ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

should be contiguous to each other. Flour and bread should never be stowed in the hold if it can be avoided, as the steam generated there deteriorates them in a very short time. Some recommend beer to be stowed each side of the pump-well. Potatoes, onions, &c., are frequently stowed in the tops when ships are fully laden. An experienced master says, "in passenger ships a place for provisions is always reserved in one of the hatchways, usually the main, and the others are kept well battened down, for if all the hatchways were open, or nearly so, the provisions and cargo in the lower hold would be greatly damaged in heavy weather. It may be argued that when rain prevails all the passengers would be below thoroughly well battened in, but it must not be forgotten that at sea wet weather continues sometimes three parts of the voyage, and that if water once gets down the main-deck hatch, it will be sure to find its level in the bottom of the ship."

900. Another master says, "in passenger ships a portion of the after hold, including the square of the hatchway, is reserved for provisions, and frequently an issuing room is constructed in the 'tween decks which will contain a quantity of dry provisions to last several days, and thus avoid the necessity of having the lower after hatchway open every day. The wet provisions are more frequently than otherwise in the fore hold with the water. In ships carrying cargo, also, it is considered rather a desideratum to fill the main hold up and caulk the lower main hatches carefully down, well covering and battening. The ship during the passage thus lightens gradually at each end, and carries the bulk of the weight in the long midship section. If it is found that she springs up too much forward, salt water is easily pumped into the empty water casks or tanks. All passenger ships have a strong well fitted and partially glazed booby hatch over the after hatchway on the quarter deck, which not only keeps out rain, but heavy seas. The fore and main hatches are frequently not only fitted in the same manner, but have also a stout spar about seven feet above the level of the deck, fore and aft over the centre of the upper hatch, and a strong painted canvas cover, stretched tentwise over the spar, down to the combings on each side, so that if water should get below and cause inconvenience, or damage provisions, it must be through gross carelessness or neglect."

901. In the Royal Navy masters are instructed to stow old provisions so that they may be first expended, and on receiving subsequent supplies, they are to place the new under the old. Lieut. ALSTON, R.N., says, in the after hold (of a ship of war) stow the wet provisions as ground tiers, and the dry provisions on the top; beef

and flour starboard side, pork and peas port side. Remainder of provisions together in the after part or interspersed where they best cut in-keeping the oldest uppermost in all cases. All casks are stowed fore and aft, except in broken stowage, when they must be placed with chief regard to economy of space. Firewood is used for dunnage, mixed among the casks in quantity proportionate to the consumption of provisions. As the salt provisions are buried under the dry, an additional quantity of the former are stowed in the square of the hatchway, to last until you break down to the foremast longer, when you can work your way along evenly.

902. Dry Beef. The brigantine Rudolph, Capt. MENKE, of Papenburg, 60 lasts commercial, 138 tons, 89 × 22 × 11 feet English, took in at the River Plate, July, 1865, for conveyance to the Brazils, about 5,500 quintals of dried beef-a quintal is 100 lbs. Spanish. Worms from this cargo entered the bread, beans, and other dry provisions in the ship. Capt. MENKE says, that unless the hold is well cleansed and purified after carrying dried beef, the ship is unfit to receive coffee, flour, bread, sugar, or any other edible goods. He considers that insects are also generated by cargoes of bones and bone-ash, and that bone-ash when wetted, is very injurious to the interior wood-work. The Rudolph with 225 tons of coal shipped at Dysart, near Leith, drew aft 12 feet, forward 10 feet; with 1,820 barrels flour shipped at Trieste, which filled the hold, 11 and 10 feet; and with 2,700 bags of coffee shipped at Rio, each bag containing 112 lbs., 11 and 10 feet. When loading dried beef in the River Plate, it is usual to cover the entire hold with straw, supplied by the merchant or charterer.

903. In the supply of butter to Emigrant Ships, the Government requires for every firkin of 75 lbs. an additional quantity of 5 lbs. to make up weight. Six bottles of stout are considered equal to one gallon; bag of bread 112 lbs. ; tierce beef 336 lb., in 42 pieces of 8 lbs.; pork, India, 318 lbs., 53 pieces of 6 lbs.; barrel of pork, mess, 200 lbs., 50 pieces of 4 lbs.; cask flour 196 lb.; raisins, box, 56 lbs., half-box 28 lbs. ; case preserved potatoes 112 lbs.; fathom fire-wood 630 lbs. All provisions and stores under hatches; never more than two tons water on deck. Where fresh beef is served out in harbour, it is customary to give men the option of taking a loaf of bread and 1 lb. vegetables each, in lieu of half a pound of meat. A United States barrel of pork weighs 200 lbs., beef 200 lbs., a tierce of beef 303 lbs.

904. Lime Juice. Dr. DICKSON, in writing to the Board of Trade, December 8th, 1864, says, "so much depends on the manner of

preserving this important article of seamen's diet, that I would beg most respectfully to call their lordships' attention to the plan resorted to in the Royal Navy. The lemon juice is prepared in Sicily, and about a tenth of spirit is added. It is preserved in bottles containing about three imperial pints, and in no other method is it issued even to the largest ships, where the consumption on long voyages is necessarily very great. Experience has proved the excellence of this article, for it rarely spoils, even after several years, and scurvy has long been unknown in Her Majesty's service." Mr. HARRY Leach, surgeon of the Dreadnought, in his Medical Guide recommends that for 10 men there should be served out at dinner daily half a pint (10 ozs.) lime juice, six pints water, and 10 ozs. sugar.

Tonnage. 110 tierces beef, 3 cwt. each, weighing 16 tons; or 156 barrels pork, 2 cwt. each, 15 tons, will occupy a space of 850 cubic feet or 1 keel. Six tierces or eight barrels of Irish beef or pork are shipped as a ton; either quantity will weigh about 24 cwt. E. I. Co. six tierces to a ton. New York 6 barrels, each 200 lbs. Baltimore 6 barrels beef or pork, 7 barrels naval stores. When wheat is freighted at 1s. quarter, beef is rated at 10d. tierce, and pork 74d. barrel.

905. PUMPS. The heels ought not to be placed over a seam in the planking, but if this occurs, a plate of copper should be fixed so as to prevent the oakum from being drawn out. In 1847, the Stebonheath, from India, sprung a leak suddenly, and was compelled to put into St. Helena, and "heave down," when it was found that the oakum in the seams under the pumps had been drawn out by suction. It is desirable that the pump-well should be large enough to admit of access to the heels of the pumps, for the purpose of clearing them of dirt; see mate, tar, &c.

906. PUREE. Bombay ton 8 cwt.

907. PUTCHUCK. Bengal and Madras ton 10 cwt.

908. QUARANTINE. A list of goods and articles considered by the Customs' authorites as most liable to infection; apparel of all kinds, artificial flowers, bast (a rush) or any article made thereof, beads, bracelets, or necklaces in string, beds and bed ticks, books, brooms of all kinds, brushes of all sorts, burdets, camlets, canvas, carmenia wood, carpets, cordage not tarred, cotton wool, cotton yarn, cotton thread, all articles made wholly of or mixed with cotton, silk, wool, thread, or yarn, down, feathers, flax, furriers' waste, goats' hair, gold or silver or thread, cotton, hair, wool, or silk, or any other substance herein before mentioned, grogram, hats, caps, or bonnets of straw, chip, cane, or any other material, hemp, hoofs, horn tips, hair of all sorts, leather, linen, lute strings, lathing, or

harp strings, maps, mattresses, mats and matting, mohair yarn, nets, new or old, packthread, paper, parchment, pelts, plaiting of best chip, cane, straw, or horse hair, quills, rags, sails, and sail cloths, silk, viz. crapes and tiffanies, husks and knubs, raw silk, thrown and organizing silk, waste silk, wrought silk, skins, hides, and furs, and parts or pieces of skins, hides, and furs, whether undressed or in part or wholly tannel, tawed, or dressed, sponges, straw, or any article made or mixed with straw, stockings, of all sorts, thread, tow, or vellum, whisks, wool, whether raw or anywise wrought, yarn of all sorts, and all other goods whatsoever if they shall have arrived in or with packages consisting wholly or in part of any of the said articles. At Philadelphia, U.S., no vessel laden wholly or in part with vegetables, fish, or hides, arriving between 1st June and 1st October, is permitted to unload without a permit from the Board of Health; penalty $500.

909. QUERCITRON, the bark of a species of oak tree, abundant in North Carolina, U.S.; it is the quercus tinctoria of Linnæus, and the bark is used for dyeing olives, drabs, and yellows. It is also valuable for dressing hides, but not much used in England for that purpose. It probably contains more tannin than any other description of oak bark; it is of course necessary to prevent water from coming in contact with it, as its valuable principle is soluble in water. Hamburg tares: Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore quercitron 10 cent.

910. QUICKSILVER or mercury is an imperfect metal resembling melted silver; it is the heaviest of all fluids, and is found in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and South America. It is usually contained in wrought-iron bottles, weighing 84 lbs. net. A flask in California 75 lbs.

911. RAGS AND SHODDY. Rags, particularly when unwashed, should not be stowed near oil, linseed oil especially, or turpentine, or spontaneous combustion may ensue; when subjected to heavy pressure the liability is increased. In July, 1864, while the hands were discharging the cargo from the steam-ship Pollux, Capt. WITT, from Hamburg, lying in the river off St. George's Stairs, Horsleydown, a bale of rags in the main hold was found on fire; they had ignited spontaneously, and had evidently been burning several days. The bale was soon got on deck; no damage was done to any other portion of the cargo. The screw steamer Gitana left Hamburg 20th May, 1865, with a number of passengers and a general cargo, among which was a quantity of shoddy; she had not been out many

hours before the cargo was discovered on fire. The passengers were not then made aware of the fact, for fear of unnecessary alarm, but every exertion was used by the master and the crew to stop its progress. Orders were given to put on all steam, and make for West Hartlepool. Smoke was issuing through the crevices on deck, and into the fore cabin-the cargo being stowed in the fore hold. All vents where air might be able to enter were covered. During the whole of the next day the evidences of the fire were still perceptible, but it had apparently made little progress; the passengers were therefore not apprehensive of serious consequences. West Hartlepool was at last reached, and the vessel steamed up to the wharf; the floating fire engine was immediately brought near; hatches were opened; the smoke that first issued was immense; but the hoses were put into full play, and kept up a continual stream until the fire was subdued. The damage was unimportant. In August, 1865, a fire commenced on board the steam-ship Albert, in Prince's dock, Hull, through the spontaneous ignition of some bales of shoddy, part of her cargo, but was soon extinguished. Rags are not included in the London and Baltic proportionate rates of freight. London brokers allege that they will stow more advantageously than flax, which is in the table of rates. Memel exports by far the largest quantity from the Baltic, and also considerable quantities of flax. The principal sworn brokers there aver that rags stow 7 to 8 cent. better than flax; it is therefore usual with London brokers to charter ships on this side at a difference of 5s. less for rags than for flax. In opposition to this arrangement a Leith owner stated 25th May, 1864, that his ship registers 192 tons and discharged 161 tons of rags, whereas she would have loaded at least 15 tons more had she had a cargo of flax. Rags are sometimes freighted at the same rate as bark. A bag of Hamburg weighs 24 cwt.; a bale of Mediterranean 4 to 5 cwt. Shoddy is wool produced by tearing up woollen rags by machinery. It is re-spun and used for carpets and low-class goods. The machine used for tearing up the rags is called a "devil," and the dust that comes from the rags while being torn up is called "devil's dust."

912. RATTANS; see dunnage and whangees. Bombay ton 16 cwt. in bundles, whangees and canes; 16 cwt. ground; Bengal and Madras 20 cwt. for dunnage. There are usually 100 canes in a bundle of rattans.

913. Although shipped at different ports at various rates of freight, according to the requirements for dunnage, &c., it occurs that ships are chartered with rattans alone for conveyance to the

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »