GETTING UNDER WEIGH 1. A steam ship under the spouts, or against a wharf, what precautions would you adopt? Have fenders over the side to prevent chafe. Have a bow and quarter rope to the shore to secure her. 2. In getting under weigh, what should be seen to before the engines are started? Have a report from the engine room that everything is clear about the engines; see that there is nothing foul of the propeller; be very careful to haul in the slack of the quarter rope as it is eased off, for fear of the bight fouling the screw; and see that the wheel chains and rudder are in perfect working order. 3. Describe any arrangement of sluices you know of? The water-ballast tank is made flat on its top till it approaches the sides, when it is made to curve down, thus forming a gutter or sluice at each side. 4. What are they for? To allow any water that leaks in to find its way to the engine-room bilges, where it can be pumped out. 5. How can it pass the bulk heads ? There are sliding doors (called sluice-valves) worked from the deck, which, on being opened, allow the water to pass through on its way to the pumps. 6. How do you clean out the limbers? By hand when possible. If the hand will not reach, then by a soup and bouilli tin fastened to a rod. 7. What are the advantages of water-ballast tanks ? A ship when being moved from one port to another in ballast saves the expense of buying and loading ordinary ballast, the expense of discharging it, and the loss through detention in both operations; because she opens her water-ballast cocks and allows the water to run in as she goes along; and as she is reaching her port she begins to dis charge it through her donkey ballast pump. 8. What disadvantage has it? When the ship is loaded and the tanks are empty, her cargo is too high, making her crank. 9. Describe an engine-room telegraph ? In the following sketch the handle A is worked by the officer of the watch, who moves it towards his left side for going ahead, and towards his right hand for going astern. The vertical position is "stop," and the other orders are "stand by," "slow," "half-speed," and full." 66 The handle B is the repeating single, and is worked from the engine-room thus :-The officer on deck puts the handle A at "-speed" to the left; this motion causes a bell to ring in the engine-room; upon this the engineer looks at his dial and sees the pointer at -speed;" he then moves his handle to the same, and this movement causes B to move round to "-speed" ahead, thus shewing the officer of the watch that his order is perfectly understood. 66 SCREW RACE. 1. What is meant by a right-handed screw propeller? One that revolves from the port to the starboard side of the ship during the upper part of its revolution while the ship is moving ahead. 2. What is meant by a left-handed screw? One which revolves from the starboard side to theport side under the same conditions as in the last. 3. What effect has a right-handed screw on a ship going a-head? It tends to send her to the port side of her course, the effect being as if she carried a starboard helm. 4. What effect has a right-handed screw upon a ship going astern? To throw her to starboard of her course. 5. What effect has a left-handed screw upon a ship going ahead? To throw her to starboard of her course. 6. What effect has a left-handed screw upon a ship. going astern? To throw her to port of her course. 7. If your ship were moored to a buoy in a river behind a broad tier of other ships, you want to get under weigh with your own steam only, there is a dolphin aft of you; how would you manage ? I should take her out under stern way; then, if she is a right-handed screw, as she will have a tendency to cant to starboard I should give her a sheer before starting, so as to bring the current on the starboard bow, then the action of the current would act against the effect of the screw, and the ship would have a better chance of coming out in a straight course. VENTILATION. 1. What general direction does the air between decks take ? It takes the opposite direction to that of the wind. The more the ship is battened down the more sure is this rule. 2. Where should ventilators be put ? There should be two, one forward and one aft, for each hold. 3. Which would be the uptake? The weather one for the time being. 4. Are the ventilators protected ? Yes, with cowls. 5. Under what conditions are coal cargoes most dangerous, that is, most liable to spontaneous combustion ? When the coal is subjected to breakage during transport from pit to ship; when coal which is pyritic is shipped in a wet condition; and especially when the ventilation is through the body of the coal cargo. 6. In fine weather what would you do with such a cargo? Keep the hatches off whenever possible. 7. What precaution should always be adopted with coal cargoes during long voyages? The temperature of the various portions of the cargo should be tested periodically by thermometers and registered in the log. 8. Besides the hatches, what other means must be adopted for relieving the gases from the surface ? There must be ventilators giving free and continuous egress to the open air in all states of the weather. 9. In ventilating the 'tween decks of an emigrant ship, what is most to be guarded against? The down draft, giving cold to the people, must be guarded against by canvas screens. EXPLOSIVES. 1. What general precautions must be taken in shipping explosives ? The Board of Trade "stipulate for a substantial compartment formed of double boards, with an intermediate lining of felt," or they must be otherwise carefully stowed so as not to come into contact with or be in danger from any other part of the cargo; hence, they must be isolated by boards, or surrounded by sailcloth or felt, to prevent the powder getting adrift during the voyage. PILOTS, AND BOOKS OF NAVIGATION, NAUTICAL INSTRUMENTS, &c. SOLD BY THOMAS REED & CO. ADMIRALTY CHART AGENTS, BOOKSELLERS, PRINTERS, STATIONERS, &c. SUNDERLAND. BRITISH NAVIGATION. Coasts of England, Scotland, and Ireland, English and St. George's Channels, Orkney, Shetland, and Lewis Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, Scilly, &c. North Sea, S. d. 0 East Coast of England, from Dungeness to the Tyne....12 East Coast of England, from Harwich to Newcastle 10 The Coal Ports, &c., from Flambro' Head to Coquet Island 8 Entrances to the Thames 0 0 .4s. & 7 6 0 Coal Trade Pilot, from London to Aberdeen, on 3 sheets 10 0 Coal Trade Pilot, do with the North Sea,, 4 sheets 12 East Coast of Scotland, from Flambro' to Cape Wrath ..12 0 Flamborough Head to Aberdeen... Tees Bay Sunderland River Tyne Farn Islands to Berwick Firth of Forth, on 3 sheets River Tay to Dundee Aberdeen. Moray Firth. 4 0 |