PART II.

=85.=--LAUNCHING A SHIP.

After the carpenters have completed the hull of the vessel, the necessary preparations for launching are commenced as follows:--

Get an anchor on each bow; get the cables on board and bend them to the anchors; range and bitt the cables; bend the buoy ropes, and see everything clear for letting go the anchors.

It will then be necessary to get four stout hawsers on the spar deck, two on each side; bend one to the other, and have them coiled down clear for running. This being done, pass the ends of two hawsers out forward, through the warping chocks on each bow; pass the ends aft, one on each side, and make them fast to some secure place, on their respective sides of the launching slip, as clear of the ways as possible. Stop the bights of the hawsers with a single rope-yarn up along the ship’s sides, so as not to interfere with the ways, or interrupt the progress of the carpenters while knocking away the shores previous to launching.

Have men stationed to attend to veering the hawsers and cables when the ship is off the ways, and also to letting go the anchors, if necessary. Have a few buckets of water ready to throw on the bitts, to prevent any danger that might occur from fire while veering the hawsers and cables.

The ways being well greased, and the necessary preparations for launching completed, all the blocks and wedges by which the ship was formerly supported, are driven out from under her keel, until the whole weight gradually subsides upon the sliding ways, or cradle; a few shores, or stanchions, remain, by which she is retained on the stocks until the period for launching arrives, which is generally at high water; they are then cut away, and all obstructions removed, with the exception of the _dogshore_ (a representation of which is given in the Plate). The word is given “to _launch_”--the dogshore is then knocked away, which causes her to advance down the inclined plane into the water.

If the ship should _hang_ after the dogshore is removed, it will be necessary to apply screws under the fore-foot, which will cause her to move immediately along the ways. The ways generally extend a sufficient depth under the surface of the water to float the vessel when she arrives at the extreme ends.

When the ship is off the stocks “veer away roundly,” and do not attempt to check her until she begins to _deaden her way_, then check her “handsomely” with the hawsers so as not to part them; if, however, they should part, let go an anchor immediately; if that should not bring her up, let go the other anchor, and veer gradually on both _cables_ until she is brought up.

_Note._--When a ship is to be launched it is always customary to hoist the ensign, jack, and pennant; the jack forward, ensign aft, and the pennant amidships. Flagstaffs are erected for that purpose previous to launching, as represented in the Plate, where you see a ship of war ready to be launched from the stocks.

=86.=--CUTTING OUT STANDING RIGGING.

_Lower Rigging._--Measure the distance from the larboard side of the mast-head to the foremost dead-eye in the starboard channels, which distance set off on the floor of the rigging loft and stick in a marlinespike at each extremity. The shroud stuff being stretched, stop one end to one of the marlinespikes; take the bight round the other and back again: this is the first pair of shrouds; pass it round again, _outside at each end_, for the second pair, and continue in this manner until one gang of rigging is completed. Mark the length of the eyes straight across at the _opposite end_, to the one stopped to the marlinespike; cut at the latter in an angular direction (so that the after-legs will be a little longer than the forward ones), and the inside pair will be the first pair of shrouds. Hitch a piece of spun-yarn round each shroud, in the centre of the eye, making knots on it according to the number of the shroud, commencing the inside pair with one knot. The mark for the length of the eye gives the place for the eye-seizing; the round of the rope giving their place on the mast-head. (_Old fashion._)

The proportion for the eye is the round of the mast-head above the bolsters; I have also seen the breadth of the seizing added (some allow five squares of the mast-head, which is the best rule), supposing it would lay fairer on the side of the bolsters than too close to the mast-head. This precaution is hardly necessary, as the rigging will stretch sufficiently in pulling up to bring the seizing down, no matter how much it may have been stretched before being warped round for cutting.

Rigging cut on the above old plan, causes great waste in squaring off the ends, after fitting the eyes, previous to turning-in the dead-eyes. I would therefore recommend (if not in a great hurry) a more economical plan. Get the shroud-warp on a stretch, or rather one end of it, long enough for one pair of shrouds; mark off the distance for the required service, and when completed--being wormed, parceled, and served, while on a taut stretch--measure the length with a tape-line, from _draft_ of first pair of shrouds, No. 1 starboard; when measured and chalked the required length, “come up the stretch,” and cut at the chalk-mark; middle the shroud at the centre of the service, and lay it on the loft floor. Continue fitting, and cutting, in this way until you get the number of shrouds required for the gang, allowing each pair of shrouds to lap over the diameter of the rope at the eye, as they are laid on the loft floor; alternately making due allowance at the ends, before cutting, for the carry aft, or the jump of a port, if required. (_See Plate._)

_Note._--In measuring the length of the shrouds, some prefer the distance from the opposite side of the mast-head to the partners, added to half the breadth of the deck, from the mast to the side.

In parceling, begin at each end where the service is to leave off, and parcel upwards to the middle of the eye, where commence serving downwards on each leg. The eye seizings are round ones, and when put on, the whole eye is neatly covered with parceling. A half-sister block is sometimes put between the two forward shrouds, for the lower boom topping lift to lead through.

=87.=--TOPMAST AND TOP-GALLANT RIGGING

Is cut in the same manner. In fitting the topmast rigging, always seize-in a sister-block between the two forward shrouds, for the topsail lift and reef tackles. The swifters are generally served the whole length.

The eyes of the top-gallant rigging are made to fit exactly around the cylinder; if there is an odd topmast, or top-gallant shroud, on each side, they are either fitted with a horse-shoe eye, or go together with a cut splice.

=88.=--BREAST AND STANDING BACKSTAYS.

These may be cut by the same rule; the eyes of the breast backstays are fitted in different ways. They are sometimes spanned together, making a square, the size of the mast-head; sometimes they have an eye like the shrouds, made to fit close; and others have a small eye seized in the bight, and lashed round the mast-head. The eyes of the standing backstays are fitted like those of the shrouds.

=89.=--CAT HARPEN LEGS, AND FUTTOCK SHROUDS.

Take one-third the breadth of the top, and lay of that distance from the eye-seizing, down upon the shrouds, each side; draw a line across which will represent the cat harpens, and measured on the scale, will give their length; splice in eyes at each end; worm, parcel, serve, and leather them. The distance from the extremity of the top and this line upon the shroud, will give the length of the futtock shrouds, which must have a hook and thimble in their upper ends, and a thimble in their lower ends.

=90.=--FORE-AND-AFT STAYS.

Measure from the after parts of the mast-head to where the stays set up, and to this distance add the length of the mast-head, for collars.

Collars for stays are the length of their respective mast-heads. The mousings are raised once-and-a-half the size of the stays, and at a distance equal to twice the length of the mast-head from the mousing. A Flemish eye is worked on the end, and the stay rove through it; or they may be fitted with lashing eyes, in which case each leg is the length of the mast-head; the service is continued the length of the eye below the mousing, the collars leathered, and the hearts turned in with the lay of the rope. Stays are wormed, parcelled, served, and leathered in the wake of all nipps, such as the bees, bullock-blocks, and sheave-holes.

=91.=--CUTTING LOWER MAST HEAD-PENDANTS.

The forward pair should be twice the length of the mast-head--the after pair twice-and-a-half; thimbles are spliced in the ends, and they are wormed or spanned together, so as to form a span to fit the mast-head.

=92.=--BOBSTAYS.

The bobstays are cut twice the length from the collars, on the bowsprit, to their respective holes on the cutwater. They are wormed, parceled, and served the whole length, and leathered in the nipp, after which they are rove through the holes, spliced together, and the dead eyes turned in, in the wake of a splice.

=93.=--BOWSPRIT SHROUDS.

The length from the bowsprit to the eye-bolts in the bows; a dead-eye or heart is spliced into one end, and a hook and thimble in the other.

=94.=--JIB AND FLYING JIB GUYS.

Take the distance from the boom-end to the bows, making a small allowance for reeving through the straps on the spritsail yard. They are generally fitted with a cuckold’s neck over the boom end, and set up with dead-eyes to the bows. The cuckold’s neck is served or covered with canvass. The guys in the wake of the spritsail yard are leathered. The martingales must be cut, and fitted to the manner in which they are rove.

=95.=--CUTTING RUNNING RIGGING.

The greater part of the running rigging may be cut as it is rove, making due allowance for the hands to clap on. The length and size may also be got from the rigging table for all classes in the navy (see rigging tables). The most proper way to ascertain the length of a rope is from the _draft_, or rigging plan of the vessel you are employed upon, making the proper allowance for leading out, &c., &c.

=96.=--RIGGING SHEERS, AND TAKING IN MASTS AND BOWSPRIT.

In cases where there is neither sheers nor wharf to have recourse to, in order to get the lower masts on board, it becomes necessary to get such spars as can be procured, and erect a pair of sheers on board for that purpose.

In doing this proceed as follows:--Take in a sufficiency of ballast to steady the ship, and shore the decks from the skin up, particularly abreast of the partners. Sling skids up and down the sides; reeve the parbuckles, and bring the sheer legs alongside, with their small ends aft; parbuckle them on board, raise one leg over the capstan, and their heads or after ends resting either on the taffrail, the break of the poop, or a spar placed in the most convenient spot, the more elevated the better. Square the heels exactly one with the other, so that when they come to be raised the legs may be found of equal height.

As near the after ends of the spars as may be considered necessary, when crossed, put on the head-lashing of new, well-stretched rope (_figure-of-8 fashion_), similar to a racking seizing, and cross with the ends. Open out the heels, carrying one over to each gangway, and placing it on a solid piece of oak or shoe, previously prepared for the purpose. Clap stout tackles on the heels, two on each, one leading forward, the other aft; set taut the after ones, and belay them. Lash a three or four-fold block, as the upper one of the main purchase, over the main lashing (so that it will hang plumb under the cross), with canvass underneath to prevent chafing; and in such a manner that one-half the turns of the lashing may go over each horn of the sheers, and divide the strain equally; also sufficiently long to secure the free action of the block. Lash the small purchase block on the after horn of the sheers, sufficiently high for the falls to play clear of each other, and a girtline block above all.

Middle a couple of hawsers, and clove-hitch them over the sheer heads--having two ends leading forward, and two abaft, led through viol blocks, and stout luffs clapped on them. These should be sufficiently strong to secure the sheers while lifting the masts.

The lower purchase block is lashed forward (perhaps round the cut-water), and the fall being rove, the sheers are raised by heaving upon it, and preventing the heels from slipping forward, by means of the heel tackles previously mentioned.

Sometimes a small pair of sheers are erected for the purpose of raising the heads of the large ones; in which case care must be taken to place them so as to allow the heads or horns of the other pair to pass through.

When the sheers are up, or nearly perpendicular, _cleat the shoes_, so as to confine the heels to their places upon them. They can then be transported along the deck by means of the heel-tackles and guys to the situation required, taking care to make them rest upon a beam, and to have the deck properly shored up below.

Finally, give the sheers the necessary rake by means of the guys, and set taut all the guys and heel-tackles. Also, five or six feet above the deck, on each leg, put two cleats, for the purpose of applying two stout lashings from _them above_, to the dead-eyes in the channels _below_, in order to give greater security; this being done, the sheers may be considered ready. (_See Plate_).

_Note._--The skids which are slung up and down the sides, are for the purpose of keeping the sheer-legs clear of the channels, and from thence to the plank shear. Mats should also be placed over the quarter galleys to prevent injury.

_Parbuckles_ are hawsers which are middled; the ends of which are taken through two ports which are about five or six ports apart, from outside, in; down over the rail, under the sheer legs; up again through snatch blocks, in the opposite water-ways, and luffs clapped on them. The counter parbuckles are used to ease the sheer legs down on deck, and are rove through the gun-deck ports. Mats should be placed in the wake of the chafe, where the parbuckle leads over the rail, or up through the gun-deck ports.

The parbuckling on board of heavy spars for sheers may be much facilitated at times, and injury to the ship avoided, by attending to circumstances, and getting them in at slack water, or over the bows or stern.

When a ship is confined to her own resources, the lower yards are the best spars for sheers; the heels (or yard-arms resting on the deck) being strengthened where they taper by a temporary fish, _woolded on_, and the woolding set up by wedges.

In a brig, the main yard and main boom are the best spars for sheers (if other spars are not available).

The shoes are made of either stout oak plank or beam timbers of pine, and long enough to extend over at least three beams, with a saucer in them for the heels to rest in; likewise, mortices or bolts in each end for lashing. The spare caps will be found very handy for placing the heels of the spars in, and the eye-bolts in them convenient for hooking the heel-tackles, and transporting along the decks.

=97.=--TO TAKE IN THE MIZEN-MAST.

Tow the mizen-mast alongside, with the head aft, and the garland[1] lashed on to the forward part of the mast, at the distance from the tennon to just above the spar deck partners; lash a pair of girtline blocks on the mast-head, and reeve the girtlines; bend the sheer-head girtline to the mast below the bibbs to _cant_ it. Overhaul the main purchase down abaft, thrust the strap through the eyes of the garland, toggle it, and secure the toggle by a back-lashing. Take the fall to the capstan and “heave round;” when the heel rises near the rail, hook on a heel-tackle to ease it inboard. Get the mast fair for lowering by means of the girtlines, have carpenters attending below, wipe the tennon dry, and white lead both it and the step, “lower away,” and step the mast.

Pass a couple of straps around the mast; to each of these hook the double blocks of the pendant tackles--the single ones to the sides, and hauled taut; wedge the mast temporarily, “come up” the purchases, man the guy and heel tackles, wet the decks, and transport the sheers forward for taking in the main-mast.

The object of taking in the mizen-mast first is, because the breadth of beam is less aft than forward; and the heels of the sheers being spread more as they go forward, the head lashing consequently becomes tauter; moreover, if the mizen-mast was taken in _last_, the bowsprit must be got in _first_, and thus the _advantage_ of securing the sheers to the foremast-head, when getting in the bowsprit, would be lost.

[1] Garlands are made of new rope, well stretched (salvagee fashion), marled together and parceled. They are laid on the forward part of the mast, a stout lashing put on over all, and crossed between the garland and the mast;--a good dogging also, if necessary, passed downward.

=98.=--TO TAKE IN THE MAIN AND FOREMAST.

Proceed in the same manner as in getting in the mizen mast. The garland for the small purchase should be lashed about the diameter of the mast, _above_ the main purchase.

In taking in either of the masts, if the sheers should be found to be a few inches short, the difficulty may be remedied by manning the forward guy-falls, and bringing the sheers perpendicular to the deck. Some distance may also be saved by using no garlands and having the purchase blocks lashed to the mast. If in lowering there should still be a difficulty, chocks might be placed on the kelson until the tennon rested on them; then steady the mast by means of the small purchase and sheer-head girtlines, while the main purchase is unlashed, and lashed again on the mast sufficiently high to step it.

If the ship has a top-gallant forecastle, it would be well to step the mast forward of the sheer legs, for the brake of the forecastle comes abreast of the partners; and, in a case of this kind, it would be well to take in the foremast first.

=99.=--TO TAKE IN THE BOWSPRIT.

Transport the sheers as far forward as possible, or as the bows will permit; send a hand to the sheer-head, bend on the girtlines to the small purchase block to light it up, unlash it, and lash it again to the forward fork or horns of the sheers, pass a strap round the foremast-head, to which hook a large tackle, carry it well aft, and haul it taut, for the purpose of staying the mast. Lash a couple of large single blocks to the foremast-head, middle a hawser, and clove-hitch it over the sheer-head; reeve the ends through the blocks at the mast-head, down on deck, carry them well aft, and take a turn. Hook the after heel-tackles forward, and take the after-guys aft; pass a bulwark lashing round each heel, rake the sheers over the bows sufficiently for the main purchase to hang directly over the gammoning scuttle, and make all fast.

The bowsprit being brought under the bows, with the head forward, and the garlands lashed on, the main one a little more than one-third from the heel, the smaller one between the cap and bees, having guys leading from the bowsprit to the cat-heads, and a couple of straps round the heel for hooking the bedding tackles. Overhaul down the purchases and toggle them; “sway away,” attending it by the guys, until nearly perpendicular; hook on the bedding tackles, which are taken from the bitts on the main deck, and led up through the partners; wipe the tennon dry, and white-lead both it and the mortice; “lower away,” bouse upon the bedding tackles, and bring it into its place; come up purchases, guys, unlash garlands, and proceed to dismantle the sheers.

If the ship has a topgallant forecastle, you will be unable to take in the bowsprit with the sheers without the assistance of a _derrick_[2] on account of the brake of the forecastle, it not being prudent to step sheers on the top of it.

When the ship is masted, and alongside the yard, commence getting on board and stowing ballast and tanks; fit the rudder, gammon the bowsprit, fit and set up the bobstays and bowsprit shrouds; fit fore stay collars; get on board tops, caps, cross-trees, topmasts and topgallant masts, placing lower yards athwart ships, topsail and topgallant yards amidships; also, have ready tackles and luffs for setting up the rigging and staying the masts, top-blocks with lashings for top-ropes, and all the rigging at hand and in order.

[2] See Derrick, in Miscellaneous Articles.

=100.=--GAMMONING THE BOWSPRIT.

In rigging a stage under the bowsprit for this purpose, make use of two small spars, such as topgallant studding-sail booms, with their heels lashed to the head-rail, their heads frapped together, and slung from the bowsprit end, and boards laid across from one to the other.

The gammoning is of new, well-stretched rope, generally water-laid. One end of the gammoning being whipt, is passed through the hole in the cutwater, and over the bowsprit with a round turn, then clenched round the bowsprit close against the stop or cleats; the other end passes through the forepart of the hole in the cutwater, again round the bowsprit (but before the clinch), and again through the hole in the cutwater, abaft the first turn. All the succeeding turns go in the same way, laying forward on the bowsprit and aft in the cutwater, and all are passed inside of the first turns; by which means the outer turns on the bowsprit which bear the most strain are more preserved from chafing than the inner ones.

The turns are then hove taut as follows:--A leading block is made fast to the holes for the bobstays by a strap long enough to admit of the pendant, which is then rove through it, leading straight through the hawse-hole to the capstan. In one end of this pendant an eye is spliced, through which a bight of the gammoning is passed, and retained by means of a toggle, while to the other end is hooked a long tackle, and the fall led to the capstan. As each turn is hove taut, it is, by some, nailed to the bowsprit, and by others, racked in several places, which is preferable to nailing.[3]

When all the turns are passed and hove taut, they are frapped together by as many crossturns as are passed on the bowsprit. The end is then whipped and seized to one of the turns.

In ships with two gammonings, the outer one is hove taut first, as it would otherwise slack the inner one.

_Note._--Iron gammoning is now allowed for vessels of all classes in the service. (_See Rigging Table._)

[3] See Gammoning the Bowsprit, in Miscellaneous Articles.

=101.=--FITTING RIGGING.

The shroud is hove well taut, with a tackle clapped on one end, and the other secured to a sampson post. It is wormed, parceled, and served a third down from the seizing; the swifter or foremost shroud all the way, except where the dead-eye is turned in. A sword mat is sometimes laced on the foremost shroud, which, I think, answers much better, as it can be taken off and the rope dried; and, from the different ropes I have seen rotted under the service, I feel convinced, the less on rigging, unless where absolutely necessary, the better.

In parceling the eyes, commence from each end of the service and finish in the centre, and pass several riding parts, as in breaking the shroud to form the eye, the service gets opened, which allows the wet to get in; and if the service is begun in the centre, doubled, and then passed toward each end, it will prevent the wet getting to the rope.

In forming the eye, take a good strand, knot both ends together, and lay it across both parts of the shroud; having brought them as close together as possible, pass both bights of the strand under the shroud clear of each other; then place a long bolt across, close to the strand on the upper side; take a round turn round the bolt with each bight of the strand on each side of the shroud, put a smaller bolt through each eye in the strand, and _heave it round_ the long bolt, and as the turns accumulate on the bolt, both parts of the shroud come together; when quite close pass the eye seizing, the shroud being previously parceled in the way of it.

When there is an odd on each side, it is fitted horse-shoe fashion to fit the mast-head; parceled, and served over a third down the same as the other shrouds. I have seen the odd shroud put on the mast-head first (after the pendants), instead of last; and then the others put on in rotation: No. 1 starboard, No. 2 larboard, No. 3 starboard, &c., &c.

=102.=--FITTING MAST-HEAD PENDANTS.

The long leg, when two, should be a third of the shroud. The eye is formed the same as the shroud: wormed, parceled, &c. A thimble is spliced in each end, the ends put in once and a-half, marled down, and served over. The foremost leg is once and a-half the round of the rope shorter than the after one. The thimbles are well parceled before being spliced in.

Small ships have only one pendant on each side; when this is the case, the rope is cut to the proper length, the starboard pendant is spliced into the larboard, and the larboard into the starboard, with a cut splice forming an eye, or span, to fit the square of the mast-head; a thimble is spliced into each end, and they are wormed, parceled and served;--they are the same length as a long leg, when a pair on each side.

=103.=--LOWER AND TOPMAST STAYS.

Stays are four stranded, and are now both the same size, and lashed abaft the mast-heads. The legs are made for the collar in laying up. When sufficient length is laid up for the stay, from whence the collar commences to the end for setting up, two strands, one for each, are left sufficiently long to double back, and are then laid up as four strands, forming the lashing eyes and legs. The ends of the strands are then unlaid, the inside ones wormed into the lay of the rope; the other strands are divided, laid up, and worked in alongside the first strands; then some more yarns are twisted smaller and used as backing; some inside yarns from each strand should be wormed into the stay their whole length, below the crotch; the legs are then wormed, so as to completely fill the rope, commencing from the centre of the eyes for lashing, which should be well opened with a large setting fid, and worming carried into the stay as far down as the worming of the legs. The outside yarns of the legs are then marled down, over all, round the stay, tapering the ends. The legs are well parceled and served, and likewise the stay, sufficiently far down to take the lower yards, and covered with tanned hide.

The stays should be hove well out with purchases, and allowed to hang, pulling up occasionally. I have known a line-of-battle ship’s stays (cable laid rope) to stretch out twelve feet, and after a two month’s cruise were long enough to allow nearly two feet to be taken off the fore-stays.

Stays fitted with lashing eyes are decidedly preferable, as they are easier shifted; the collars not being so long the yards can be slung higher up, and consequently braced further forward.

In the merchant service the stays are also fitted on the bight, or two in one, as follows: the bight is put over the mast-head and both ends taken forward and set up in their respective places. Others again put the bight under the bowsprit and set them up abaft the mast head, with lashing eyes, putting on a seizing at the proper place to form the collar. This last plan would not answer for a ship of war.

=104.=--TO RIG THE FOREMAST.

White-lead the mast-head in the wake of the trestle-trees, over haul down the girtlines, bend on the trestle-trees and sway them on board; take out the after chock, wipe them dry, bend the girtlines to the forward part and stop the girtlines to the after part; bend the main girtline to the after part also; “sway away,” having a steadying-line forward to keep the trestle-trees from catching under the bibbs, for if they should be heavy, one man aloft will not be able to bear them off; when above the bibbs, send a hand aloft to slip the stops, one at a time, so as to let them come down gradually. “Lower away,” bouse on the after girtlines, and get the trestle-trees in their places; send aloft the after chock, ship and bolt it. Tar the mast-head in the way of the rigging; overhaul down the girtlines for the bolsters, which are tarred and parceled; sway them aloft and stop them; lash the girtline blocks to the after part of trestle-trees.

The rigging is then sent up by the girtlines in the following manner:--

_Mast head pendants._--Foremost pair of shrouds, starboard side; foremost pair of shrouds, larboard side; second pair of shrouds, starboard side; second pair of shrouds, larboard side, and so on until all the shrouds are over, after which send up the stay, and last of all the preventer or spring-stay.

_Placing the rigging._--The girtlines being overhauled down send aloft the lower pendants, which have got a long and short leg, fitted together with a span, or square, the size of the mast-head; the long leg is placed abaft, so that in case of the forestay being shot away, the pendant tackles can be hooked in them without being in the way of the fore-yard in bracing; while the leg being abaft, the mast affords them good security. As soon as the mast-head pendants are placed they ought to be lashed abaft, the tackles hooked, and the mast stayed by them. Overhaul down the girtlines, bend the mast-head one on the shroud, with a timber-hitch, or toggle, four or five feet below the seizing, and stop it to the centre of the eye; take the girtline from the after trestle-tree, and bend it half way down the shroud; “sway away,” on the lower girtline, and lift the weight of the shroud. When high enough, the stop in the eye is cut, and it will fall over the mast-head; the men on the trestle-trees placing it fair on the bolsters, beating it well down, with commanders, and observing to have the eye-seizing come as near the centre of the mast-head as possible. The larboard pair is got up in the same manner, and so on until all are placed. Reeve the lanyards, if prepared with a knot on the end; a double-wall and crowned is preferable, a mathew-walker being liable to capsize; the lanyard should be rove through the hole under the end of the shroud, because in setting it up, the strain comes on the shroud first, and keeps the dead-eye in its place; if put under the standing part, the strain coming on the end first, the dead-eye would _slue round_.

_Setting up the lower rigging._--The rigging is often placed and then set up, but I would prefer (if time would permit) having it pulled up as placed. When the first pair on each side are over and placed, and the lanyards rove through both dead-eyes, clap a selvagee strap on each shroud well up; to this hook the single block of a luff tackle; the double, to a blackwall hitch in the lanyard; then take the lower blocks of the pendant tackles and hook them to both the falls of the luffs on each side; reeve the tackle falls through the leading blocks, and pull up, setting up both pair of shrouds at the same time, the men on the trestle-trees beating the shroud down as pulled up; when well up, place two pair more, and proceed in this manner until the mast is rigged.[4]

The advantage of pulling up a pair at each side, instead of singly, is evident from the fact that pulling up singly injures the seizing; as it is first dragged _forward_ and then _aft_ by the after leg, it is liable to slack the seizing, and perhaps snap the inside turns.

In rigging the lower masts, I have seen the after swifter go over first; a plan that is now adopted in small vessels. In staying the mast these swifters should be set taut, the mast being previously wedged, and the stays set steadily up. I have heard some old sailors dispute this plan, it being new, but for my own part I think well of it.

_Note._--The trestle-trees might be got over without knocking out the after-chocks, by running up a derrick abaft the mast, well lashed abaft below the bibbs, having chocks placed between it and the mast, sufficient to admit of the free passage of the after chock of the trestle-trees. They are sometimes got on before getting in the mast, but they then bring in an additional and unnecessary weight upon the mast-head, and moreover, in lowering, catch over the shear-head.

N. B. The blocks for _topmast stays_ should be put on _after_ the second pair of shrouds (on foremast).

[4] See note on lower rigging.

=105.=--FUTTOCK SHROUDS

Are now fitted, and hooked to the futtock plates in the top, and set up to an iron band round the mast. In small vessels these are iron, and set up with turnbuckles, or screws. Cat-harpens are seldom used, being considered unnecessary lumber aloft.

_Note._--The futtock shrouds are hooked to their respective plates, _with the points of the hooks in_.

=106.=--TO RIG THE MAIN AND MIZEN-MAST.

Proceed in the same manner as directed for the foremast. The mainmast of a frigate has one more pair of shrouds than the foremast, and the mizen-mast three less. The mizen-mast has only one pendant on each side, fitted with a cut-splice, and a thimble spliced in each end. The rigging is placed the same as the fore or main; the mast is steadied into its place with a couple of long burtons, one to each pendant, and hooked to straps round the bitts, or to ring-bolts in the fore part of the quarterdeck bulwarks. If the stays are not ready for going up, the tackles can be hooked to a lashing round the mast, the pendants being wanted to pull up the rigging (for placing); the rigging is the same as the fore.

In setting up the main-stays, pass one _under_, the other _over_, around the cross-piece in the four bitts, for the purpose; clap the selvagee straps well up the stay, and two more near the ends; to these hook two luffs; to the falls of the luffs hook the lower blocks of main tackles; reeve their falls through leading blocks, in as direct a line with the stay as possible, and grease the bitts in the way of the stay.

In placing the main stays, in the manner mentioned above, there is sufficient space between the stays for a shot to pass through, which often prevents their being both cut away at the same time.

When the rigging is to be set up for a full due, the stays in the way of the bitts are well wormed, parceled, served, and covered with hide; and the ends of the stays, and all the lower rigging whipped, and covered with canvass caps (neatly fitted).

=107.=--TO RIG THE BOWSPRIT.

_Bobstays._--The rope should be well stretched, wormed, parceled, and served, and in the way of the cutwater covered with leather; when none is to be had, pass two parts of parceling, the first against, the second with the lay of the rope; and serve with good stout spun-yarn, or four-yarn plait; then reeve them through the cutwater, splice both ends together, put the strands in once each way, marl down, and serve over. The hearts are then secured in their place (keeping the splice on the upper side) with a round seizing, with parceling under it. They are sometimes fitted to shackle to the cutwater, with iron plates let in flush with the wood, a bolt going through both plates, which is very snug and strong.

_Bowsprit Shrouds_ are single pieces of rope. When cut the required length (a hook and thimble), the latter parceled, is spliced into one end, put in once-and-a-half, marled down and served over; a heart is spliced into the other. After being hooked to eye-bolts in the bows for the purpose, they are set up to their collars on the bowsprit.

A celebrated master (now a commander) in the navy, and a first rate seaman, never served the bowsprit rigging _all over_; it is, certainly, in my opinion, better not to do so, as the water can never lodge, which it may do, by getting in from broken service, which cannot be repaired at sea. They are now fitted one-third chain, on account of the chain cable chafing against them.

It is not unusual, in small vessels, to insert thimbles instead of hearts in the bobstays, bowsprit shrouds, and collars; covering the lanyards neatly afterwards, with canvass.

_Placing the rigging._--Tar well the bowsprit; then put on the first forestay collar, first pair bowsprit shroud collars, first bobstay collar; second bobstay collar; second pair of shroud collars; spring-stay collar; and cap bobstay collar; then heave them close up, pass and heave well _on_ with a rose-lashing.

The man-ropes are spliced, or hooked into bolts in the bowsprit cap, and in the other end an eye is spliced; ends put in once-and-a-half, and set up with a lanyard to an eye-bolt in knight-heads or stanchions, for the purpose; splices served over, and leathered in the nip.

The goblines[5] are either clove-hitched, or may be fitted with a cuckold’s neck around the end of the dolphin-striker, and set up to the bows, one on each side.

[5] Called back-ropes by some.

=108.=--GETTING THE TOPS OVER.

_Whole tops._--Overhaul the girtlines for the cross-trees, white-lead the squares in the trestle-trees, and ship them. The girtlines being on each side of the mast-head are then overhauled down for the tops; one end is passed from underneath, and up through the hole for futtock plate and hitched to the standing part; the girtline can be rove down through one of the holes in the edge of lubber’s hole; the girtline stopped to the foremost edge, to holes bored for the purpose. A girtline is taken from the mizen-mast-head, and bent to the foremost part of maintop; bend on a tripping line to the pigeon hole leading from the foremast-head. Man the girtlines and “sway away;” when sufficiently high to allow the foremost edge of lubber’s hole to clear the mast-head, cut the stops and cant it over by the tripping line, and the top will hang in the girtlines, when it can be lowered, placed, and bolted.

I have seen girtlines bent from the foremost part of the fore-top to the bowsprit end; and from foremast to the forward part of the maintop; and from mainmast to foremost part of mizen-top, to assist in getting the tops over; but if they are properly slung it is not necessary.

The dead-eyes for the topmast rigging can now be hauled up, and put in their places in the top-rims: and also ship the top-rail, and stanchions in their respective places.

=109.=--GETTING HALF-TOPS OVER.

Unlash the girtline blocks from each side of the mast-head, and lash them on the foremost and after sides; send the end of the foremost girtline down abaft all, the other between the cross-trees.

If the starboard half is to be got over, place it on the deck with its upper side up, or on its edge with the upper side aft. Take the foremost girtline, reeve it down through the foremost hole, by lubber’s hole for the purpose, (or from aft forward, if on its edge,) take it underneath the top, and if the hole for the futtock plate will take it, reeve it up, (or from forward, aft, if on its edge,) and half-hitch it to the mast-head, or standing part; then take the mast-head part under the top, (if on its edge, to the foremost side,) and seize it well to the foremost corner with a piece of small rope, through a hole bored for the purpose. Take the after girtline, reeve it the same way through the after hole bored for the purpose in the after part of lubber’s hole; pass, and half-hitch it the same way as the fore one, and secure it with a good seizing of small rope, through another hole bored in the foremost corner. If the futtock holes will not take the girtlines, stop them with spun-yarn. The top should be so balanced in the girtlines, as to hang fair when the stops are cut. Reeve the other ends of the girtlines through the leading blocks; man them, and sway up the top with the after girtline; at the same time taking in the slack of the fore one. Have men stationed at the trestle-trees to bear off, cut the stops, and place. When the edge is clear of the cross-trees, cut the after stop and sway on both girtlines; and when the foremost corner is well up, cut the stops; the top will then hang in the girtlines, and can be easily placed. Shift the girtlines for the larboard half, get it up the same way, bolt and secure the top. Shift the girtlines on each side of the mast head, as they were before. A girtline from the mizenmast-head is sometimes bent to the foremost edge of the main-top, to assist in bearing off; (it can be dispensed with;) a rope’s end bent to the top and hauled well aft, will answer the same purpose. Half-tops may be swayed up, before the cross trees are sent aloft, and hung to the mast-head, one half on each side, swayed chock up; then send up the cross-trees, and bolt them to the trestle-trees; lower the half tops down on the cross-trees; place and secure them as before.

_Note._--In cold weather it would be best to get the tops over before rigging the masts, in order to give the men a more secure place for standing while placing the rigging; and in this case a derrick rigged on the top would be the best way to get the rigging over in a heavy ship. (If the topmast is pointed and swayed about six feet above the lower mast-head, it will make a good derrick for getting the lower rigging over.)

=110.=--GETTING UP TOP-BLOCKS, &c.

Top-blocks are large single blocks, having iron straps, which are formed after being put round the block, into a large hook. Overhaul down the girtlines through lubber’s hole; bend one part through the sheave hole of the block, and stop it to the back part of the hook; hoist it up, and lash it to the mast-head around the hook, with a lashing long enough to allow the block to hang half-mast-head high. Through this block reeve a hawser; send the foremost end down through the square hole in the foremost part of the trestle-trees; the after end through the lubber’s hole through a leading block on deck, and round the capstan.

=111.=--GETTING UP THE TOPMAST.

Take two half-hitches through the fid-hole, with the foremost end of the hawser, and stop the hawser well round the hounds of the topmast with a good lashing. Man the capstan, and heave the mast up and down. Unbend the hawser, reeve it through the sheave-hole in the topmast; send a hauling line down through the trestle-trees for the end of the hawser, which haul up and clinch round the lower mast-head over the block. Overhaul the girtlines down before all, and get the cap into the top.

_Note._--Pendant tackles may be used to a greater advantage than a hawser in pointing a topmast, when light handed.

=112.=--GETTING THE CAP INTO THE TOP.

Bend the foremost end of the girtlines, which were sent down before all, through the round hole in the cap, and stop them along to the after part of the square hole, keeping the bolts in the cap _up_.[6] Man the girtlines and “sway away,” bearing well off the fore part of the top. When high enough, lower, and place the round hole over the square hole in the trestle-trees. Sway the topmast well through and lash it securely to the cap; put a capstan bar in the fid-hole with a hauling line on the end, and heave the topmast up; when the cap is clear of the lower mast-head, haul on the line from the bar in the heel of the topmast, and it will slue the mast and bring the square hole of the cap over the lower masthead; ship the cap-shore, then lower the hawser, or tackle, and place the cap, beating it into its place. Land the mast, unreeve the hawser, unlash the top blocks, and hook them to their proper bolts on each side of the cap; reeve the hawser through one block, through the trestle-trees, through the sheave in the top-mast, up through trestle-trees again, and reeve the end through the foremost bolt in the cap on the opposite side of the block; before reeving it through, parcel it well; take two half-hitches on its own, or standing part, and secure the end with a round seizing of spun-yarn. Bring the hawser to the capstan, heave the topmast up and try the fit; (then lower away, get the topmast on deck, and try the other set); and then lower the mast for rigging. Secure the girtline blocks to eye-bolts in the cap, or to the topmast cross-trees.

_Note._--The stop should be taken off the hounds of the topmast, directly it is pointed through the trestle-trees; and when getting on deck, after it is landed, single the hawser the same as when getting up and down, and stop it to the hounds; then have slip ropes on the heel to haul it forward or aft, whether fore or main, and place it on the chocks, for stowing on the booms. A fore-topmast is generally stowed with the head forward; a main with the head aft; both heads are sometimes stowed forward, a practice that is frequently adopted at the present day.

[6] The object of _keeping the bolts up_ in getting the cap into the top, is, that they may not catch on the top rim and cause delay, and perhaps injury. (_It is not intended to be shipped so._)

=113.=--TURNING IN DEAD-EYES.

If in the loft, get the length from the mast-head to the deck, from the draft, if the masts are not stepped, and place the dead-eye to that length, making due allowance for stretching in setting up. Turn the dead-eye in as near the end as possible, so that all parts of the shroud may be equally stretched, which will prevent its having _a gouty end_.

The principal caution is to keep the lay in the rope, as it prevents the wet getting in. If the shroud is to be wormed, and served in the wake of the dead-eye, the worming should not be hove in too taut, as breaking the shroud round the dead-eye would probably snap it.

The score being well tarred, the end of the shroud is taken underneath, round the dead-eye, inside standing, or mast-head part; a bolt is put in a hole of the dead-eye. Take a good strand, knot both ends together; it is then middled and crossed round the end of the shroud; both bights are taken round the bolt, one on each side of the dead-eye, and a smaller bolt put in each bight, which are hove round the large bolt in the dead-eye. As the turns accumulate, it heaves the shroud taut round. The dead-eye should be secured through one of the holes with spun yarn to the shroud before heaving, where the shroud is marked, for the lower part. When the dead-eye is turned in, in a loft, the shroud is hove in with a jigger, (or dead-eye machine).

When the shroud is hove well round, pass a good throat-seizing. When secured, take out the bolts, get a small jigger, hook one end to a strap round the end of the shroud, and the other to the mast-head part; take a good strand, knot both ends together, take it round the end and standing or masthead part; put a bolt in both bights, and heave it round, pulling up the jigger at the same time; this will bring the end taut up, as heaving on the strap brings both parts close together; then pass a round, or quarter seizing, and a smaller one on the end.

If the rigging is turned in on shore, keep the lay in the rope, and when sent out of the loft, to be placed on the mast-head, keep the ends inside, the shrouds being marked with a knot or a piece of spun-yarn, according to the number. The ends will lay aft on one side, and forward on the other; this is of importance and should be remembered.

_Turning in dead-eyes_, termed _Cutter stay-fashion_.--The dead-eye being placed to the mark, the end is passed round it as before, but instead of being secured with a throat-seizing, the end is passed round the standing-part and seized to the part round the dead-eye with a round-seizing, and another on the end further round the dead-eye. The same precaution as in the other way, keep the lay in the rope and _end_ inside.

_Note._--Worming and serving _shrouds_ in the wake of the dead-eyes is not a common practice in all ships, but I would recommend it as a great preservative to the shrouds, if they were served at least six feet above the dead-eyes. I have known of many gangs of rigging condemned on account of the shrouds being _magged_ and _chafed_ in the wake of the dead-eyes and throat-seizing, for want of service, when all other parts of the shrouds were found to be good.

=114.=--GETTING TOPMAST CROSSTREES OVER.

Overhaul a girtline through the round hole in the cap; and if they are to go up from the starboard side, overhaul and send it down, and the after girtline outside the top; hitch that through the round hole in the cap, well out on the starboard foremost horns underneath, and secure the end with a good seizing of spun-yarn; the after one bend on in the same way, to the after starboard horn; then stop both girtlines well with spun-yarn, close to the trestle-trees, and also with two stops, on the larboard horns; “sway away;” having a guy from the deck to clear it of the top, as it goes aloft. When the upper, or larboard horns are well clear of the cap, take two rope’s ends from the larboard side of the top, and bend them to the larboard horns, and man them in the top--these are called “steadying lines,” and are used to prevent the crosstrees _falling back_, if a stop is cut too soon, and to assist in getting the crosstrees on the cap, and over the mast-head. “Sway higher,” cutting the stops, and hauling on the steadying lines. When the trestle-trees are as high up as possible on the cap, haul on the steadying lines, and cut the stops close to the trestle-trees on the starboard side, and the crosstrees will fall across the cap; then place the after hole between the trestle-trees, over the round hole in the cap--cast off the girtlines and steadying lines--white-lead the mast-head in the wake of the crosstrees, and sway the topmast through; beat the crosstrees well down on the mast-head; and when placed, sway the topmast a few feet higher for rigging. Pass a lashing through the fid-hole, and round the lower mast, to steady it.

The topmasts are sometimes fidded before rigging, to avoid the greater strain upon the top tackles. If a topmast has only one sheave (like a mizen topmast), it is a good precaution to reeve a hawser through the fid-hole, and haul it taut, as the mast goes aloft; unreeving it only when the mast is high enough for fidding, or previous to the squares entering the trestle-trees.

=115.=--PLACING TOPMAST RIGGING.

Tar the masthead in the wake of the rigging; send the bolsters aloft, and stop them. After the bolsters are on, put over first the mast-head pendants--then the span for ginn blocks; then follows the straps, with thimble in for standing part of the tyes--next, first pair of shrouds on the starboard side, then the larboard; and so on, until all are over; then lash the breast backstay (if single); if a pair, put them over the same as a shroud; next the after backstays; lash the stays, if fitted for it, if not, put them over the same as lower stays, with _mousings_. The collars of the stays go between the cross-trees, and lash over the after one. Some prefer chain spans. The most approved method is an iron plate, with a hook on each end, which lays across the trestle-trees.

=116.=--TO SEIZE-IN THE SISTER-BLOCKS.

There is a score on each side to take the shroud, and three scores for seizing--one on each end, and one between both sheaves. They are seized-in the length of the hanging block, from the eye-seizing, to prevent any risk of the reef-tackle and lift being jammed between the hanging blocks and the rigging--one seizing is passed round the shrouds, above the block, another below the block; and a small seizing put on each score, round the block and shrouds. The topsail-lift leads through the lower sheave, and reef tackle through the upper one.

The larboard block should be seized-in once the diameter of the shroud lower than the other, as, if both are seized alike (the starboard shroud going over first) they would not be square when the rigging is placed.

=117.=--BACKSTAYS, (BREAST,)

When in pairs, are fitted with eyes, the same as the shrouds, and served sufficiently far down to be square with the service of the topmast shrouds. They are also parceled and served in the way of the lower yards, when braced up. When there is only one backstay it is secured round the mast-head with a lashing passed round it, through an eye spliced in;[7] they are set up to a treble block in the channels. Through these blocks a fall is rove, the standing part being spliced into the strap of the double block, and then led from the treble block through a fair leader in the side, in on deck.

_Note._--I have seen ships without breast backstays on any mast, and they carried sail equally well with those who had them; one was the _Independence razee_: her breast backstays were converted into standing ones, and set up a little further aft, or immediately forward of the proper standing backstays.

Breast backstays are generally pulled up in stays when the ship is head to wind, having a quarter-watch of topmen stationed by them. If they should be set up too taut, which may be the case, especially when the rigging is slack, they are likely to snap and endanger the mast by the sudden jerk; if not set up enough, they can be of no use, and are only an additional weight on the mast-heads, and a useless expenditure of rope. Their being set up to bear an equal strain with the rigging, will not occur with the greatest care once in a year, and I consider them particularly injurious on top-gallant-masts. A good stout _standing backstay_ is the main support.

[7] Some are fitted with a cut splice.

=118.=--STANDING AFTER-BACKSTAYS,

When in pairs, are fitted with an eye the same as topmost rigging. When an odd one on each side, they are fitted with a horse shoe. They are now fitted the same size as lower rigging.

The backstays are set up with a lanyard rove through dead-eyes, the same as shrouds, having service in the wake of the lower yards and tops.

=119.=--MAIN TOPMAST STAY

Is fitted of the same size as the standing backstay. A large clump block is strapped round the foremast head, over the eyes of the rigging, and immediately over the square hole in the after part of the trestle-trees. Through this block the main topmast stay is rove down, through the trestle-trees--has a thimble turned in the end, lanyard spliced and rove through it, and set up to a span shackle in the deck, abaft the foremast, for the purpose; or a large bull’s-eye hooked to an eye-bolt, and set up on the end.

The spring stay leads through a block strapped round the foremast above the cat-harpens, and sets up in the fore-top.

=120.=--MIZEN TOPMAST STAY

Is rove through a thimble strapped round the mainmast-head, over the eyes of the rigging; and when set up, is secured to its own part with round seizings. If preferred, it can be set up with a thimble turned into the end, and a lanyard rove through it; but this is not necessary. When the stays are well stretched, the thimbles can be spliced in, but it is not a good plan; for, should it be necessary to unreeve, the splice must be drawn, which will injure the rope. I have seen them fitted in this way, and pointed over for neatness,--but prefer their being turned in, and the end pointed or capped.

_Note._--There is no mizen topmast spring-stay.

=121.=--GETTING THE TOPMAST CAPS ON.

The girtline blocks should be lashed well up to the topmast head. Overhaul down before all the foremost ends, and secure them to the foremost bolts in the cap; stop them to the centre ones, and also to the square hole in the after part; sway the cap up;--when well up, cut the after stops, sway higher, and the cap can be easily placed by the man aloft, and girtlines cast off.

If the cap should be very heavy, use a derrick; a capstan bar will answer the purpose.

_Note._--Ship the capshore the same time you place the cap.

=122.=--MAST-HEAD MAN ROPES, &c., &c.

A piece of rope has an eye spliced in one end, and several overhanded knots made on the bight, at equal distances from each other. They should be long enough to reach a third down the topmast rigging, and seized round the mast-head close to the cap; one on each side is sufficient. They are absolutely necessary in large ships, and should be on all.

I have seen them in some very neat ships; and, when it is recollected the small space the men have for their feet when they get near the crosstrees, and the long mast-head, to get on the cap, it is certainly worth while to sacrifice something in the way of appearance to ensure the safety of a man’s life.

Some large ships have ladders with two steps, set up to the eyes of the topmast rigging, from the cap; also, spans and grab-ropes fitted, to go from the swifters abreast of the cap, which will be found very convenient for the topmen, when exercising sails. These may appear trifling matters to some, but ships fitted with them are generally ahead, when exercising in a squadron.

=123.=--TOP TACKLE PENDANTS, &c.

When cut to the required length, a thimble, _well parceled_, is spliced into one end, and the other pointed, with a becket in it. There are two to the fore, and two to the main topmasts. In the heel of each topmast there is a dumb sheave;--take one pendant and reeve it through the top block, hooked to the cap, through the trestle-trees, through the dumb sheave, or _heel-block_, through an eye-bolt in the foremost part of the cap, on the opposite side to the block; take two half-hitches, and secure the end to its own part, with a spun-yarn seizing; hook the top tackle block to the thimble in the pendant, and the lower one, to a bolt in the deck for the purpose; reeve the fall through a leader, and bring it to the capstan; heave well taut, and unreeve the hawser by which the mast was formerly hove up for rigging.

The other pendant reeves through the other top-block, through the sheave hole in the topmast, and clenched to the other eye-bolt in the fore corner of the cap; hook the blocks, reeve and bring the fall to the capstan, taking the other off, and manning it well. When no capstan, both falls must be well-manned by hand.

_Top Tackle Falls and Blocks._--The upper block is double, strapped, which is made into a hook; the lower is also double, and should be iron-strapped, having a swivel; a single one is hooked near the double as a leading block; the fall is rove; the standing part hitched, or clenched, over the block; they are sometimes spliced in, and some have beckets.

To hook the double block, clap a single tail-block well up on the pendant, reeve a whip through it, hitch one end of the whip through one of the sheaves of the double block, hoist it up, and hook it to the pendant.

=124.=--PREPARING TO FID THE TOPMASTS.

Capshores should be stepped and secured, luff tackles clapped on all the stays and backstays. Lower blocks should not be hooked on to the lanyards, but to bolts in the deck, and eye-bolts or straps in the chains; capstans and falls manned, topmast rigging quite clear, and hove over the sides of the tops, and the topmasts hove up and fidded, _mast stayed_, _rigging set up_, _&c._

=125.=--RATTLING THE LOWER AND TOPMAST RIGGING.

Cat-harpen legs and futtock shrouds are seized-on and set up; topmast stayed, rigging and backstays set up, lanyards secured as lower rigging,--then commence rattling down.

Girt the rigging with three fore and aft swifters--one by the shear rail, and the others at equal distances, as follows:--Make one end of a small rope fast round the foremost shroud, take a turn round the next, then the third, and so on, until all are taken in; then back the same way, and half-hitch it round the first. The swifter should be just taut, and not so as to bring the shrouds together,--the object being to make the ratlines a little tauter when let go. Sometimes swifters are not used, but the ratlines are never so square, or look well. Care should be taken that they are not too taut, for, when let go, all the strain will come on the seizing in the eyes of the ratlines, and they will be constantly snapping. Two swifters on each side are sufficient for the topmast rigging.

_Spar the rigging down_, with spare spars, such as studding-sail yards, boat’s oars, boat’s masts, handspikes, or anything _light_ that will answer, and seize them to the shrouds on the outside, at equal distances, leaving sufficient space for three or four ratlines between each spar.

A coil of small well-stretched rope is placed on each side of the deck, two or three on a side when required to be done quick. Splice an eye in one end of the rattling stuff, seize it to the first shroud, and then commence clove-hitching on the second, and so on to the after, but one; then measure the distance from that to the last, cut it off, and splice an eye in the end. Beat the _hitches_ well round each shroud, seize the end to the foremost one, and also the other eye to the after one, and rattle up, taking the shear of the rails. The hitches are formed on the outside, and at equal distances; in three or four places take a ratline to the after swifter;--these are called _shear ratlines_.

When it is necessary to rattle quick, take three ends up at a time. Fifteen inches is a good distance between the ratlines, and their places should be chalked off all the way up and down before commencing. Each man employed should have a measure within his reach, and care should be taken to make the ratlines on one side correspond in a parallel direction with those of the other. This can only be seen from the outside of the ship. Make the hitches neat, and the eyes small; few things tend more to a snug appearance.

If the rigging is to be blacked, after rattling down, it is best to leave the spars on until that is done, taking them off as you black down.

=126.=--FUTTOCK-STAVES IN TOPMAST RIGGING

Are iron bolts parceled and served; are seized to the shrouds the length of the _hounds_, down on the inside; seizings passed as in lower rigging.

_Cat-harpen legs on topmast rigging._--Take the length from the starboard foremost shroud round the mast, and to the after one on the same side; get a piece of rope this length, splice an eye in each end, worm, parcel, and serve it. There are two on each mast. Seize the foremost end to the foremost shroud and futtock stave, take it round the mast and seize it to the after one; secure one to the larboard side in the same manner.

I have seen them go from the foremost starboard shroud, straight to the after larboard one, crossing abaft the mast. They are also fitted to set up with thimbles and a lanyard, abaft the mast. When this is done, both eyes are seized to the futtock staves on the starboard side, a thimble seized in the bight, and set up abaft the mast to the larboard one, with a lanyard fitted in the same way. (Vessels with chain topsail ties are fitted with iron _bands_, to go round the mast, with eyes for the topgallant rigging to lead through.)

=127.=--TO RIG THE JIB-BOOM.

Hoist the jib-boom on board by the hawser or tackle, which was left at the foremast head when getting on board the fore topmast, run the end out on the bowsprit, pointing it through the stays and bowsprit cap. Reeve the heel-rope, and sway the jib-boom out a foot or two beyond the cap. Reeve the jib-stay through the hanks, _traveller if required_, and then through the inner sheave-hole, in the boom end, martingale and necklace, and turn a double block in the inner end; reeve the lanyard or fall through this, and a single block bolted to the bows. To the traveler seize the jib downhaul blocks and traveling guys; tar the boom end, put a grommet over, to which seize the fore topgallant bowline blocks, one on each side.

_Foot ropes._--There is one on each side of the jib-boom. They should be long enough when in their place to allow a man to stand navel-high along the boom, and are fitted as follows: take a piece of rope long enough to make both; cut it in the centre and splice one end into the other with a cut splice, forming an eye to fit the jib-boom end. Four or five overhand knots are taken at equal distances on the rope, from the eye, according to the length of the foot-rope; the knots are for the purpose of preventing the men from slipping. In each end splice a small eye, large enough to take a lashing, by which they are set up to bolts in the bowsprit cap. An eye is sometimes made by taking a round turn round the boom end, and two seizings passed. Also with a span, horse-shoe fashion, and neatly covered with canvass.

_Note._--Turk’s-heads worked through the strands, may be substituted for knots on the foot-ropes, if time will permit.

=128.=--JIB-BOOM MARTINGALE STAY

Is a short rope, with an eye in each end to fit the jib-boom, and end of the dolphin-striker. The eyes are well served, and covered with canvass or leather. The martingale is wormed, and a small twine seizing (snaked) put on round the worming at equal distances between the eyes; three, or four, according to the length, which must depend on the way the dolphin-striker is intended to stand, or rake. It looks best when perpendicular to cap or jackstaff.

Chain is sometimes used for the purpose, as also for back-ropes; and is found to answer well, it not being liable to stretch.

=129.=--JIB-BOOM GUYS.

There is one pair on each side; an eye is made to fit the boom end by passing a round seizing, when in their place; both ends are rove through thimbles on each yard-arm of spritsail yard (when crossed). Then brought in and both ends set up to bull’s eyes in the bow, or fitted with tackles.

_Placing the rigging on the jib-boom._--First, the foot-ropes; next, the martingale stay, and guys. In some ships, an iron grummet is fitted with an eye on top and one underneath, neatly leathered, and put over the boom-end first. The martingale stay is hooked to the underneath eye, the jib-tack and downhaul to the upper one.

=130.=--MARTINGALE BACK-ROPES

Are pendants, middled and served in the centre, the round of the dolphin striker, both parts crossed and secured with a throat seizing. The service should be long enough to take in the seizing. In the ends splice a single or double block; another single one is strapped into a bolt in the bow for the purpose, or fitted in a strap with a hook and thimble (hook moused). A gun tackle, or luff-purchase, is then rove, the standing part of the fall spliced round the pendant, in after end of the block, rove through the one in the bow, over the head rails, back through the one in the pendant, and through a fair leading sheave, in the forecastle bulwark. These falls, after being pulled up, are racked together outside the bulwark. If belayed on the forecastle, they should be seized to their next part, so as not to be let go by mistake.

=131.=--PLACING THE RIGGING ON A DOLPHIN-STRIKER.

Back-ropes first, and next the martingale; below this rigging, in the end of the dolphin-striker, are two or three sheaves, and one close above it, large enough to admit the jib-stay, which is rove through it; flying jib-stay in the next sheave, and flying martingale stay under all, which will show two ropes leading from each boom end, to the dolphin-striker.

=132.=--GETTING THE JIB-BOOM OUT.

The flying jib-boom iron is driven on; the heel rope manned (if rigged), and the boom hauled out. The heel strap is placed in a score in the heel for the purpose, and both bights lashed together; then another lashing passed round the strap, between the boom and the bowsprit, and the strap well frapped together. The heel being well secured, set up the back ropes and guys.

_Note._--Rigging to be placed same as jib-boom.

=133.=--SENDING UP TOPGALLANT MASTS.

The topgallant top blocks being hooked, we will suppose the long mast rope is to be rove, from the starboard side of the topmast-cap; take the end through the square hole in the fore part of the trestle-trees, half-hitch it through the fid-hole, and stop it round the _hounds_, and the royal mast-head; send the hauling part through lubber’s hole, and through a leading block or sheave on deck. The topgallant rigging is fitted on a sheet-iron cylinder or funnel, attached to the jack cross-trees (by an order from the former Navy Commissioners), leathered and painted on the outside, and tarred on the inside; put on the grommet or strap for the main royal stay[8] to reeve through, then put on the topgallant and flying jib-stays, starboard and larboard shrouds, breast and standing backstays, and secure them over the funnel; overhaul the girtlines down on deck, and bend them on to the rigging, around all parts, about the length of the mast-head below the jack, and a good stop through the funnel; hoist the funnel up and place it, with the rigging on, over the hole in the cap, and take the stays forward and reeve them.

Man the mast-ropes and “sway away,” having men stationed to bear off and place the rigging or funnel. When pointed through the funnel, place the royal rigging and truck, reeve the signal halyards, and _attach_ the conductor; “sway higher,” land the mast on the top or forepart of lower mast-cap, and, if required, reeve the short mast rope; reeve the pointed end through a block hooked to the cap on the larboard side, or the sheave, then through the trestle-trees, through the sheave-hole in the topgallant-mast, up through the trestle-trees, and secure the end to the foremost bolt in the cap, with two half-hitches, and seize the end; to the thimble in the other end, hook the double block of a burton; hook the single one to a strap round the trestle-trees; send the burton fall on deck through lubber’s hole, and lead it through a single leading block, and haul it taut; unreeve the long mast rope, and fid the mast; when the fid is in, the mast rope can be unrove, if wished.

Reeve the ends of the shrouds through the horns of the cross-trees, between the topmast rigging, over the futtock staves, and turn a thimble in each end; strap another round a futtock plate, inside the dead-eyes of top-mast rigging; if there is none placed in the top, splice a lanyard into that in each shroud, and take two or three turns through each, stay the mast, and set the rigging and backstays up.

In setting up the backstays the single block of the jigger, which is hooked to the thimble, is hooked to a blackwall hitch, in the lanyard, and when set up, expend the lanyard through the thimbles, and seize the ends. On both shrouds on each side clap on small jiggers, hook the double blocks to straps on the shrouds, the single to Blackwall hitches in the lanyards, and set up and secure the same as the backstays.

The fore topgallant stay reeves through the outer sheave-hole in the jib-boom, and through a bull’s-eye hooked to the bows, and when set up, is seized to its own part.

The main topgallant stay is rove through the middle sheave in the after chock of the fore topmast crosstrees, or through a block strapped around the fore mast-head, and set up in the fore top.

The mizen topgallant stay is rove through a bull’s-eye in the after part of the main cap, and set up in the main top.

[8] Suppose this to be the fore topgallant-mast.

=134.=--ROYAL RIGGING.

There is one breast, and after backstay on each side, seized as the after backstays on topgallant masts. The breast backstay or _shroud_, is pulled up with a gun tackle purchase;[9] the after leg has a thimble turned in, and sets up in the after part of the chains, with a lanyard.

_Royal stays._--As there is no funnel (although it would be a great advantage to have one), splice an eye in the stay to fit the mast-head, cover it, and serve over the splice. It goes on next to the grommet, then the shroud and backstays, spanned together.

The fore royal stay is rove through the outer sheave-hole in the flying jib-boom end, and pulled up through a fair leader on the forecastle.

The main royal stay is rove through a thimble stopped around the foretop gallant mast-head, through another strapped round the eye of a shroud, and when set up is seized to its own part.

Mizen royal stay reeves through a sheave in the after part of the main topmast trestle-trees, through a thimble strapped round the eye of a main shroud, and seized to its own part.

[9] Royal-backstays are set up with a jigger to their respective places in the channels. The shrouds are set up in the top breast-backstay-fashion.

=135.=--SHORT AND LONG TOPGALLANT MAST-ROPES.

_Short mast ropes_ have a thimble spliced in one end, and the other end pointed. They are rove when the mast is rigged, and are used for fidding. They should be sufficiently long (when the mast is landed on the top or cap), after being rove through the block and sheave in the heel of the mast, and clenched to the cap, to allow the thimble to hang clear of the cat-harpen legs.

If the topsail-yard is crossed, the mast is landed on it, for rigging; if the topgallant-mast should be too long to allow its being landed on the yard, the mast rope must be lengthened accordingly.

_Long mast ropes._--Ropes are often fitted for the purpose; but the topgallant yard rope is generally used. I have seen them fitted as follows, and they answered very well:--

The rope is rove, and stopped to the topgallant-masthead, and royal sheave-hole, leaving a long end over the upper stop, to hitch to the bolt, before cutting the stops. To prevent the rope _slipping_, rack both parts together above the sheave-hole in the heel of the mast.

=136.=--TO RIG THE FLYING JIB-BOOM.

Sway it on board and point it through the iron at the jib-boom end. A tail block is put on the neck of the iron, or on the jib-stay, close down to the boom. Through this block reeve the heel rope, one end taken in on the forecastle, and the other bent to the heel of the boom. A rope is bent to the heel of the boom to serve as a guy; sway the boom out a foot or two for rigging. Put over the foot ropes, fitted as the jib-boom, the inner ends seized to the jib-boom end, inside the iron. The martingale, when single, is secured round the boom end, clenched, spliced, or with a running eye, rove through a sheave in the dolphin-striker, and in on the forecastle, on the opposite side to the royal stay. When double, a single block is strapped round the boom end, and the standing part spliced round the dolphin-striker; hauling part as when single.

_Guys._--One on each side spliced into each other, forming a cut-splice to fit the boom end. The other end rove through thimbles, strapped round the spritsail yard, through fair leaders in the bulwarks, and pulled up on the forecastle, or set up on the bows.

Man the heel rope and get the boom out; the heel is placed in a step formed on the fore side of the bowsprit cap, for the purpose, and secured with a lashing, rove through the end, and passed round the jib-boom. Set up the martingale, stay the fore topgallant and royal mast, (fore and aft,) by the stays and backstays; and if the spritsail yard is crossed, reeve the guys, turn in thimbles, and set them up.

=137.=--SPRITSAIL LIFTS

Are single; have an eye spliced in one end to fit the yard-arm; splices served over are taken over the jib guys, rove through the bull’s-eye in the cap, and set up on the forecastle. Blocks are sometimes strapped into the bolts, but it is quite unnecessary. Bolts are often driven into the fore side of the cap, and the lifts led through; when this is done, they are generally set up there with lanyards and thimbles, spliced into the end, which answers every purpose.

=138.=--SPRITSAIL BRACES.

A single block is strapped into a bolt in the cheek of the foremast on each side. The brace has an eye in one end, to fit the yard arm; the other is rove through the single block, on collar of fore-stay, and another single block is spliced into the end; a luff tackle purchase is rove with it, and a double block on the deck, one sheave answering for a leading one.

They are sometimes rove double, but the practice is getting out of date.

=139.=--STRAPPING THIMBLES FOR GUYS ON SPRITSAIL YARDS.

The thimbles are double-strapped and secured, after being placed round the yard, and in the score of the thimbles, with a round seizing passed between the thimble and the yard; the splices laying in the upper side of the score in the thimbles. Some fit grummet straps, or a short-long splice, in the strap for neatness.

The use of double straps is to allow the thimbles to lay fair with the yard for the jib guys to lead through; if single, they would stand fore and aft.

=140.=--CROSSING A SPRITSAIL YARD.

The yard being rigged, prepare for crossing as follows:

Clap a good selvagee strap well up, on the fore topmast stay; to it hook a snatch or leading block large enough to take a hawser; reeve it and timber-hitch it round the starboard quarter of the spritsail yard, (if got out on the starboard side,) stop it along to the larboard quarter, and half way out on the larboard yard-arm. Overhaul down the lifts and braces, and sway out, keeping the larboard yard-arm under the bowsprit; when clear on the larboard side, put over the brace, or block, and lift, and haul out; when nearly out, or before clear of the head rails, put over the starboard brace or block and lift; haul on the hawser, starboard lift, and brace, and cast off the stops. When sufficiently out, pass the parrel, _take a turn or hold well on the end_; hook the tye, and square the yard. Cast off the hawser and unreeve it; reeve the jib-guys through their thimbles on the spritsail yard, turn in dead-eyes or blocks, and set them up to others on the bows; set all up taut and square the yard.

=141.=--TWO HALF SPRITSAIL YARDS.

Two half spritsail yards, made like dolphin-strikers, are secured to the bowsprit with jaws, (or an iron band fitted round the bowsprit, with a double goose-neck hinge,) to cant or turn in any required direction. When the half spritsail yard is carried it is rigged as follows:--

The fore guys are made of well stretched rope, and equal in strength to the jib guys together, each fitted with an artificial eye to fit the jib-boom end and half yard-arm. They should be wormed with small rope, parceled and served, or covered in the eyes; four stranded rope is preferable, it being not so liable to stretch as three.

The after guys are fitted with an artificial eye in one end, to fit the yard arm, and a thimble spliced into the other. They are the same size as the fore guys, and wormed in the same manner. If made on purpose, and four-stranded, the thimble is kept in the bight with a round seizing.

The jumper, or lower guy, is fitted the same as the after, only shorter; the length of this depends on the drop intended to be given to the yard arm, which should never be less than the spritsail yard, when well braced up, or, in other words, _canted_.

The jumper is put on the yard arm first, then the after one, next, the foremost, and over the jib-boom. The after one is set up to a bolt by the cat-head, well down; the lower, to an eye-bolt in each side of the cutwater, well out.

For a frigate, the guys are eight-and-a-half-inch, and wormed with twenty-one thread stuff. Four-stranded rope, if made on purpose, can have the eyes formed when laying up in the rope walk. Some fit forward and after guys all in one.

=142.=--WHISKERS.

Whiskers are iron outriggers from the cathead, with sheaves in them for the guys to reeve through, and set up to the fore chains, the same as when rove through the spritsail yard. This plan is much in use in small vessels, but the boom is supported almost entirely by the martingale, as the guys being considerably above the boom, and its always _topping up_, when the sail is set on a wind, the more wind the greater the strain on the martingale; and should the guys be not carefully pulled up, the boom must depend on the martingale entirely for support.

=143.=--TO GET ON BOARD AND RIG LOWER YARDS.

Overhaul the hawser from the lower mast-head, bend on to the slings of the yard, and get them nearly up and down; clap selvagees on the quarters, to which hook the pendant tackles. As it comes on board, cut the stops, easing away on the pendant tackle, and bousing on the other, until the yard is athwart-ships; place chocks in the hammock nettings for the yard to rest on; slue them fair, and lash them; come up the tackles, cast off the hawsers, and place a shore under the middle of the yard to prevent its springing. Measure the yard, tar and leather the slings, fit a saddle for the D thimble, which lash on with a piece of well stretched rope, heaving each turn taut with a Spanish windlass, and fitting the score of the D thimble. Cover all with leather, and fit the straps for the preventer slings, &c., &c., &c.

_Note._--The iron sling-bands are now used instead of the _old fashioned_ D thimble.

Chain is now generally used, and allowed to all ships in the service for the slings (proper), rope ones being used as preventers. (See Rigging Table.)

=144.=--TRUSS STRAPS.

A large thimble with the score well parceled, is seized into a double strap, which is made by splicing both ends together, and served over; the thimble secured in the strap with a round seizing, the splice laying in the score. The strap should be long enough to go round the yard in the quarter, both eyes lashing together on the fore side. There are two on each yard. One thimble is seized inside the truss pendant, the other outside; and one in the round of the pendant higher up than the other.

=145.=--TRUSS PENDANTS[10]

Are wormed, parceled, and served; an eye is spliced in one end large enough to take the pendant when rove through it; in the other an artificial eye is made, large enough to take the single block for truss fall. The pendant should be rove through the small eye before the artificial one is made, boused well taut round the yard, the eye being kept underneath, and one pendant higher than the other. Reeve the upper pendant through the upper thimble, and lower pendant through lower thimble. Being rove in this manner, they will lead perfectly clear of each other.

_Hide rope_ is preferable for pendants, but the iron patent truss is now allowed to all vessels, up to a second class frigate inclusive. (_New regulation_).

[10] For length and size, see Rigging Table.

=146.=--QUARTER BLOCKS--LOWER YARDS.

Quarter or topsail sheet blocks are large single blocks, with double straps; the block seized in with a round seizing, and secured round the yard, (inside the cleat, one on each side,) with a rose-lashing passed through both bights on the top of the yard. Before the lashing is passed, the block should be hove up with heavers, and the eyes of the strap brought as close together as possible. This is done with a good strand passed through both, and hove up with a Spanish windlass. Vessels carrying chain topsail sheets, have iron blocks fitted to the iron bands in the slings of the yard for that purpose. (See Rigging Table).

=147.=--CLEW GARNET BLOCKS

Are single; seized into a single strap, with an eye spliced in each end, and are secured round the yard with a rose-lashing, the same as the topsail sheet blocks, just outside the cleats. Some ships have all the rigging inside the cleats, which is much neater.

_Note._-Iron bound blocks are allowed to all classes of vessels in the navy, by the new regulation, for this purpose.

=148.=--LIFT BLOCKS--LOWER YARDS

Are single, seized into a single strap, with a round seizing; the strap being long enough to go over the yard arm, after the block is seized in. If both ends are spliced together, the splice should lay in the score of the block, or upper side; but a grummet will answer equally as well, and look snugger.

=149.=--FOOT ROPES AND STIRRUPS.

The foot ropes are cut once-and-a-half the length of the yard, (excepting lower yards). An eye, to fit the yard arm, is spliced in one end; and a small one, to take a seizing, in the other. The splicing served in the way of chafing (one-third) midship part.

_Stirrups_ are short pieces of rope spliced round the foot rope; eyes spliced in the opposite ends, to go over the jackstay-bolts; splices served over. They are sometimes unlaid at one end and made into plait, and secured to the yard with flat-headed nails, having a small piece of hide or leather placed under their heads before being driven into the yard. Going over the jackstay bolts is preferable; and some seize it to the neck of the bolt, or staple. They hang on the after side of all yards.

Some vessels have their foot ropes fitted to go abaft the mast, and seized to the parrel, which answers a very good purpose, especially in vessels with raking masts, as it gives the men a better opportunity to stand.

=150.=--JACKSTAYS.--BENDING AND REEFING.

Take a piece of rope of the proper size,[11] cut off the length of the yard, splice an eye in each end, to fit the yard arm, sufficiently taut to require being driven on. Cut in the centre, and splice a thimble in each end; put the strands for splicing in once-and-a-half, marl down, and serve over. If two jackstays on each arm, (which should always be the case when the sail is reefed to one), the large one, before splicing the thimbles in, is rove through the eye-bolts on the yard for the purpose; this is the reefing jackstay. The bending one is fitted the same way, and after being put over the yard arm, is seized to the neck of the bolts on the after side.

This plan has been generally adopted, as it was found much easier to reef, than when fitted with only one jackstay; there being always difficulty and delay in getting the points between the jackstay and the yard, when the sail was bent to it. When only one jackstay, it is rove through the eye-bolts.

_Note._--Iron bending jackstays are now allowed for all vessels in the navy.

[11] For the length and size of rope, see Rigging Table.

=151.=--BRACE BLOCKS.--LOWER YARDS.

The straps should be fitted sufficiently taut to require being driven on the yard arm. Two thimbles are fitted, one within the other, called _lock thimbles_. Take a piece of rope, of the proper size, and cut it long enough to go round one thimble and the yard, when spliced together; worm, parcel and serve it, and pass a round seizing round this strap, close to the thimble. Grommet straps are preferable, if time will permit.

The block is a large single one, with two scores. For the strap take a piece of rope the required length, and splice both ends together; worm, parcel, and serve it; reeve it through the thimble already strapped, and pass both parts round the score of the other thimble; then place both bights in the scores in the brace block, keeping the splice in the after end of the block; pass a round seizing between the block and thimble, crossing it both ways, as in a double strap.

_Cross-jack brace-blocks_ are single, and strapped the same as lower ones. A double block is secured to the after shrouds in the main rigging, the same as main preventer brace blocks. When reeving the cross-jack braces, one end of the brace is clinched, spliced, or half-hitched, and the end seized, just below the block; then rove through the block on the yard, through the inside sheave in double block, and through a fair leading sheave in a rack, in the side or a leading block. I have seen blocks strapped into bolts on the main-mast, for the brace and bowline, which answered well. The brace block should be put on the yard, sufficiently far in to be inside the topmast backstays, when braced up.

_Note._--These braces should be well _below_ the yard, as it always _tops up_ on the wind, which slacks the weather leech; this is partly the reason a mizen-topsail never stands well.

=152.=--PLACING THE RIGGING ON LOWER YARDS.

Sling bands in the centre, and also on both sides, close to the topsail sheet block, the truss pendants, then truss straps; if the rigging is all within the cleats, a clue garnet block is lashed on each side; if not, they are lashed one on each side, close outside. I have seen them both ways, but inside is preferable.

Tar well the yard arm, close to the cleats and slings, in the wake of the rigging, first jackstay; if two, the bending one, and set it up amidships with a lanyard. Then the foot ropes; after going over the yard arm, and rove through the stirrups, they are lashed together, with a lanyard rove through both thimbles, and are secured with a good seizing to the strap of quarter block. Then the brace, and lift blocks. Rolling tackle straps on the inner quarter of yard, with the eye abaft burton straps on the outer quarter yard-arm, eye on top of yard.

If the stirrups go over the jackstay bolts, they should be put over before the jackstay is rove.

The cross jack-yard has no jackstay, head earings, or yard tackle straps; and the brace blocks, instead of going over the yard-arm, are put on some distance inside of the sheave hole for the mizen-topsail sheets, on the forward side of the yard.

=153.=--GETTING UP JEER-BLOCKS, AND REEVING JEERS.

Secure two single whip blocks to the after bolts in lower cap. Send the two foremost ends through lubber’s hole down on deck; bend them through the shell of the block, with two half-hitches, and seize the end. Stop them along each leg of the strap, the larboard whip to the larboard leg, and the starboard whip to the starboard leg; then stop both legs together with a seizing of spun-yarn in the bights--the hauling part of the whips being through lubber’s hole and through a leading block on deck; man them and hoist the blocks into their places. When clear of the top, cut the stop in the bights, haul on the whips, and they will bring the strap into its place, on each side of the mast-head. Then cut the upper stops, on the whips; take a turn and pass the lashing in the bight, securing each end to their next part. When secured, let go, and take off the whips.

_Reeving jeers._--The standing part is clenched round the strap of the upper block, rove through the one on the yard, up through another sheave in upper block, and so on, until all rove full. The hauling part is rove through a leading sheave, in fore or main bitts, or through leading blocks. When heaving up, they are either brought to the capstan, or manned by hand.

The jeer blocks are now generally fitted with hooks, as they can be got up and down much quicker. At the present day, few ships are seen to carry their jeers up in their proper places.

=154.=--LOWER LIFT BLOCKS

Are double; an iron plate is bolted across the upper side of the main or fore cap; it is in the form of a crescent, with the hollow side toward the topmast. In each end of the crescent, or horn, an eye is turned and a thimble put in it. Instead of the eyes being turned, I have seen two eye-bolts driven through the crescent and cap, and secured underneath with a nut; a thimble is also put in the eye-bolt, and the blocks strapped in.

The cross-jack lift blocks are single, one on each side, and can be fitted as the fore or main, or (a chalk) abaft the mast-head, if preferred, for neatness.

=155.=--REEVING LOWER LIFTS.

Clench one end round the yard outside all, then take the other end up and reeve it through the foremast sheave in the double block in the fore or main cap, then through the block on the yard, through the other sheave in the double block, and through lubber’s hole on deck; well up this part, splice a lizard for jigger tackle, or use tails selvageed on the end. The upper block of the jigger can be spliced or turned in to the lift, if preferred.

The cross jack lifts go over the yard arms with an eye spliced in the end to fit them. The other end is rove through the block at the cap, and is set up with two thimbles and a lanyard in the top; one thimble being turned into the end, the other strapped to the eye of one of the lower shrouds.

=156.=--MAIN BRACES--ON BUMKIN, &c.

A single block is seized into a double strap, with a round seizing crossed both ways; the strap is then put over an iron outrigger, or bumkin on the quarters, fitted for the purpose. The standing part of the brace being parceled, is rove through another bolt in the bumkin, and spliced into it or clenched; the other end rove through the block on the yard arm, from out, in through the block in the bumkin, and through a sheave in the bulwarks (abaft), for the purpose.

Double blocks are sometimes put on the bumpkin, instead of single ones, and also two sheaves inserted in the bulwarks instead of one, both ends of the brace rove, and led in-board--_a great facility in working ship_.

=157.=--FORE BRACES

Are clove-hitched, and the end seized aft on the collar of the main stay, below the splice; the other end taken forward and rove from in, out, through the block on the yard, through a single block strapped into a bolt in the cheek of the main-mast, with a thimble in it, close up to the trestle-trees; then rove from forward aft, through a sheave in the main fife-rail.

The brace is often middled, and clove-hitched in the bight on the main stay, and both ends taken forward and rove as before. Some have a hole bored in the bibs, or cheeks of the mast, instead of clove-hitching it around the main stay.

=158.=--CROSSING THE LOWER YARDS.

The jeers being rove, reeve the pendants and falls, hitch the pendants around the quarters of the yard, splice in the lanyard of the D thimble, and take the yard tackles forward to keep the yard clear of the mast. The lifts and braces being rove, man the lifts and jeer falls, “sway away,” and when the yard comes abreast of the futtock staves, pass the lashing of the D thimble, parcel it well, over all, frap all parts together, and cover all with canvass; reeve the truss pendants, turn in the blocks, reeve the falls, haul taut the tresses, and square the yard by the lifts and braces.

=159.=--TO GET ON BOARD THE TOPSAIL YARDS.

A large single block is lashed to the topmast-head, through which a hawser is rove; overhaul it down forward and hitch it to the slings of the yard, stop it along the yard arm, and sway it on board. Cast off the hawser, middle the yard and prepare it for rigging.

=160.=--RIGGING TOPSAIL YARDS. (FORE AND MAIN.)

The jackstays, after going over the yard arm, are rove through the eye-bolts or staples, and set up a-midships with a lanyard and thimble spliced in.

Foot ropes round the yard abaft, on their opposite quarters, as follows:--splice the lanyard into the eye in the end; take it over the yard, and round on the fore side, underneath through the eye; again back round the yard on the fore side, through the eye, and back the same way, until sufficient turns are taken to secure it. Then take a half-hitch from the lower edge of the eye, round all parts of the lashing; pass it round before; reeve through the eye on the upper side, take two half-hitches round all, and secure the end.

Tye blocks are now generally iron-strapped, and bolted into _straps_ round the yard for the purpose. If fitted with rope, they must have double straps, and secured round the yard, on the upper foremost quarter, with a rose-lashing. If they are single blocks, two on each yard.

Quarter blocks are double blocks, iron strapped, and secured in the same way as tye blocks. Much time is saved by having them fitted in this manner, as in shifting yards, the topgallant sheets, and topsail clewlines need not be unrove, which must be the case if rope-strapped. If rope-strapped they are seized into a single strap, and lashed on top of the yard with a rose-lashing.

_Parrel._--Take two pieces of rope, one longer than the other; the long one of sufficient length to go round the mast and yard on each side; the short leg to go round the mast, and lash to the long leg on each side. An eye is spliced in each end, are wormed, parceled, and served; both marled together and covered with leather. A round seizing is passed around both, close to the eye of the short leg, on each side. The long leg is taken round the yard, brought round on the fore side, and secured to the short leg with a lashing of small rope, passed through both eyes. The other eyes are lashed together when the yard is across.

Brace blocks are strapped in the same way as fore or main yard.

Flemish horse is a short piece of rope spliced round a thimble, which is on the neck of the pacific-iron,[12] it has an eye spliced in the other end, and when the yard is rigged, is secured the same as a foot rope, just inside the brace block, two or three feet, according to the length of the yard. They should be long enough to allow a man to stand on them to pass an earing, &c. They are sometimes fitted to lower and top-gallant yards, for the convenience of reefing, &c.

Jewel-blocks are single blocks, seized into a strap put over a thimble on the neck of the pacific-iron, outside the thimble for the Flemish horse. Some fit them to go over the yard arm. Others fit them with sister hooks, to hook to the pacific iron.

_Straps._--Half way out, on each yard arm, a strap is fitted long enough to allow a thimble to be secured in it, with a seizing passed between the yard and thimble,--this is called a rolling tackle strap. Also, straps are put on the yard, with thimbles seized in the same way, inside the lift, to hook a burton to; but a selvagee strap is generally used for that purpose.

[12] Is what the boom-iron ships on.

=161.=--THE MIZEN TOPSAIL YARD

Is rigged nearly the same as the others, but the brace blocks are on the fore-side, and the Flemish horses generally spliced into bolts in the ends of the yards, with round thimbles in them. There is seldom more than one tye-block on this yard, and no jewel blocks.

=162.=--PLACING THE RIGGING ON TOPSAIL YARDS.

Tar the yard arms; first the jackstay, foot ropes, brace, and lift block; if no lift block, the lift; Flemish horses, and jewel-blocks. The quarter blocks should be lashed so as to hang clear of the cap, when the yard is down. See that the boom irons go on, and a small cleat, or saddle, inside of the sheave hole, about two feet on each yard-arm, to keep the topgallant sheets clear of the yard. Also reefing cleats on yard-arms, outside the lift.

=163.=--CROSSING THE TOPSAIL YARDS.

Reeve a hawser through one of the hanging blocks; send one end down before all, the other through lubber’s hole, and through a leading block on deck. Take a round turn, and timber-hitch the hawser round the slings of the yard; stop it along the larboard yard-arm, if got up on the starboard side; if got up on the larboard side, the contrary. Overhaul well down to main or fore rigging, the starboard lifts and braces; the larboard into the top, and stop them ready for rigging. Man the hawser, and “sway away.” When the upper yard arm is clear of the top, put over the brace and lift, (or block,) and “sway higher;” rig the lower yard arm, take in the slack of the lifts and braces, then cast off the stops on the upper yard-arm, and when the yard is well up, take two or three turns with the parrel-lashing; bouse well up on the starboard or lower lifts, overhaul the larboard, and the stops being cast off, the yard will fall across. Secure the parrel; square the yard by braces and lifts, and cast off and unreeve the hawser.

_Note._--In large ships the lifts and brace blocks are generally placed on the yard arms before the yard is sent aloft. The braces are rove when the yard goes up. I would also recommend double yard ropes in heavy ships in crossing topsail yards; also to use the burtons.

=164.=--FITTING FLY-BLOCKS FOR TOPSAIL HALLIARDS.

The blocks spliced into the tyes are so called. They are large flat blocks; some double, sometimes single, and often one double and one single to each. The tyes are sometimes spliced taut round them; but this way is bad; as the rope stretches, the blocks cant, and are split. Also a long-eye is sometimes made in the end of the tye, and the fly block kept in its place by a round seizing passed close above the block. The block in general use is seized into a strap, leaving sufficient space above to splice the tye in; or a thimble spliced into the end of the tye, and the fly block strapped with a pair of sister hooks, to hook to the tyes. Either of the latter ways are preferable to the former.

When the yard is on the cap, these blocks should be square with the top rails. Before turning in and setting up for a full due, an iron traveler is put on the topmast backstay, which is seized to the fly-block,--it prevents the block from striking or injuring the top when lowering; it also keeps the turns out of the halliards. There is sometimes a traveling jackstay fitted for this purpose.

_Reeving Topsail Halliards._--When rove double, a single block is strapped into, or hooked, to a swivel bolt in the after part of the chains; one end of the halliards is spliced into the upper part of the strap of this block, or bent into a becket put there for the purpose, and the end seized. The other end is then rove through one of the sheaves in the double block in the tye, then through the sheave in the single block in the chains, through the other sheave in the double block, and through a leading block on deck.

_The Mizen Topsail Halliards_ have only one tye. The standing part is clenched or half-hitched to the strap, with the thimble, at the mizen-topmast head, and a single block spliced or secured in the end. Another single block is strapped into a swivel bolt in the mizen chains, and the halliards rove as with two single blocks; the fall rove through a leading block or cheek. (Some ships have a treble fly block).

=165.=--RIGGING TOPGALLANT YARDS.

They are got on board like the topsail yards. Leather the slings, seize-on the D thimble, parrel, and quarter blocks, rolling tackle straps,--tar the yard arms--foot ropes the same as topsail yards--stirrups one to each foot rope--iron jackstays secured to the yard with staples, fitted the same way as rope. (Iron sling-bands are allowed by the _new regulation_.)

The lifts are single; an eye is spliced to fit the yard-arm; the other end is rove through the thimble, or bull’s-eye, or a half sister-block in the topgallant-rigging; a thimble turned into the end, and a lanyard spliced into it, and set up to another thimble strapped round a futtock plate inside the dead-eye in the top, or set up on the end.

_Braces._--A single block is seized into a single strap, having an eye to fit the yard-arm. If a single brace, an eye is spliced to fit the yard-arm, and the lift and brace marled together.

The quarter-blocks are double; are seized into a single strap, an eye being spliced in each end;--they lash together on the top of the yard--the foremost sheave for top-gallant clewline, after one for royal sheet.

_Parrel._--A long and short leg. Take a piece of rope, cut it the required length, and splice the ends together round the yard. In one bight seize a thimble, with a round seizing; the other one round the yard; pass a round seizing close to the yard, round the parrel on the after side; splice a lanyard into the thimble, and fit a short strap the same way on the other quarter. These straps are sometimes served, and often covered with leather,--they go inside the cleats. Grommets can be worked if preferred, and dispense with the thimbles, as they are likely to injure the mast. Jaws are also recommended. The patent iron parrels are now in use in the navy, but are found not to answer for ships of war.

Tripping beckets are fitted one on each yard-arm; work grummet straps on quarter of yard, seize a thimble in with a round seizing passed between the yard and thimble. A grommet is put on the yard rope, to fit the yard-arm, when getting ready for crossing. Also, a lizard; a small piece of rope with a thimble spliced in one end, the other whipped. It goes on the yard rope before being bent to the yard.

When ready for going aloft, the yard rope is bent on, and the yard stopped to the lower rigging; the main on the starboard side, fore and mizen on the larboard side.

_Note._--Royal yards, opposite sides, to the topgallant yards.

=166.=--TOPGALLANT BRACES.

_Fore._--If double, the standing part is clove-hitched round the first and second shrouds of the main topmast rigging; or crotch of the stay, through the block for the brace, through another single tail block, secured to the first and second shrouds (the same as, and under the standing part), through lubber’s hole, and through a fair leading sheave on deck.

They are often led forward from the blocks in the topmast rigging, through a leading block strapped round the eyes of the fore rigging, or after part of the top, and through fair leading sheaves on the forecastle. In ships of war, I prefer them abaft. The block in the topmast rigging is fitted as follows:--

A single piece of rope is spliced round a single block, having a tail about three or four feet long; clove-hitch this tail round the first shroud, then round the second, and seize the end. I have seen a round turn taken round the first, and a clove-hitch round the second; either plan will do, but if neatness is studied, clove-hitch round the second and third; this will bring the block under the rigging, and out of sight. If rove single, the block is secured the same way--an eye made in the end of the brace to fit the yard-arm; the other end rove through the block on deck, as before.

A whip is sometimes put on the brace, the block spliced in close up to the cat-harpens, which answers very well. One end of the whip is spliced into a bolt on deck, the other led through a fair leading sheave or block.

_Main._--The main topgallant braces are fitted the same as the fore, with the exception of leading. The standing part is secured in the same manner to the foremost, or second and third shrouds of mizen-topmast rigging; the hauling part before all, through lubber’s hole, and through a sheave in the rack, or a leading block, to the side abreast of the mizen-mast.

_Mizen._--The mizen topgallant braces are single. An eye is spliced in one end to fit the yard-arm. The other end is rove through a single block; seized into a single strap, and secured to an eye-bolt on each side of the main cap, and through lubber’s hole on deck. I have seen these braces led through blocks in main topmast rigging, in harbor, where appearance has been much studied.

=167.=--CROSSING TOPGALLANT YARDS.

One man stands on the topmast cap; two on the crosstrees (one on each side), one of the latter shoves off the grommet, and rigs the upper yard-arm; the man on the opposite side bears off,--one man stands in the topmast rigging to put on the lower lift and brace; another stands on the topsail yard, ready to bear off; the lower lift should be well manned in the top.

When the order “sway out of the chains,” is given, the man standing on the fore part of the top bears the yard rope off, to clear the yard-arm of the top--when clear, “sway away.” When the yard-arm is clear of the crosstrees, the grommet is shoved off, the upper lift and brace is put on, and the order “sway higher” is given; then the lower lift and brace is put on, and the lift hauled well taut. The man on the cap has the parrel-lashing in his hand, ready for passing; he reeves a turn, and on the order, “sway cross,” he hauls on the lizard. The lower lift is boused on, and the yard falls across; the braces are hauled taut, and the yard squared.

When a ship is going to sea, the lifts and braces are stopt to the jackstay, and the topgallant yard ropes toggled for halliards, or half-hitched over the upper block. To toggle the halliards: Strap two single blocks, with single straps, leaving an eye below the seizing, in one, to take a small lashing; in the other to take the bight of the topgallant yard rope. Lash the block with the small eye, to the eye of a lower shroud, and reeve the yard rope through it. To the strap of the other block secure the toggle with a nettle lanyard.

_Note._--Separate halliards may be fitted to dog on to the yard rope, with a double-tailed lizard, and hook the lower block to an eye-bolt in the top, which answers a better purpose.

=168.=--ROYAL YARDS

Are fitted the same as topgallant yards, and rigged the same, with the exception of the quarter blocks, which are single. In small vessels they have no jackstay, the sail being bent to the yard. Topgallant sails are often bent the same way, but jackstays keep the sail much better up on the yard. Some prefer a wooden batten nailed to the yard. Iron jackstays are now used for all vessels in the navy. (_New Regulation._)

_Fore Royal Braces._--Two blocks fitted in one strap, as span blocks, are lashed round the main topgallant mast-head; the blocks standing on the foremost quarter, on each side. Between the after part of the fore topmast trestle-trees, _a piece of wood with two sheaves_, the same size, and a large one in the centre, is secured.[13] The braces are single, an eye is spliced in one end to fit the royal yard-arm; the other end rove through the span-blocks, back again through the sheaves in the fore topmast trestle-trees, and into the fore top.

The blocks are often strapped separately, and seized into the strap with a round seizing, leaving room for a seizing to be passed through the strap, and round the eye of the topgallant stay, before going on the funnel, one on each side. This will not look so neat as span blocks, and are not so easily taken off and put on. The blocks for royal braces are often seized on the topgallant stay, with the idea of clearing the foot of the main royal.

_Main royal braces_ are fitted in the same manner as the fore, and led through single blocks on mizen-topgallant mast-head, and back into the main top; or through lubber’s hole in the mizen-top on deck. The latter is decidedly the best plan, as they can be much better attended to when under the eye of the officer of the watch, than when left to the topmen.

_Mizen royal braces_ are fitted the same as the others, and lead through sheaves in the after ends of the main topmast crosstrees, and into the top.

_Crossing royal yards._--They are crossed the same as the topgallant yards. When they are rigged aloft, the topgallant masts should be fitted with jacks for the men to stand on, not only to expedite the crossing, but also for the safety of the men. They are made of iron, and put on the topgallant mast immediately over the hounds; the jack is made round to fit the mast, and is put on before the funnel, if used. The horns on each side are of a proportioned length to the mast; an eye is turned in the end of each horn, for the royal rigging to reeve through, and set up as before. When no royal rigging, the breast backstay should be rove through the eye, and set up in the top with a gun tackle purchase, fitted between the two after dead-eyes.

Royal rigging is quite unnecessary, in my opinion, except in large vessels--the breast and standing backstay is sufficient.

_Royal sheets_ are either toggled or bent to the clews, rove through sheaves, in the yard-arms, and through the after-sheave in quarter block, on the topgallant yard; through leading thimbles on the topmast rigging, and into the top, or on deck.

[13] This piece of wood is called a fair-leading chock.

=169.=--ROYAL AND TOPGALLANT GEAR.

When the topgallant and royal yards are sent on deck, the topgallant sheets are stopped to the topmast-head, and hauled taut on deck. I have seen them in harbor stopt to the tye-blocks close down to the yard. The former is decidedly the best plan, as they are always ready for bending; the clewlines and bowlines, are also stopped at the mast-head.

The lifts and braces are taken outside the topgallant rigging, and the eyes stopt to the rigging at the topmast-head, before all;--hauled taut on deck, and in the top.

Royal gear is stopt at the topgallant mast-head, and hauled taut on deck, or in the top.

=170.=--SPANKER-BOOM, TRYSAIL-MAST, AND GAFF.

The spanker-boom, trysail-mast, and gaff, may be got on board by the yard and stay-tackle. Put the hoops on the trysail-mast, and stop them; sway away by a pendant tackle, and point the mast through the after chock of the trestle-trees; lash its head to the mizen mast-head; leather the boom in the wake of the crutch; seize on sheet-blocks, and reeve the sheets; tar the boom, put over the foot-ropes, which are set up, just outside the taffrail; boom-guys, which go with a gun-tackle purchase to the quarters. Hook the topping lift to an iron span around the boom; ship and key the boom; seize on a cleat to belay the outhaulers to; then leather the jaws of the gaff, fit throat, and peak-halliard blocks, brail blocks,[14] vangs and blocks,--reeve throat and peak-halliards, hoist up the gaff, and haul taut the vangs.

The spencer gaff may be rigged nearly in the same manner.

Chocks should be fitted to go in between the lower and trysail mast-heads. Copper the mast, in the way of the jaws.

[14] Cheek-blocks are allowed, fitted to all gaffs, by new regulation. (_See Block Table._)

=171.=--SPANKER-BOOM SHEET AND GUYS IN ONE.

Into a bolt, with a thimble in each quarter, strap a double block with a single strap; then seize into two grommet-straps, worked round the boom, (wormed and covered,) two single blocks, one on each side, just outside the taffrail, or crutch. Secure these blocks in their straps, with a round seizing passed between the block and the boom. The rope for the guys is middled and cut; then an eye, or cut splice made to fit the boom end. Take the larboard guy, and reeve it through one of the sheaves in the double block on the quarter, through the single block on the boom, through the other sheave in the double block, through a fair leader in the side, and pull it up on deck. The starboard one is rove in the same manner, through the block on the starboard quarter.

=172.=--SPANKER-BOOM TOPPING-LIFTS.

A cheek with a sheave in it, is bolted on each side of the mizen trestle-trees, under the rigging; instead of this cheek, a single block is often strapped into a bolt, with a thimble in it. On the boom outside the taffrail, is an iron hoop, with an eye-bolt on each side, and thimbles in them. Parcel the thimbles in the outside bolts, and into them splice the topping lifts; the other end reeve down through the cheeks on the trestle-trees, or block, and splice a parceled thimble in the end, for the purpose of hooking the jigger-tackle.

=173.=--A BRIG OR SCHOONER’S MAIN-BOOM.

There being so little boom projecting over the stern, guys are unnecessary. On each quarter, strap a double block, and one on each side of the boom, in separate straps: through these reeve the sheet,--the standing-part from the strap of the quarter-block, and hauling part through one of the sheaves of the quarter-block. In working with the watch they are found very useful; one man can ease over, while two more can take in the slack. A boom-tackle is fitted with a pendant, to hook forward to an eye-bolt outside, and used when necessary. (_Also crotch-ropes_).

=174.=--REEVING PEAK-HALLIARDS.

The standing-part is spliced into an eye-bolt underneath, or bottom of the block; then the other end rove through the inside block on the gaff, from forward, aft; then through a sheave in the double block, through the outer block on the gaff, from forward, aft, and down through the sheave in the double block, and through a leading sheave in the bitts, or block on deck.

_You may dispense with one block, and splice the standing-part round the gaff._

=175.=--REEVING THROAT-HALLIARDS.

The standing-part is spliced into the single block, which is hooked to the gaff, up through the double block under the top, down through the single block, up again through the other sheave in double block, and through a leader, opposite to the peak-halliards.

=176.=--TO FIT SINGLE VANGS.

Middle the required length of rope, and seize a cuckold’s-neck in the bight to fit the gaff-end, and lead one end on each side. The cuckold’s-neck should be neatly covered with canvass, and two snug seizings put on each quarter of the neck, showing two parts of the rope on the top of the gaff, and one underneath. Paint the eye the same color as the gaff.

=177.=--DOUBLE VANGS.

Seize into each bight of a long grommet strap, a single block, and secure the strap round the end of the gaff, outside the rigging cleats, with a lashing passed round the strap underneath the gaff, and over each block. Splice the standing part of the fall into a bolt; reeve the other end through the block on the gaff, and through a single block strapped into a bolt, also in the bulwarks. Blocks fitted in this way are called span-blocks. This is decidedly the best plan, as the purchase can be of use until hauled close down on deck. Pendants are now seldom used.

=178.=--FITTING GAFFS WITH CHEEKS, OR BRAIL-BLOCKS.

Close to the jaws, outside the single blocks for the throat-brails, secure two double blocks, strapped in the same manner as the outer blocks used for the peak-brails. The peak-brails, after being rove through the outer blocks, are led through the double ones in the jaws, and on deck through leading blocks.

Gaffs are also fitted with cheeks, instead of blocks; and sheaves cut in the jaws for the throat-brails, and fair leaders; which is the approved plan at present, and is very neat. Some ships in the service have their gaffs fitted to hook to an iron band, with a hook in the end of the gaff, instead of jaws. Others travel up and down an iron groove or railway, fitted to the lower mast (using no trysail-mast). Others again use a wooden batten nailed to the mast; some an iron jackstay, and some a rope one. _The try-sail masts are preferable, in a gale of wind._

=179.=--GETTING UP A GAFF.

Pass the jaw rope; man the throat and peak-halliards, the former best, and sway the gaff up; when high enough, rack the halliards with spun-yarn to their own parts aloft, and the halliards can be hauled up, and coiled in the top out of the way. Steady the gaff amidships, by the vangs.

_Note._--All gaffs should be peaked, or elevated to an angle parallel with the mizen-topmast stay.

=180.=--LOWER STUDDING-SAIL OR SWINGING-BOOMS.

The lower swinging-booms have goose-necks fitted on one end, which in line-of-battle ships and frigates, hook to the foremost part of the fore chains, to iron straps fitted for the purpose. They are got in their places when brought alongside, with a burton from the foremost shroud, and another on the after backstay. One-third from the outer end, an iron band is fitted, to which the rigging is hooked. When secured for sea, they are got close into the side and lashed to a bolt for the purpose. When in harbor, in large ships, they are sometimes hooked to eye-bolts in the bends, which bringing them lower down, cause the boats, when moored, to ride easier. A small Jacob’s-ladder is fitted to the fore chains, and sets up to the boom close into the side; also one or two seized on the boom some distance out, for the men to get into their boats with.

The fore guy is hooked to the boom, the other end taken forward and rove through a single block strapped in a bolt in the bowsprit cap, and led in on the forecastle. It is sometimes rove through a block on the spritsail-yard, and is of great use in getting the boom from the side; if no spritsail-yard, blocks can be fitted round the outriggers, or whiskers.

The after guy is hooked to the boom, and the other end led in through a sheave in the side; in large ships, on the main deck, close before the gangway port; in flush-deck vessels through the bulwarks. In large vessels they are rove double.

The topping lift is hooked to the boom the same as the guys.

_The topping lift block._--Take a single block, large enough for the rope to be rove in; seize it into a single strap, wormed and served, leaving a small eye beyond the seizing, to take several parts of small rope. Seize this block on to the second shroud (if only one swifter forward), half-way between the futtock-stave, and seizing of the eye, passing sufficient turns to secure it well. When seized in this way there will be more space between the shrouds, than if seized closer up, which will allow the topping lift to work clearer, and cause no chafing. I have seen this block seized to the eye of a shroud well up, but prefer the former.

_The lizard._--On the topping lift put a large-sized thimble; round this thimble splice a piece of rope about five fathoms long; for a large ship a piece of three-inch rope would be large enough. Reeve the topping lift between the first and second futtock shrouds, through the block, and send the end between the shrouds on deck.

A luff-tackle purchase is often fitted to the topping lift, half-way up the fore rigging.

Hoist up ship and key the boom; put on single blocks for forward and after guys, reeve, hook, and haul taut the topping lift.

_Note._--Several ships in the service have span blocks fitted across their fore cap, and a clump block, or bull’s-eye, fitted on each fore yard-arm, abaft the lift block. The topping lift is rove through the block on the cap, then through the one on the yard-arm, to the boom; which does away with the lizard, and when the boom is alongside, at sea, the topping lift can be unhooked from the boom, and triced up with the rest of the studding sail gear, under the fore yard. _This method is much approved of in large ships._

=181.=--LOWER STUDDING SAIL OUTHAUL, BLOCK, &c., &c., &c.

Seize a single block into a double strap, leaving an eye to fit the boom end, wormed and served. Then take a piece of six-thread stuff, and pass several turns round the strap and the bolt, and hitch it round all parts.

_Topmast studding-sail tack-block._--Take a single block the required size, strap it with a good piece of rope, leaving a tail long enough to clove-hitch round the boom, and seize to the bolt in the end. This block is often strapped round the boom, and kept in its place with a bolt in the end of the boom, or a hole bored for the purpose. Sheaves are sometimes cut, but they are bad, as the least slue in the boom takes away whatever purchase the sheave would give.

_Lower studding-sail halliard block, &c., &c._--Seize a single block into a single strap, leaving an eye to fit the boom taut. A small cleat should be nailed on the boom, to prevent the block slipping in, or the strap secured with a bolt. When the halliards are rove, a single block is hooked to the burton pendant, or lashed. The pendant is sometimes fitted with a block spliced in one end, and secured to the mast-head, over the rigging, with a lashing passed through an eye spliced in the other, and round the mast-head. This is quite unnecessary, as the block lashed or hooked to the pendant, answers the same purpose.

_Reeving the halliards._--Reeve through the block to the pendant, before the rigging, then through the block on the boom Send the hauling part through lubber’s hole on deck, and through a leading block.

The boom brace is spliced round the boom between the blocks. A single block is spliced in the end, half-way between the boom; when the yard is square, reeve a fall. The standing part, when the sail is set, is clove-hitched round the foremost shroud of the main rigging; the other end through a leading tail block to the same place. Small ships are not allowed boom braces.

For inner halliards, use the fore clew-jigger, hooked to the forward part of the top. When the sail is not set, and the boom rigged in, the inner halliards are also used to trice the gear up; it is then stopped with yarns snugly to the jackstay, and the ends of the gear coiled inside the futtock-shrouds, being previously stopped together.

=182.=--TOPMAST STUDDING-SAIL SPAN BLOCKS, HALLIARDS, &c.

Seize two single blocks into each bight of a strap, long enough to go across the topmast cap; allowing the blocks to hang clear on each side. Take a piece of small rope, and pass a lashing round the strap, over both blocks, under the cap, and then seize the blocks to eye-bolts in the cap.

To make the strap, take a piece of rope of sufficient size and length; worm and serve it, splice both ends together, and secure the blocks in their places with round seizings. Through these blocks reeve the halliards; first through the span blocks down, take the upper end and reeve it down on the foreside of the topsail yard, through the block on the neck of the boom-iron; the other end is sent down abaft the foremost crosstrees, before the topmast rigging, through lubber’s hole on deck, and through a leading block. When not in use at sea, the bending end is hitched round the clew of the topsail, and the hauling part hauled up in the top. In harbor they are generally unrove, and the span-blocks taken down.

The downhaul is bent to the sail and made up in it.

Sheets are also bent to the sail and made up.

=183.=--TOPGALLANT STUDDING-SAIL BOOMS, &c.

_Tricing lines_--Are single. A single block is seized on to a shroud, close up, and a fall rove through it; one end is bent to the boom, the other sent into the top. When in harbor, a thimble should be fitted a few feet above the topsail yard, on the foremost shroud, and the tricing line rove through it. As everything is generally done in a hurry, trying who will be first, the booms are hardly ever properly secured, if lowered, after loosing to dry, and the men running out on the yards with the booms swinging about, frequently occasion accidents.

_Topmast studding-sail boom._--When no boom brace is allowed and no lower studding-sail set, carrying the topmast studding-sail, blowing fresh, a brace can be put on, without rigging the boom in, as follows:--Take a belaying-pin, or anything that will answer for a toggle, and secure it to the lower studding-sail halliards, with a clove-hitch round the toggle, hauling the parts well taut; haul the toggle close to the block on the boom, and belay; and it will answer equally as well as a brace. The inner end of the halliards should not be let go, for in case the lower studding-sail requires to be set, the end can be hauled in, the toggle taken out, and the halliards overhauled for bending.

_Note._--Should the boom _top up_ much, and require a martingale more than a brace, toggle the halliards the same way, and bouse it well taut through a leading-block, perpendicular to the boom.

=184.=--GETTING STUDDING-SAIL BOOMS UP.

All studding-sail booms have two holes in the inner end, for a heel-lashing, and strap for the in-and-out-jigger, and sometimes a sheave in the other end for the tack. Take a piece of rope long enough for the heel-lashing; make a knot (a wall and crowned), in one end; reeve it through the hole in the boom end, haul through to the knot, and whip the other end; with the latter take two half-hitches, a little inside the sheaves, or outer end, and seize the end to the boom. Take a tail-block and half-hitch it half-way out the fore or main topsail yard, according to the boom required to be got up. Through this block, reeve a rope as a whip, (if a heavy boom, it should be a double one,) bend one end to the span, made with the heel-lashing, so as to balance the boom; the other reeve through a leading block on deck. Stop the hoisting part to the boom end by the sheave, and sway away. When high enough, cut the stops at the boom-end, and the boom will hang in the whip, on a line with the yard; point it through the boom-iron,--cast off the whip and span, and secure the heel-lashing, rigging boom out to square mark.

=185.=--TOPGALLANT STUDDING-SAIL GEAR.

If blocks in the topgallant rigging, the halliards are rove through them; one end is led into the top, abaft all, the other through the jewel-block on the yard-arm. Jewel blocks are single blocks, seized into single straps, having an eye to go over the bolt in the topgallant yard-arm. A small toggle is secured to the strap with a knittle lanyard. The eye in the strap is put over the bolt, and the toggle put in--the upper end of the halliards are rove through this block, on the foreside of the topgallant yard. When the sail is not bent, the studding-sail halliards are overhauled down, and hitched to the foremost shroud ready for bending. The jewel-blocks are always taken off, when getting ready to send the yards down, and an overhaul knot made on the end of the halliards, to prevent them from unreeving from the blocks. Whenever the order is given to “unbend the topgallant gear,” the jewel-blocks must be taken off.

_Tacks._--Sheaves are sometimes cut in the boom ends, but as they hardly ever answer well, and generally cause delay, and likewise require more men to get the tack out, blocks are decidedly preferable. Tail-blocks are best, as they can be so easily taken off and put on. Clove-hitching round the boom, and the end secured to the eye-bolt, is preferable to having a hole bored in the boom for the tail to reeve through, as it only weakens it, and is not necessary. The tack is rove through this block, and when the sail is to be set, the inner end is bent to the clew of the sail; the outer end led to the after part of the top, where it is hauled out, and generally belayed to a shroud or cleat.

_Note._--Belaying either the halliards or tack to the rigging is bad, as they are constantly coming up. Cleats should be nailed on the after part of the top for the tacks. Two small tail-blocks, one on each side, secured to the after futtock-plate, for leading blocks, are of great use in getting the tacks out.

=186.=--STOWING-HOLD AND SPIRIT-ROOM. (BALLAST AND TANKS).

See that the limbers are clear from chips or dirt, and place the limber boards. Clean, sweep, and white-wash the hold; place hoop-poles athwart-ships for dunnage, as near to each other as possible, so that each pig of iron will rest at least on two of them. The rust should be well beaten off the ballast, and each pig white-washed. As the stowing of a ship’s hold and ballast, depends so much on her build, it is not possible to lay down any precise rule; it is, however, recommended to preserve a strict line of _level_ in the position of the tanks. To effect this, and to produce the desired uniformity of surface, the stower must commence the stowage from the midship stanchions in the hold, and work _outwards_ regularly towards the direction of the wings. The slightest irregularity of surface in the tops of the tanks may be the means of throwing out the general stowage, and ultimately causing a considerable deficit in the quantity of water which the hold is calculated to contain.

A short, though rather a rough way of calculating the weight of ballast required, is to allow one ton of ballast, for ten of tonnage for each class of vessels.[15]

Winging the ballast tends to make a vessel roll, and building up a-midships to keep her steady. Without venturing on details, it may be remarked that the plan of keeping the ballast in the body of the ship, and clear of the extremities, seems to be most generally approved of; while at the same time care should be taken to keep her on, or parallel to _the line of flotation_, designated by the builder. The ballast in the spirit-room, should be a continuation of that in the hold. Make a draft of the ballast, indicating the exact number of pigs, the position they occupy, and their exact weight.

Previous to getting on board the water tanks, a plan of stowing them may be easily arranged by means of rough models of them in wood, which a carpenter can easily make. In getting the tanks from the store, attention should be directed to the lid-sockets, which if not properly lined with fearnought, will allow much of their contents to escape in rolling; as also to the obtaining the proper quantity of keys, and see that they are short enough to work between the deck and tanks, if the vessel is a small one. White-washing tanks inside, is found by experience to be highly useful in keeping the water pure. The screws for letting off the water require very careful treatment; for they are apt, if once started, never to be so tight again; and after being three or four years in use, the nuts decay, rendering the keys useless. If the water cannot be turned off from the tanks by the proper mode, there seems to be no other way of getting rid of it, in a case of necessity, but by forcing a hole in the bottom with a crowbar.

The tanks should be stowed during the time the ship is rigging.

_Note._--By a late order, the valve in the bottom of all water tanks is stopped up, and the screw taken out. Those that are now made new, have no screw. There is also an alteration in the lids for the better.

[15] The weight of chain cables and water tanks, are considered in this calculation, also half of the shot. Also a consultation with the builder.

=187.=--STOWING CASKS.

Strike down their beds, place and whitewash them; then commence stowing the casks at the after bulk-head in the hold, observing to have the largest casks in the kelson tier, and the gauges of the cask on each side of the kelson, to correspond. Be careful that the bung-holes are all up, the bilge free, and head clear.

After completing the first tier, go on with the second, placing hanging beds between the casks, and stowing barked wood in all the breakages. As the tiers approach the wings, let the size of the cask diminish.

=188.=--STOWAGE OF PROVISIONS, NAVAL STORES, &c.

Stow the beef on the larboard side, and the pork, starboard side; with the flour, rice, and beans in the wings; chocking all fore and aft with wood. The casks in the spirit-room are stowed in the same manner, with the exception that the stowage is commenced forward, instead of aft. Whiskey, molasses, and vinegar are always stowed in casks. The liquors of the medical department, and purser’s stores, are generally stowed in the spirit-room. Dry provisions should not be stowed under the wet, and should be placed in such a manner, that when required, they may be got at without disturbing all the hold.

Make a draft of the lower, and riding tiers, and spirit-room, with the guages of all the casks on the draft; the number of barrels, boxes, &c., with the kind of provisions they contain.

The shot and wads may also be got on board, and stowed in their respective lockers.

=189.=--STOWING CHAIN CABLES.

The chain cables are got on board through the hawse-holes,[16] and paid down the main hatchway, into their respective lockers. They are from _ninety to one hundred and eighty_ fathoms in length, and are slip-shackled, or lashed to the kelson.

_Note._--See table of allowance of chain cable for class, &c.

[16] If the vessel is alongside of the wharf, the chain-cables may be got in by a _shoot_, through the _port_, or over the _rail_.

=190.=--TO GET ON BOARD AND STOW THE HEMP CABLES.

Hemp-cables are one hundred and twenty fathoms in length, two are now allowed to all vessels, from a ship of the line, to a third class sloop of war, inclusive. The cables are taken from the rope-walk, and coiled upon a car having a large hole in its bottom, and after being transported to the vessel, or lighter at the wharf, the upper end of the coil is passed down through all the flakes, and through the hole in the bottom of the car, then coiled away again in the lighter. By dipping the end in this manner, grinds or kinks are prevented, and the cable is got into the lighter, with only one turn in it.

The lighter being towed off to the ship, haul under the bows; place mats in the sides and sills of one of the forward ports; get the cables in on deck, and French-flake them fore and aft. They are now with the same number of turns in them, as when they left the rope-walk. See that the tiers are clear, and that the gratings are properly placed for the cable to lay on. Pass the end of the spare one below, and coil away with the sun, on the starboard side of the tier; make the coil as large as possible, taking care not to have too many flakes in a sheave, as the inside strands of the inner ones would be injured, by breaking in.

Pass the ends of the starboard one on the larboard side, and the larboard on the starboard side. Clinch them around the main-mast, or to the beams, coil them away with the sun, letting the ends remain out, to be pointed or tailed if necessary. Join the pointed ends with a short splice, worming the tails along the cable. The upper ends are crowned in the following manner, viz.: clap a seizing round the cable about two fathoms from the end, and unlay it to the seizing. With the three inner strands form an artificial eye; cut off the three next ones and woold their ends; with the three outer ones, form a crown, worm the ends along the cable, and clap on seizings in proportion.

The stream cable and messenger are coiled away in the tier of the spare cable. The hawsers, if possible, should be stowed in such a manner, that the end of every _one_ could be passed up together if required.

=191.=--CATHEAD STOPPERS.

When not fitted with the slip, or patent stoppers, a good piece of rope, in proportion to the size of the anchor, has a stopper-knot in one end, then rove through the cathead, and hauled taut. It should be well wormed, parceled, and served in the way of the cat-heads, and sufficiently far towards the end, to take the ring of the anchor. The end should have a becket put in, and pointed over. Take a piece of small rope, and splice it into the inside yarns of the stopper, the same as a tail, or knot the yarns together; then marl down, and point over. The becket should be made large enough to take a good hauling-line, for the purpose of hauling the end of the stopper in-board, after being rove through the ring of the anchor.

=192.=--SHANK PAINTER.

A piece of chain is secured to the side; a large thimble, well parceled, is put into the last link; round this thimble splice the piece of rope intended to make the tail of the shank-painter; it is the same sized rope as the cathead stopper. The other end is pointed, with a becket in.

_Note._--The patent iron slip or trick-stopper, is now generally used in the service, by those who can procure them. They are not allowed by the regulation, but quite a number of ships have them fitted.

=193.=--FISH-DAVIT GEAR.

The davit is stept into a shoe in the fore-chains, for the purpose. A double block is seized into a double strap, leaving an eye to fit the davit-head; both parts of the strap are marled together. Another double block is seized into a double strap, having a large hook[17] and thimble, to take the arm of the anchor. Take a large single block, seize it into a single strap, leaving an eye to fit the davit-head; it will lay the opposite way to the double one, and allow the hauling part of the fall to lead fore and aft along the gangway; or up aloft through a leader to the fore pendants.

_Back rope._--To the back of the hook, clove-hitch and seize the end down, of a piece of rope, long enough to lead to the fore chains, or into the head, when the fish-fall is overhauled. This is taken forward when hooking the fish. Cat-back is used for the same purpose--_i. e._, _hooking the cat_.

_Guys, bolts, rigging, &c._--In the fore and after side of the davit, bolts are driven. The fore-guy is a piece of stout rope, long enough to reach from the davit, when stepped, to the after side of the cat-head, leaving room for lashing. The after-guy is another piece of rope, long enough to reach the after part of the fore-chains, and both fitted as follows:--splice a hook and thimble in one end, into the other splice an eye, and into this eye splice a lashing.

Get a jigger on the foremost swifter, and hoist the davit into the step or shoe. Hook the guys to the bolts in the davit-head, and set them up to the cat-head, and after part of the fore-chains. Put over the double block, then the single, and reeve the fish-fall. Take two tackles, clap a good strap round the foremast, hook the double block to this strap, and the others to selvagee-straps round the davit-head. The strap round the foremast should be in a direct line with the davit-head when perpendicular. These tackles will answer for topping-lifts, and will be found much better than the old-fashioned topping-lifts for stowing anchors.

_Note._--I would recommend the iron davit, in preference to the wooden one, on account of its being more durable, much neater, more convenient for stowage and also requires less gear.

[17] Properly called a fish-hook.

=194.=--GETTING ON BOARD, AND STOWING ANCHORS.

The fish-davits being rigged, reeve and overhaul the cat and fish-falls, get the anchors into a lighter, and tow them under the bows; pass up the stream-cable, and clench it to the ring of the bower-anchor; hook the cat, and run the anchor up to the cat-head. Pass the stopper, hook the fish, and pass the shank-painter. Unbend the stream-cable, and bend it to the waist-anchor, then drop the lighter aft, and secure her under the berth of the anchor. Brace the fore yard in, and the main yard up as much as possible; top them up a little, hook a stout tackle to act as a rolling-tackle, and bouse the lifts and trusses well taut. Pass a lashing round the slings of the yard, to ease the trusses. Hook both top-burtons to the yard-arm, and set well up the opposite breast-backstays. Pass a strap round the topmast, just above the lower cap. Hook the double block of a stout pendant-tackle to this strap, and the single one is hooked just without the place where the bull’s-eye for the pendant is to be lashed; haul well taut the lifts, burtons, and pendant-tackles alike--reeve whips, and get up the triatic-stays. The bull’s-eyes for the pendants are lashed sufficiently far out on the yards, to allow the anchor to clear the ship’s side. Reeve the pendant up through it, and clench the end to the lower mast-head; have a thimble in the lower end, to which the purchases are hooked. Have a thwartship-tackle in readiness, to bouse the anchor to the gunwale; lash the lower block of the main-purchases, to the crown of the anchor, having guys from each fluke to keep it steady. The fore purchase-block is lashed to the ring.

Rack the topsail-tye aloft, and hook the lower block of the fore-topsail halliards to a stout strap, passed round the shank of the anchor amidships, then lashed above the middle of the upper arm of the stock. “Sway away;” when high enough, haul over on the stay and thwart-ship tackles, and get the bill of the anchor upon the gunwale. A cleat is nailed on the lower part of the stock, a lashing passed under it, and round the timber-head in the after part of the forecastle-bulwark for the purpose; another lashing from the same place to the upper arm of the stock, and frap all together. A shore is fitted from the side, on which the anchor rests, and a lashing passed round the shank through a span-shackle bolt in the side for the purpose; the inside fluke rests on a bill-board on the fore end of the chess-tree, or after part of the fore chains. Some ships stow their anchors further forward than others. The anchor being secured, unbend the stream cable, and unlash purchases.

Drop the lighter round on the other side of the ship--shift over the purchases, secure the yards, and get up the other bower and waist-anchors in the same manner. When done, pass the stream-cable below, and coil it down in the tier.

_Note._--Belaying cat-head stopper. After being boused well taut with a jigger, take as many turns as the rope will allow, over the timber-head on the forecastle bulwarks, and seize it well to its own part with spun-yarn. The shank-painter is set taut and belayed in the same manner.

=195.=--BENDING THE CABLES.

A rope is rove through the ring of the anchor, the end led in through the hawse-hole, and bent to the cable with a timber-hitch, three or four fathoms from the end, and stopt along to the end of the cable. Haul out on the ring-rope, and when there is sufficient of the end through the ring, cut the stops, unbend the ring-rope, and form an inside clinch, having it smaller than the ring of the anchor. The bends are put on opposite to each other, and a small bend put on near the end to secure it. Render the cables as far as possible through the clinch, and stop them together to prevent chafes, &c.

_Note._--The chain cables are shackled to the rings of the anchors; then bend the buoys and buoy-ropes.

=196.=--TO RANGE AND STOPPER THE CABLES.

Before ranging the cables, they should be bitted, which is done as follows:--When the cables are bent, haul up sufficient slack to form a bight abaft the bitts; throw the bight which is thus formed, over the head of the bitts (and in case it is to be weather bitted, take another _turn_ round the cavil). In ranging, get a tail-block over the hatchway, through which reeve a rope; overhaul down, and hitch to the cable. Take the running part close out to the side, bouse on the rope, and flake the cable fore and aft the deck. Clap on deck and bitt-stoppers, before and abaft the bitts; put on rounding at the range, if hemp, which is intended to veer, and also have cable mats in readiness, to be used as may be required. If a hemp-cable, a small range forward of the part bitted; if chain-cable it merely requires bitting; ranging is unnecessary.

_Note._--When the anchor is let go, veer from the locker through the compressor--(_i. e._, supposing it to be a chain.)

=197.=--STOPPERS, &c., &c.

_The trip-stoppers._--Both ends are made fast to eye-bolts under the after part of the fore-channels. The score in the end of the waist-anchor stock rests in the bight, and is used to trip the anchor clear of the ship’s side, when let go.

Deck-stoppers are hooked to bolts in the deck. They have a knot worked in the end, with a lanyard fast to it. The lanyard is passed round both the stopper and cable, abaft the knot, and then wormed along the cable, forward of it. (_See claw-stopper_).

Ring-stoppers are ropes middled; the bights are passed through the deck-bolts, the ends rove through the bight, and dogged along the cable.

Bitt-stoppers are tailed and rove through the sampson-knee forward of the bitts, then taken over the cable abaft the bitts, under again, and wormed along the cable forward. A tackle may be hooked to this, and used for veering.

Dog-stoppers are very long, and are used in the tiers. One end is clenched round the main-mast, and the other wormed along the cable.

The wing-stoppers are similar, but are clenched around the orlop-deck beams in the wings.

=198.=--COMPRESSORS, OR COMBING-STOPPERS.

For hemp-cables they are very long, and are tailed. Two holes are bored through the deck, abaft the after beam of the hatch; one end of the stopper is rove downwards through one of the holes, passed under the cable, and rove up again, through the other hole. Both ends are then dogged round the cable taut, so as to nip it against the beam.

The compressor for chain-cables is an iron elbow, one end of which is bolted to the forward beam of the hatch underneath, and intended to work on the bolt. The elbow goes round the cable, having an eye in the other end, to which a luff-tackle is hooked; which being hauled on, stoppers the cable effectually.

=199.=--PUTTING ON NIPPERS.

Nippers should be from three to five fathoms in length, and made of the best rope-yarns. They are used when heaving up the anchor, and are passed as follows:--Lay the messenger on the cable, and begin two or three fathoms abaft the hawse-hole; two round turns are first taken with the end of the nipper, round the messenger, and held by a boy, then round both. The other end is wormed round the cable, as the first was round the messenger. When the strain becomes heavy, racking, and even round turns may be used, having also small heavers, and selvagees to secure the ends; taking care to have dry ones to use when the anchor is up and down.

_Note._--Some ships have done away with the nippers altogether, and use nothing but the selvagee and heaver. Each nipper-man provides two selvagees, and one heaver; also an iron pin of proper size to put through the links of the chain-cable, to prevent the muddy chain from slipping through the strap.

=200.=--IRON CLAW-STOPPERS, AND CLEAR-HAWSE SHACKLES.

These are used for chain-cables, instead of rope-stoppers, and are found very convenient, and more durable than rope. They are allowed to every ship in the service by the new regulation, and are fitted as follows:--A piece of chain four feet long, is fitted with a devil’s-claw in one end, and a slip-hook in the other; a slip-ring also in the long link in the chain, for the end of the slip-hook.

=201.=--TO CUT, AND PASS A MESSENGER.

The length should be equal to twice the distance from the after part of the capstan, to the roller in the manger, and add four times the circumference of the capstan-band; this is sufficient for splicing in the eyes and taking turns. The messenger is passed with three round turns, and then the eyes lashed with the lanyard, figure-of-eight fashion. The part which is brought to the cable is undermost.

_Note._--Some messengers are fitted with a strap and toggle instead of a lashing; this plan is much quicker than the old way. The size of the strap, ought to be one half the size of the messenger; in length it should be once the circumference of the capstan on the bight. Instead of splicing the two ends of the strap together, make a spritsail-sheet knot with the six strands, reeve one bight of the strap through one eye of the messenger, the other bight through the other eye, and toggle them together.

_To dip a messenger._--Cast off the lashing, slack up the turns, and pass the eye up or down, as necessary, between the turns and capstan. Render the turns through each other, and pass the lashing again.

=202.=--SPLICING ROPE-CABLES.

Cut off the ropemaker’s fag-end, and unlay the cable sufficiently far for splicing. Take the inside yarns and lay them up into three strands, equal to the piece of rope intended for the tails, and splice these small strands and tails together. Take the outside yarns and make them into three-yarn plaits or knittles, then marl the remaining yarn down over the splice and tail, and point over all with the plaits or knittles. The cable is then opened with setting fids and commanders, and the splice made, each strand boused through with jiggers; the ends are put in twice on the tier, and once on the anchor part. Take a good piece of small-rope, and pass it as a round-seizing, close to the splice, and cross it on all sides. When finished it will look square; and pass another, with smaller stuff, close to the ends. Worm the ends into the lay of the cable, and pass three or four spun-yarn seizings, at equal distances round them and the cable, to keep them in the lay--make the seizings, and whip the ends of the tails. The size of the seizing, and number of turns, depend on the size of the cable.

_Bends._--The small rope used as seizings in clinching, are so called. The end of the cable for clinching to the anchor should be wormed with good strands, and backed with good spun-yarn, and the end capped. The worming should be long enough to form the clinch, and the cable well tarred before and after its being done. The lay of the cable opens in clinching, and being wormed, it prevents the wet getting into the heart of the rope, or lodging. To pass the bends, have a good piece of rope of the length and size required; bring both parts together, leaving one end a third longer than the other; then pass it round both parts of the cable, and put both ends through the bight. Pass the under turns with the short end, the upper or riding-turns with the long one. Stop both ends well with spun-yarn to their next parts, and cross the whole seizing or bend, with sennit; pass the sennit on the bight, and secure both together with a reef-knot.

=203.=--TO SHIP, AND UNSHIP A RUDDER.

Have the rudder brought under the stern, hung to a scow. Bore a hole through the beam or carling over the rudder case--drive an eyebolt up through it, and fit a washer and forelock. Strap a large single block[18] with hook and thimble, and hook it to the eye-bolt; reeve a top-pendant through the single block, down through the rudder-case, and hitch it to an eye-bolt, which is temporarily fitted into the rudder-head. Clap a deck-tackle on to the other end of the pendant; have heel-ropes leading forward on each side, after being rove through their respective holes in the rudder. Man the deck-tackle fall, and hoist away. When the rudder is high enough, guy it fair with the heel-ropes; see the pintles fair for entering the gudgeons,--lower away, and fit in the wood-lock. Come up the pendant, unreeve the heel-ropes--take the bolt from the rudder-head, also the one from the beam or carling above--ship the tiller, and reeve the wheel-ropes.

_To unship it._--Fit the bolts, single block, pendant and deck-tackle as before, unreeve the wheel-ropes, unship the tiller, knock out the wood-lock, and “sway away.” When the pintles are clear of the gudgeons, lower away, and secure it to the scow or lighter--tow it on shore, and parbuckle, or hoist it out of the water or scow.

[18] If a top-block can be procured, it will answer best, as the neck of the hook being shorter, it will give more hoist.

=204.=--GETTING THE GUNS ON BOARD.

The gun-carriages and all the equipments belonging to the guns are brought alongside in lighters, and hoisted in with the yard & stay. Get them on their respective decks, and reeve the purchase for getting the guns on board.

_Securing the main-yard._--To the bolts in the lower cap, hook the double blocks of two burtons. The single ones are hooked to selvagee-straps, round the yard, close to the lifts, and the falls sent on deck, through leading-blocks. Bouse well taut the main-lifts and burtons together, and belay. Then pass a good lashing round the main-yard in the slings, and main-mast, to keep the yard steady, and support the trusses, they being previously boused well taut.

Take the top tackle-pendant, and reeve it through a top-block, secured well to the yard with a good lashing, passed round the hook, on the outside quarter; take the pointed end over the cap, pass it between the head of the mast and heel of the topmast, take two half-hitches on its own part, or that from the yard, and secure the end with a round-seizing of spun-yarn. Get a single whip upon the main-yard, close to the lashing, bend one end to the hook of the top-tackle fall-block; hoist the block up and hook it to the thimble in the pendant. Through this and the other top-tackle fall-block, reeve a fall; clench one end (the standing part), round the main yard close to the block; the other end, when rove full, through a leading block on deck, by the bitts.

The garnet-purchase is a pendant, with a thimble in the upper end, which is hooked to the main-pendant-tackle; the other end is rove down through holes bored in the deck for the purpose, and a stout hook and thimble spliced or turned into the end. The garnet should be long enough to go on the lower-deck, and the holes bored perpendicular to the centre of the port through which the guns are to be got on board. The slings are made of breaching-stuff, twice the length of the gun, the ends spliced together, and the strands put in twice each way; seize an eye on the bight, large enough to go over the breach of the gun; put over the eye, and put the slings along the upper part of the gun, lashing them with a piece of rope round all, just forward of the trunnion; put the other end over the muzzle, and in toggle. Lash the purchase-block to the bight of the slings, and also bend on a hawser to weigh the gun, in the event of parting the purchase. “Sway away;” drop the lighter from under the gun, and when the breach is as high as the port, hook the garnet and also an a-thwartship-tackle to the breech-ring; haul on the tackle and bring the gun in through the port--run a carriage under--lower away; place the trunnions fair, and clamp them; come up the purchases, and transport the gun to its port. The lower and main-deck guns are got in in the same way. The cannonades are taken over the rail; a toggle is put in the muzzle, one bight of the slings over the cascable, the other over the muzzle, and back-lashed to the toggle; the stay or purchase-block is lashed on midships of the slings, and the stay or pendant-tackle to the same place; consequently the gun will come in square. Have the bed and slide ready, place it fair, and drive in the naval-bolt. Ship the screws, beds, and coins; reeve the breeching, hook side and train-tackles; see the guns square in the ports, and secure them.

The main-deck guns might be taken in over the rail, and struck down the main-hatch; but I prefer their being taken in through the port, if plenty of men.

_Note._--The reason for having additional security on the main-yard is, because in getting in the guns, the strain is altogether on the yard; while in getting up the anchors, the strain is divided between two yards. The burtons are sometimes frapped in with the main-lift, between the yard and cap; but I prefer their not being done so, as they will all render fairer, when the strain comes on them. It is customary to top the main-yard up; but I saw a line-of-battle ship’s guns got in without it, and as it brings a greater strain on the slings and trusses, it should not be done to so great an extent as is the practice.

_Caution._--When the garnet-purchase is raising the breech to the level required to place the gun in its carriage, care must be taken that the main-purchase be _not_ lowered by a turn, but that the men on the fall “walk back” with a steady step.

When the gun is lodged in its carriage, it is removed to its proper port, and another carriage is rolled to the receiving port, ready for the reception of the next gun, and so on.

=205.=--FITTING SHACKLE-BREECHINGS.

If it be required to fit the breechings on this recently improved plan, it will be necessary to taper and point both ends of the rope preparatory to splicing or turning-in a shackle on each extremity. The shackle should be turned-in and secured to each end of the breeching by two separate seizings, one close to the shackle, and the other towards the pointed end of the rope. They are frequently spliced into a thimble and then shackled, which I think is much neater.[19]

By this simple and serviceable method, the breeching may be shifted in a few seconds, it being no longer necessary to reeve it through the ring at the breech. An opening is now made in the cascable, which admits the introduction of the breeching on the bight; and the cascable fitted with a hinge or snatch, and sometimes a bolt going through the cascable, confines the breeching, and prevents it jumping out on the recoil of the gun.

[19] This last improvement was introduced by FRANCIS GRICE, _Esq._, chief Naval Constructor, _U. S. N._

=206.=--TRIATIC STAYS.

A double block is strapped into a pendant, a hook and thimble spliced into one end; a single block is strapped with a hook and thimble, a fall is rove, the standing-part bent into a becket in the strap of the single block; sometimes the double block is strapped, and the pendant spliced in over the seizing. A good strap with a thimble seized into it, is fitted to the strap of the lower block. A piece of rope is spliced round the strap of the fore-stay block, and the other end, when cut to the required length, spliced round the strap of the main-stay block, and seized. This is called the span, and is generally the length between the fore and main-hatchways. The main-stay hooks to a strap with a thimble in it, from round the main-mast-head on the fore side; the fore from one abaft, fitted in the same manner. The main one generally comes down alongside the slings, the fore one between the trestle-trees, abaft. The pendant and tackle are sometimes fitted separate, to hook, and are easier stowed away.

_Note._--In case of emergency, these pendants may be taken round the mast-head, and hooked to their own parts. I have known some ships to use them this way altogether.

=207.=--HOISTING IN SPARS.

Overhaul down the fore and main-yard tackles, fore and main-stays, and lead their falls to the opposite side of the deck the spars come in at. Hook burtons to the lower caps (double blocks), single ones to selvagees round the lower yard-arm, close inside the lifts. Send the falls on deck, and pull up the lifts and burtons together, and trusses; brace the fore-yard in, and hook on to the spars. They should be always hoisted in as stowed.[20]

If the spars are too long to come in abreast, between the fore and main-masts, such as topmasts, hook the main-stay to the strap round the foremost end, and fore-stay to the after one; then hook the yards to separate straps made of pieces of stout rope knotted together, or good selvagees, according to the weight of the spar. Man the yards and walk them up; when clear of hammock-nettings, haul on the main-stay, ease the fore and main-yards, keeping the spar square, and get the foremost end inside the rigging; then ease the main-stay, and get the spar in its place on the booms. Small spars can be got in with the main-yard, a double whip on main-stay, or single guy if required.

[20] The spars intended to be stowed underneath, should be hoisted in first; such as topmasts, half-yards, and jib-boom, for the lower tier, and round off with the smaller spars on the top.

=208.=--STOWING BOOMS.

The spars on the starboard side are stowed as follows, viz.: Main-topmast, head aft; main-topgallant, (mast-fishes) half-yard, main topmast studding-sail booms, and jib-boom. On the larboard side--fore-topmast, head forward; fore-topgallant-mast, mast-fish, half-yard, fore topmast studding-sail booms, flying-jib-boom, &c.

There are several small spars which are equally divided, to make the booms as snug and neat as possible. A great deal of room can be gained by stowing them amidships in one pile, and the boats on each side. As the spars are stowed, they should be _numbered on each end_, also a list taken, and painted on the foreside of the boom-boards; by so doing it will save much time and trouble to find any spar that may be required; as I have seen all the booms unlashed before a spar was found.

The booms are lashed to span-shackles in the deck for the purpose. A few small spars should be kept out, to drive under the lashing, to set all taut. When stowed they are covered with tarpaulins, or matting made for the purpose. When the spars are all in, square the yards.

_Note._--It is becoming the general practice, to stow both topmasts with their heads forward. Many ships stow all their spars amidships in one pile, with the exception of the fore and main-topmasts, which are stowed outside of the boats; spare main-topsail yard on the larboard-quarter, the fore on the starboard-quarter, in the chains, and spare jib-boom across the stern, secured underneath the stern-davits.[21]

[21] Some ships stow topmasts and all amidships; but this is a bad plan, as it would be necessary to take out all, to get a topmast if required, it being underneath.