off; by this means the sail may be bent without exposing more than one reef at a time, until the close-reef sail is set.

A topsail might be sent up by the buntline and weather clewline. Q.-You are sailing under double-reefed topsails, and you want to shake one reef out, how will you proceed?

A.-Haul taut the reef-tackles, then lay aloft and cast off the points, beginning from the bunts, tightening all the first reefpoints, then ease away the earrings, seeing that the first reefearrings are secured.

Q.-Suppose you split your foresail, proceed to shift it; and state what precautions you will take to keep the sail from blowing to leeward in sending it down?

A.-Pass a few spare gaskets round the sail, and take the bights of the bowlines down to windward to haul in the sail with. Q.-Brail up a spanker in a squall; what brails to be best manned, and why?

A.-In brailing up a trysail or driver, the lee-brails should be manned best and the slack only of the weather ones gathered in, so that the sail may be kept shaking.

Q. What is to be done with the cross-jack brace, and why? A.-The weather-brace must be eased a little lest the yard-arm should go through the spanker.

(In taking in a spanker or trysail the wind is got out of the sail by hauling up the lee-brails first.

Take care that the sail does not get over the lee cross-jack yard-arm; to prevent it doing so the yard must sometimes be braced-to.)

Q.-All plain sail set, the wind increasing, how would you begin to reduce the sails ?

A.-First, take in the royals, flying jib, and small staysails, and topgallantsails next.

Q.—The wind still increasing, what sails would you take in next?

A.—Take in the first, and afterwards the second, reef in each topsail, and stow the jib?

Q.-The wind still increasing, what will you do next?

A.-Close-reef the fore and mizzen topsails, reef the courses, and stow the mizzen.

Q.-An increasing gale, with a strong sea running, what would you do next?

A.-Reduce to two close-reefed topsails, and carry these as long as ship and masts will bear it without injury to either, in order to keep steerage way on the ship. The helm must be well attended to, easing it down to the pitching of the ship.

Q.-If the ship could not bear two close-reefed topsails, what would you do?

A.-Stow the fore-topsail, and afterwards the main one, and set a storm staysail, either on the main or mizzen.

Q.-The gale is at its height, a very heavy sea running, and the ship labouring very hard, could anything be done to ease her?

A.-Have the helm strictly attended to, and not lashed to leeward. By carefully watching the seas and the motion of the ship, the vessel may be eased greatly when contending against a heavy sea.

Q.-Is there anything else can be done?

A.-Yes; lower down gaffs and booms, unreeve all steering sail gear and spare ropes, and send down royal and topgallantyards.

Q.-In sending yards down at sea, which side is the yard-rope stopped out?

A.-The lee side.

Q. What side does the yard come down?

A. The weather side, and through the lubber's hole.

Q.-The ship being on the port tack and rolling heavily, how do you send down a royal-yard?

A.-Reeve the yard-rope, bend it on the slings of the yard, put a quarter stop on about two or three feet from the slings, and bend a tripping line on to the port yard-arm. All being ready, unparral the yard, sway away, take off the port lift and brace, lower away the yard-rope, take off the starboard lift and brace, lower the yard down on deck.

Q.-Send down a topgallant-yard, blowing hard.

A.-Unshackle the halliards and unreeve them, reeve a yardrope through the sheave-hole at the mast-head. Bend it on to the quarter of the yard and sway away till high enough to get the lifts off. Unparral the yard, stop the yard-rope to the yardarm, and bend on a tripping line to the weather yard-arm, unhook the braces and lower away.

Q.-Send down a topsail-yard, blowing hard.

A.-Proceed as with a topgallant-yard, only there must be a block at the mast-head.

Some use a gun-tackle purchase.

Q.-Are there any precautions you would take?

A.-Have some stout rope to go round yards and masts as preventer parral, till all was ready; and in the case of a topsailyard, have stops in the weather rigging.

Q.-Ship on port tack and heeling over, proceed to send up a royal-yard.

A.-Reeve the halliards and overhaul them down on the weather side abaft all, bend on amidships, and stop out to the quarter of the yard. Get a tripping line to the port yard-arm, sway away-having a man aloft to steady the yard.

LYING-TO, SCUDDING, GETTING ABACK, SQUALLS, &c.

A sudden shift of wind.

If the ship has way enough, use the helm to bring the wind into its old position, shortening sail at the same time; then trim as requisite, and bring the ship to her course.

If the ship has not sufficient steerage way, up mainsail and spanker. Square the main-yard, shortening sail as requisite at the same time. Then manoeuvre with the head and mizzen yards.

If the wind shifts on the lee bow, "go about," swinging the after yards as soon as possible, and shortening sail if necessary. Q.-Running under double-reefed topsails and foresail, wind aft, you want to bring the ship to the wind, what would you do?

A.-Close-reef the topsails and haul the foresail up, watch a smooth, put the helm down and brace up the after yards, and, as the vessel comes-to, brace up the fore yard, then stow the foresail.

Q.—Running in heavy weather, and not wishing to go beyond your port during the night, how would you heave-to, there being no fore-and-aft canvas bent.

A.-Put the helm down, brace fore yard sharp up full, and the after yards a-box.

Q.-Going along with a strong breeze two points abaft the starboard beam, how would you stop her way?

A. By hauling in the starboard main brace, and shiver the main topsail.

Q.-She still has headway, what would do?

A.-Fill the main yard, and haul in the starboard fore brace; the head yards are then right aback.

Q.-Running before a heavy gale with three lower topsails set and reefed foresail, what would you do first before bringing the ship close to the wind?

A.-Take the foresail in and furl it.

Q.-After bringing the ship to the wind she makes bad weather, what would you do to ease her?

A.-Take in the lower mizzen-topsail, and if she still makes bad weather, take in the fore-topsail, and heave-to under the main-topsail.

Q.-You are running in a heavy gale of wind under two closereefed topsails and reefed foresail, and you wish to heave the ship to, how would you proceed to do it?

A.-Clew the fore-topsail up and furl it, see the spilling lines rove on the foresail, then haul the foresail up and bring the ship to, haul in the weather brace till the sail shivers, then furl.

Q.-Scudding in a gale under close-reefed main-topsail, reefed foresail, and fore-staysail; lay the ship to.

A.-Haul the foresail up, and if I find I can run her with safety for a short time, under the topsail and staysail, furl the foresail before bringing her to the wind. If, however, there is such a sea running that I cannot keep before it after shortening sail, I would look out for a smooth, down with the helm, and round short to, in order to avoid exposing her broadside to the sea a moment longer than is absolutely necessary.

Q.--When running with a fresh breeze right aft, what is to be done?

A.-Brail up the spanker, haul the mainsail up, and haul down the head sails.

Q.-How would you act if the wind shifted suddenly round to the beam?

A.-Let her go off a little, haul the fore-yard forward, aboard fore-tack, haul the fore-sheet aft, set the jib, haul the after-yards forward, set the mainsail, spanker, and staysails.

Q.-Suppose the vessel is taken all aback, what would you do? A.-Brace the fore-yards round the other way, and try to box her off.

Q.-Provided she would not pay off, what would you do? A.-Brail in the mizzen and let her come round on her heel, acting in the same way as veering her.

Q.-If your ship comes-up in the wind, through bad steerage or otherwise, how will you get her head off again?

A. First try by flattening in the jib-sheets; if that will not do brace round the head yards, which will send her head off away from the wind.

Q-Running with square yards, topmast and lower studdingsails set, you are taken all aback, how would you act?

A.-Let fly the topmast-studdingsail tack and lower halliards, shift the helm, and brace the yards round, putting the ship on the tack nearest her course.

Q.-Running before a gale, under close-reefed topsails and reefed foresail, a heavy sea right aft, the wind suddenly hauls right abeam, how would you act?

A.-Brace the fore-yard forward, then the main-yard, being careful not to let the ship go off more than half a point or a point, so as not to bring the sea on the lee beam.

Q.-Running with a gale on the quarter, under close-reefed fore and main-topsails and fore-staysail, you are brought by the lee?

A.-Put the helm down and brace round directly, unless in the meantime she answers the helm and brings the wind on the weather quarter again; though the probability is she will either lose her masts or be thrown on her beam ends.

Q.-Going up a narrow channel on the starboard tack, heading South, and the wind suddenly shifts to the S.S.W., what would you do?

A. Hard-up the helm, brail in the mizzen, ease off the main sheet, and get the sails in as fast as possible, taking in royals and topmast-studdingsails, and, if necessary, reef the topsails.

Q.-Wind on the port quarter, the vessel is taken aback with the wind four points on the lee bow; state what you would do? A.-Keep the helm hard-up, brail the mizzen in, and haul in the port and starboard main-braces; when she gathers headway hard a-starboard the helm, swing the fore-yard, set the after canvas, brace up, and stand on.

Q.-Port tack, the wind suddenly shifts to the lee beam, what would you do?

A.-If the ship has stern-way put the helm a-port, haul the after yards round, then the fore-yard, shift the helm, down tacks, sheets aft, and stand on.

Q.-What is broaching-to, what is it usually owing to, and what is the remedy?

A.-Is synonymous with coming up into the wind; but is exclusively applied to a ship in bad weather, when it becomes a situation of great danger to the ship and spars. When running free with the sea on the quarter, want of attention is the common cause of such a mishap. Put the helm up, lower the topsails, if they are standing; and if she does not pay off, box off or brace up as the occasion demands. Should, however, the ship be going over, I would let fly everthing instantly.