Text-book of seamanship. The equipping and handling of vessels under sail or steam. For the use of the United States Naval academy

813 Pages·1884·13.74 MB·English

by  Stephen Bleecker Luce

Text-Book of Seamanship
Folks,
Text-Book of Seamanship, 1891, is an updated age of sail textbook at the beginning of the true transition
of warships from sail to steam power.
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Text-Book of Seamanship

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Text-Book of Seamanship
TEXT-BOOK
OF
SEAMANSHIP
THE EQUIPPING AND HANDLING OF
VESSELS
UNDER SAIL OR STEAM.
FOR THE USE OF THE
UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY.
BY
COMMODORE S. B. LUCE, U. S. NAVY.
REVISED AND ENLARGED BY
LIEUTENANT AARON WARD, U. S. NAVY.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS DRAWN BY
LIEUTENANT S. SEABURY, U. S. NAVY.
New York:
VAN NOSTRAND COMPANY,
23 MURRAY STREET & 27 WARREN STREET.
-
1891.
Copyright, 1834, by D. Von Nostrand
SMITH & MCDOUGAL,
ELECTROTYPERS
PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION.
THIS work, originally compiled in haste to meet the immediate wants of the Naval Academy, and revised
at different periods under the pressure of other duties, has not merited the place it has so long occupied as
a text-book.
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Of this the compiler has been fully conscious. Its deficiencies were so numerous and so obvious and the
circumstances under which it was prepared so well known that apologies seemed altogether superfluous.
It was for long years supposed, moreover, that some more competent hand would have undertaken an
entirely new work.
Finding this expectation not realized, Lieutenant Aaron Ward has kindly consented to undertake the task
of revision. He has performed his work intelligently and well, leaving out what was obsolete, introducing
much new material, rearranging the subjects, and bringing the text down to the present time.
He has been ably assisted by Lieutenant Samuel Seabury, who has contributed some four hundred new
illustrations and revised the old ones.
S. B. LUCE,
Commodore, U. S. N.
TRAINING SQUADRON,
NEWPORT, R. I., Feb. 1883.
REVISER'S NOTE.
GRATEFUL acknowledgments are due to those whose contributions to the text have enhanced the value
of this work.
Commander F. V. McNair has permitted the use of his pamphlet on Seamanship Drills.
The chapter on the Laws of Storms is taken principally from the lecture of Lieutenant-Commander
Thomas Nelson, Vol. V, Proceedings U. S. Naval Institute.
Chapter XIX. is practically a reprint of Lieutenant D. Delehanty's pamphlet: "Cadet Midshipman's
Manual."
Chapter XXXV. has been prepared from notes furnished by Lieutenant-Commander Z. L. Tanner,
together with data from the lectures of Constructor R. H. White, R. N., and from the professional
pamphlets of the German Admiralty on steamers and screw propulsion.
The suggestions made by Boatswain Robert Anderson, U. S. N., have been of special importance. Getting
a lower yard on board, sending down a lower yard inside of rigging, rigging derricks, and carrying out
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anchors between two cutters in shoal water, are described from actual work performed under his direction.
To Commander Taylor, Lieutenants Berry, Nazro, and Holman, U. S. N., and to many other officers,
sincere thanks are tendered for their assistance and suggestions in the revision of the proofs.
AARON WARD,
Lieutenant, U. S. N.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGES
I. -THE SHIP-DEFINITIONS 1-10
II. -THE COMPASS-THE LEAD-THE LOG 11-20
III. -ROPE 21-30
IV. -KNOTTING AND SPLICING 31-62
V. -BLOCKS 63-69
VI. -TACKLES 70-79
VII. -MASTING-THE RUDDER 80-95
VIII. -STANDING RIGGING 96-109
IX. -RIGGING SHIP 110-155
X. -SAILS 156-172
XI. -PURCHASING WEIGHTS 173-189
XII. -STOWAGE 190-198
XIII. -BOATS 199-229
XIV. -GROUND TACKLE 230-260
XV. -STEAM CAPSTANS 261-267
XVI. -MOORING 268-278
XVII. -CARRYING OUT ANCHORS 279-288
XVIII. -ORGANIZATION 289-307
XIX. -DUTIES OF MIDSHIPMEN 308-322
XX. -PORT DRILLS AND EVOLUTIONS 323-359
XXI. -RULES OF THE ROAD 360-379
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XXII. -GETTING UNDER WAY UNDER SAIL 380-394
XXIII. -MAKING AND TAKING IN SAIL 395-411
XXIV. -WORKING TO WINDWARD 412-431
XXV. -WIND BAFFLING 432-439
XXVI. -HEAVING TO 440-448
XXVII. -REEFING 449-456
XXVIII. -LAWS OF STORMS 457-470
XXIX. -IN A GALE 471-481
XXX. -PARTING RIGGING 482-491

vi

CHAPTER PAGES
XXXI. -LOSING SPARS 492-501
XXXII. -SHIFTING SAILS AND SPARS 502-516
XXXIII. -COMING TO ANCHOR 517-526
XXXIV. -HANDLING FORE-AND-AFTERS 527-536
XXXV. -HANDLING VESSELS UNDER STEAM 537-575
XXXVI. -GETTING ON SHORE-LEAKING 576-587
XXXVII. -THE LIFE-SAVING SERVICE 588-597
APPENDIX.
PAGES
A. -ROPE-MAKING-TABLE OF DIMENSIONS OF ROPE 598-603
B. -CUTTING AND FITTING BLOCK STRAPS 604-605
C. -TURNING IN OLD-FASHIONED DEADEYES-RULES FOR SIZE OF SHROUDS 606-609
D. -STAYING MASTS BY-USE OF BATTENS 609-610
E. -TABLES OF FLAX AND COTTON CANVAS 610-611
F. -MANAGEMENT OF OPEN BOATS IN SURF 611-613
G. -ROUTINE-PREPARING SHIP FOR SEA 614-618
H. -TARRING DOWN-SCRAPING SPARS-PAINTING SHIP 618-620
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I. -IN A TIDEWAY UNDER SAIL 620-622
K. -TENDING SHIP AT SINGLE ANCHOR-FIRE BOOMS 622-626
L. -TURNING EXPERIMENT-METHODS OF DETERMINING TACTICAL DIAMETERS 627-644
M. -TANNER SOUNDING MACHINE 645-646
N. -SHIP PAPERS 646-647
O. -SERVICE BUGLE CALLS 648-659
INDEX 660-672

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CHAPTER I.
THE SHIP.
GENERAL REMARKS ON THE HULL, SPARS, AND SAILS.-DEFINITIONS.
Wooden ships are usually built on stocks and launched on ways, which are inclined planes leading to the
water's edge. Sometimes vessels are built in docks, which are artificial basins with level floors, shut off
from outside waters by gates or by a single dam known as a caisson. These gates are water-tight and can
be opened or closed; the dock is supplied with means for pumping out the water or letting it in.
The lowest fore and aft piece which forms the foundation of a ship is called the keel (Plate 1, No. 1). It is
of live-oak, or elm, and made of several pieces, the joints of which are known as scarphs.
To receive the edge of the first row, or strake, of outside planking, called the garboard strake (2), the keel
is scored throughout its length, the score being styled a rabbet (3).
To protect the main keel from injury in grounding there is fitted under it a false keel (4), bolted on after
the bolts which secure the frames to the main keel are clinched.
The forward end of the ship is formed of the stem (5), usually of live-oak, and inclining forward from the
keel. A rabbet, similar to the one scored in the keel, is cut into the sides of the stem and receives the
forward ends of the outside planking, which are called the fore hood-ends.
The stem is backed and strengthened by the apron (6), placed abaft it, and by the deadwood (7).
Deadwood consists of timbers that fill the spaces where, owing to the shape of the vessel, the floor-
timbers have to be discontinued.
Inside of the forward deadwood and the apron is the stemson (8), a large knee which joins the apron to the
upper part of the deadwood.
The after-end of the ship is bounded by the stern-post (9), usually of live-oak, which stands perpendicular
to the keel or slightly inclined aft. It is fitted like the stem with a rabbet on each side to receive the after-
ends of the outside planking, or after-hoods, and it is strengthened by the introduction of a stern-post knee
(10), inner post (11), and the after-deadwood (12). Above the latter is the after-deadwood knee (13).
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Screw vessels have generally two stern-posts; the after one, which carries the rudder, is called the rudder-
post.
The joining of the stern-post to the keel is effected by tenons and bolts.
The frames (14) form the ribs of the ship. They stand mostly at right angles to the keel and each is formed
of two parts joined together, each part being in itself made up of several pieces. The lowest portions of a
square frame are called the floor-timbers; above these come the futtocks, then the long or short top-pieces.
The starboard and port side of each frame form one continuous piece.
Where, owing to the form of the ship, the frames do not stand at right angles to the keel, they are called
cant frames.
The following parts of the ship serve to secure the above-mentioned portions together and give the
structure stiffness and strength; viz., the keelsons, breast-hooks (15) and stern-hooks (16), outer and inner
planking, beams (17) and diagonal braces.
The main keelson (18) is a fore and aft timber which is laid directly over the keel on the floor-timbers and
may extend beyond the latter and over the deadwood, forward and aft. The keelson is bolted through
frames, keel, and deadwood. There are usually additional keelsons at each side of the main keelson,
known as sister keelsons (20). There are also boiler or bilge keelsons to support the boilers (19). Bilge-
keels are exterior keels bolted on to the bottom of the ship on either side of and parallel to the main keel,
and at some distance from the latter, to prevent rolling in vessels of certain form.
To hold the two sides of the ship together in the forward and after ends, where the frames have no floor-
timbers crossing the keel, owing to the form of the ship, there are worked in knee-shaped, horizontal
timbers, either with a natural curve, or formed of two or more pieces backed by an iron or wooden knee.
These curved supports, secured to either side of the ship, are termed breast-hooks (15) forward and stern-
hooks (16) aft; when they support a deck they are called deck-hooks.
The outer planking of a ship is formed of a number of oak planks of varying thickness, but nearly parallel
when placed in position over the frames.
To check marine growth on the bottom of vessels and the consequent decrease of speed, all wooden
vessels of war are sheathed with copper from the keel to a point some distance above their line of
flotation, or "water-line."
Inner planking. This planking is not continuous, as in the case of outside planking, and in different parts
of the ship is called by different names. It is known as the limber-strakes (21) nearest the keelson. These
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strakes extend along the bottom of the ship on either side of the

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keelson. As the planking is carried up the side beyond the limber-strakes it is known as the ceiling (22);
following it up higher we find projecting ledges, called shelf-pieces, or clamps, placed inside the frames
to receive the deck-beams.
The deck-beams (17), extending from side to side of the ship, holding the sides together, form the support
for the deck-planking. The beams are supported by posts or stanchions (23) in their centre, and by clamps
at each end. They are joined to the sides of the ship by iron or wooden knees, known as hanging (24),
lodging (25), lap (26), or dagger (corruption of diagonal) knees, from their positions and form.
The waterways (27) are timbers set in the side over the tops of the deck-beams and bolted to these and to
the frames at the side.
Decks are of oak, teak, or yellow pine, and are spiked to each deck-beam over which they pass.
Vessels owe much of their strength to the use of diagonal trusses or braces, of metal, secured inside of the
frame-timbers and forming a net-work which binds the frames firmly together.
To the above outline of the parts of the hull is appended a list of prominent interior fittings and of the
terms used in describing them:-
Aft. At or near the stern of the ship.
After passage. Usually a space in the after orlop of frigates, being a passageway to the different store-
rooms on that deck.
Air-port. Hole cut in ship's side to give light and air to berth-deck. Usually circular.
Amidships. In or near the middle of the ship.
Apron. A timber secured in rear of the stem to strengthen it at the joint of upper and lower stem-pieces.
Athwartships. In the direction of the ship's breadth.
Bag-room. Where clothing-bags of crew are stored. Usually forward on the berth-deck or leading off of
fore-passage.
Ballast. Stone or iron placed in the hold to bring the ship down to her proper line of flotation and give
stability.
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