PLATE

130. Wind Circulation in Hurricane, and Cross of Hurricane..

131. Galveston Hurricane, September, 1900..

132. Ocean Cyclones and Anti-Cyclones of the Northern Hemisphere

133. A Hurricane Re-curving.

134. Storm Tracks.

135. Cyclones..

136. Sea Anchor

137. Use of Oil..

138. Towing a Battleship. British Navy.

139. Towing a Battleship..

140. Towing by Deckhouse and Bitts.

141. Towing by Bitts..

142. Securing Tow Lines.

143. Securing Tow Lines.

144. Securing Lines on Small Craft.

145. Line-Throwing Guns..

146. Standard Towing Equipment. United States Navy.

147. Stranding. . .

148. Hauling Off a Stranded Vessel..

149. Sailing Craft.

150. Four-masted Ship under Sail

151. Standing and Running Rigging.

152. Fore Mast and Head-booms of a Modern Sailing Ship.

PAGE

493

495

Facing 496

500

503

506

515

518

589

590

593

594

597

598

601

607

610

629

630

664-665

666-667

.668-669

673

153. Fore Mast and Head-booms of a Modern Sailing Ship. Sails Set.. 676

(1)

CHAPTER I.

THE HULL AND FITTINGS OF A SHIP.

The size, form, speed, power, armor, armament and rig of a ship depend upon the nature of the services she is expected to perform. Whatever her design may be, she must have ample stability, strength, habitability, and a complete outfit of all appliances, fixed and portable, necessary to ensure her efficiency under all service conditions.

The principal types of ships are:

Battleships. Ships of the maximum offensive and defensive qualities, usually having displacements greater than ten thousand tons, great beam in proportion to length, moderate speed and power, heavy armor at water-line and on turrets with lighter armor elsewhere, heavy guns mounted in turrets or barbettes, lighter guns in broadside, and small guns mounted wherever space will permit; and one or two military masts.

All recent battleships—those designed since 1906—are of the Dreadnaught type, the essential characteristic of which is that, except for small calibre guns designed for defense against torpedo-craft, it carries only guns of large calibre and carries all these behind heavy armor. The type takes its name from the British Battleship "Dreadnaught" designed in 1906. This ship marked a new development in naval warfare and to a large extent rendered all earlier battleships obsolete although many of these are still, of necessity, utilized on the fighting line.

Battle Cruisers. These resemble the battleship in size and armament, but have lighter armor and much higher speed, the gain in speed being purchased by a sacrifice in weight of armor. They are, in short, very fast and very lightly armored Dreadnaughts.

Armored cruisers, having displacements greater than eight thousand tons, high speed, great power, moderate armor on turrets and barbettes, light armor at and above the water-line, a protective deck, large coal capacity, numerous guns, and one or more military masts.

Protected cruisers, having displacements greater than three thousand tons, good speed, no armor except on turrets, barbettes, or sponsons, a protective deck, varying coal capacity, numerous guns, and one or more military masts, or masts fitted for carrying steadying sails.

The use of the older forms of military masts is gradually disappearing in the newest designs, though the existing types of various navies generally include them as above stated; and the latest ships have special forms of elevated tops such as the American basket mast and the English tripod mast.

Scout cruisers, having moderate protection and armament, large coal capacity and, above all else, high speed.

Gunboats, having displacements less than two thousand tons, fair speed, good coal capacity, no armor or protective deck, moderate battery, and generally provided with moderate sail power.

Torpedo boats and destroyers, having displacements between one hundred and one thousand tons, extremely high speed, fair coal capacity, no armor, very fragile hull, with one or two signal poles. Carrying torpedoes and the necessary apparatus for launching them.

Monitors, with one or two heavily armored turrets carrying high-powered guns, very low freeboard with heavily armored sides, an armored deck, poor coal capacity, and low speed.

Submarines, of displacements up to two thousand tons. Carrying torpedo tubes and a few light guns. Designed to operate on the surface or submerged. Fitted with periscopes giving a view of the horizon when submerged. The radius of action may be as much as seven thousand miles and the maximum surface speed twenty knots or more.

Auxiliaries. These are of many kinds, used for many purposes, as auxiliary to the fighting forces. Thus we have Fuel Ships, Supply Ships, Ammunition Ships, Repair Ships, Hospital Ships, Mine-laying and Mine-sweeping Ships, Transports, and Tenders to Destroyers and Submarines. In general, these ships are of special design and special build, but in some cases ships built for commercial purposes are utilized with such alterations as may be demanded by the purpose for which they are required. Merchant ships, for passenger or freight service, of all sizes and speeds, no armor or protective deck, large coal capacity,