, 
were those rebuilt or repaired in docks, from which they 
were quietly floated out without any shock from launching; 
but several of them sustained severe gales of wind, without 
showing the least symptoms of weakness, but quite the con¬ 
trary, not even a crack appearing in the white-wash with 
which their sides within were covered. If these experiments 
were not satisfactory, the launching of two of the largest 
ships in the navy established the fact of superior strength 
beyond the possibility of a doubt—the Nelson and the 
Howe. The Nelson, constructed on the old principle, was 
probably, in every respect, the best built ship in modern 
times; the timber sound and well seasoned; the workman¬ 
ship admirable; and no pains were left unemployed by Mr. 
Sison, the builder, to have her as perfect as she could be 
made; and her motion, when launched from the stocks, 
was slow, easy and magestic, without a shake or a plunge; 
yet the Nelson was found to have arched, after launching, 
no less than 9 inches. The Howe is a sister ship to the. 
Nelson, but built on the new principle ; and after launch¬ 
ing, she was found to have arched only three inches and 
five-eighths. The St. Vincent, built on the old principle, 
and the same in every respect as the Howe, likewise hogged 
on launching nine inches and a quarter; and the whole 
fabric, in both cases, was found, on examination, to be 
greatly disturbed; whereas the Howe exhibited no such 
symptoms. The Plate III. will shew the mode of trussing 
ships of the line according to the plans of Sir Robert Sep- 
pings, now universally adopted in the British navy. 
Fig. 1., where A. A. shews the timber strake and addi¬ 
tional keelson forming abutments for the lower part of the 
diagonal frame. B. B. The timbers of the diagonal frame. 
C. The longitudinal pieces. E. The trusses. F. The abut¬ 
ment for trusses between ports. G. Trusses. Fig. 2. is the 
deck constructed on the same principle. Fig. 3. a transverse 
section of the ship, with her four decks and their sup¬ 
porters. 
It has been a subject of discussion among ship-builders, 
whether tree-nails or metallic fastenings are to be preferred. 
The objection to iron bolts is, their rapid corrosion from the 
gallic acid of the wood, the sea-water, and perhaps by a 
combination of both; in consequence of which, the fibres 
of the wood around them become injured, the bolts wear 
away, the water oozes through, and the whole fabric is 
shaken and deranged. This corrosion of iron fastenings was 
most remarkable when the practice of sheathing ships with 
copper became general, and when iron nails were made use 
of to fix it: by the contact of the two metals and the sea¬ 
water, both were immediately corroded. Mixed metal nails 
are now used for this purpose; and copper bolts are univer¬ 
sally employed below the line of floatation, though it is . 
found that in these also oxidation takes place to a certain 
degree, and causes partial leaks. Various mixtures of metals 
have been tried, but all of them are considered to be liable 
to greater objections than pure copper. It would appear, 
then, that tree-nails, if properly made, well seasoned, and 
driven tight, are the least objectionable, being seldom found 
to occasion leaks, or to injure the plank or timbers through 
which they pass. This species of fastening has at all times 
been used by all the maritime nations of Europe. The 
Dutch were in the habit of importing them from Ireland, it 
being supposed that the oak grown in that country was more 
. tough and strong than any which could be procured on the 
Continent, and in .all respects best adapted for the purpose. 
“ Under all circumstances,” says Mr. Knowles, “ it appears 
that the present method of fastening ships generally with 
tough well seasoned tree-nails, with their ends split, and 
caulked after being driven, and securing the buts of each 
plank with copper bolts well clenched, is liable to fewer ob¬ 
jections, and more conducive to the durability of the timber, 
than any other which has been tried, or proposed to be 
established.” 
In the principle of the diagonal bracing another gentleman 
preceded Sir R. Seppings. Mr. John Walters proposed a 
plan of a similar kind, differing indeed only in this, that he 
placed his braces externally to the ship timbers. This has 
been tried and with success, but it is obvious it takes up 
more timber (if timber were used), than the internal bracing. 
Whether it is stronger we know not, but it leaves more room 
in the ship’s hold. It is considered best to make Mr. Wal¬ 
ter’s braces of gun-metal. 
Among the recent improvements for the preservation 
of ships’ bottoms, perhaps the most remarkable is Sir 
Humphrey Davy’s plan of protecting the coppers from the 
influence of the acid of sea-salt, by the superposition of 
iron bars, which thereby exert a galvanic agency on the 
decomposition of the salt in question. His experiment suc¬ 
ceeded ; but an unlooked for circumstance has arisen to 
overthrow its practical utility. The muriate of copper form¬ 
ed naturally on the copper, was found formerly to protect 
the bottoms from the adhesions of marine animals. This 
poison removed by the new plan, such multitudes of remora 
were collected on the ship as to impede her progress and 
renders the cleaning of her hulk a matter of much difficulty, 
and one which consumed a considerable portion of time. 
Consequently the advantages gained one way jWere lost 
another. 
The brief account of ship-building we have here attempted 
may serve to give our readers a general idea of the principles 
of this fine science, and of its most famous improvements. 
But in the limits of a work of this kind, it obviously cannot 
be treated with any practical fulness. We may refer, how¬ 
ever, to the very excellent modern work of Sir R. Seppings, 
as containing every thing at present known on the subject. 
SHITDAM, a parish of England, in Norfolk; 4J miles 
south-west of East Dereham. Population 1412. 
SI-IIPFUND, Shippond or Schipsfund, in Commerce, 
a large weight in Holland, Germany, Denmark and Swe¬ 
den, containing a different number of pounds in different 
places. 
SIIIPHAM, a village and parish of England, in the coun¬ 
ty of Somerset. Most of the inhabitants are miners, em¬ 
ployed in raising lapis calaminaris. The mines are worked 
even in the streets and gardens of the houses, the usual depth 
of the shafts being from 6 to 12 fathoms. Population 539; 
2 miles from Axbridge. 
SHIPLAKE, a parish of England, in Oxfordshire; 3 
miles south of Henley-upon-Thames. Population 485. 
SHI'PLESS, ad). Without ships.—It is by no means a 
shipless sea, but every where peopled with white sails. 
Gray. 
SHIPLEY, a parish of England, in Derbyshire; 9 J miles 
north-east of Derby. Population 563. 
SHIPLEY, a hamlet of England, in Northumberland; 
4f miles north-west of Alnwick. 
SHIPLEY, a parish of England, in Sussex; 6 \ miles 
south-south-west of Horsham. Population 1011. 
SHIPLEY, a township of England, West Riding of 
Yorkshire; 4| miles from Huddersfield. Population 793. 
SHIPLEY, a township of England, West Riding of 
Yorkshire, situated at the junction of the Bradford canal 
with 
