The stone is sent away this size for shipment, but being invoiced to the contractor at 14 feet 10 inches or one ton, the master will receive a freight for one ton only, and not for 1 tons, which the stone actually weighs, unless the master makes a previous arrangement to meet the over-weight.

1074. Granite is usually put on board by crane gear provided by the merchant, with good strong sling chains and strong hooks, if the vessel is of sufficient hatchway to let the blocks down clear; but if the blocks are very large, the best mode is with lewises. Good wood dunnage should always be provided, so that the corners of heavy blocks may not bear on one timber, but give a share of the weight to several. In the West of England when stowing granite for London, say in a vessel of 300 tons burthen, the ground tier each side the keelson is kept well up from the skin by stout dunnage, care being taken that each block shall have a bearing on two or more frames of the vessel. The next tier is laid on it; the middle blocks are laid across the keelson, resting, if possible, on two of the ground tier blocks. The end blocks of both tiers are well dunnaged from the bilges, and all the blocks are kept 1 or 2 inches asunder by dunnage, so as to admit the sling chains readily when unloading. The third tier the same, and so on. The upper tier under the main hatchway will probably be 2 to 3 feet below the deck beams. The cargo forward and aft of the hatchway, will of course not rise so high, but will taper off towards the ends according to the vessel's build and trim, taking great care that all the blocks are so secured as to prevent them from starting when she rolls or pitches. The sketch herewith, say for a vessel of 500 tons, exhibits the tiers much more regularly disposed than can be accomplished with ordinary cargoes of granite which with regard to both sizes and weights are frequently very irregular, and therefore demand both skill and foresight on the part of the master. Where the stones are of irregular shape, considerable nicety of judgment is requisite to prevent damage, especially when the blocks are finally dressed. In reference to the freight of granite in the West of England, another authority puts the case as in the table following :

The above shows that there ought to be a clear understanding as to whether dressed or scappled stone is to be shipped, for by the table it will be seen that a master may carry stone weighing 817 tons 10 cwt. and be paid freight for only 638 tons 10 cwt.

Kerb cargoes are stowed lengthways, fore and aft, one stone on another to prevent the breakage which would occur in transverse stowage. Granite is deteriorated by contact with oil. In the Thames the crew usually place the pitching into the barges alongside. In China, granite dressed for window sills, door steps, &c., is shipped for ballasting cassia and other light freight, when bound to Singapore &c. Cornish Granite, dressed or worked, has been found to weigh 20 cwt. to 13 cubic feet exactly, which gives 2,654 ounces to the cubic foot, being just the same as in the tables. The customary rate for tonnage is 14 cubic feet of some granites, and 15 cubic feet of others, as Penryn, Penzance, and Cheesewring; and when the cargo is scappled only, the measurement for freight is exclusive of the waste for dressing; an equivalent should be reckoned for this in the rate of freight. From Guernsey to Plymouth 20 cwt. to the ton. Granite shipped at Looe, dressed for a dock at Copenhagen, weighed 7 cent. against the ship, say 107 instead of 100 tons. The same not dressed 112 to the 100 tons. On the Crinan Canal, 14 feet of granite and whin millstones go for a ton freight.

1075. Limestone.* A sloop carrying 53 tons weight of rubble

*The Trinity Corporation ordered 26th May, 1849, that vessels taking limestone as ballast, not exceeding in quantity one-third their register tonnage, and which is not sold for agricultural, building, or manufacturing purposes, be exempt from payment of light dues,

limestone was down to her load-line on five occasions, with 34, 36, 38, 41, and 42 measurement tons of rough granite. A sloop carrying 60 tons limestone, took on one occasion only 40, and on another 36 measurement tons rough granite. Quantities of limestone are conveyed from Welsh ports to Bideford, in polacca-rigged schooners, which skilfully drop their lofty fore-topsails when crossing the dangerous bar, and run to the mud near the kilns. A portion of the cargo is thrown on deck, to give a list inward; and the discharge is oon accomplished by the help of women, shipped at Appledore on entering the Tor, and landed again on departure. Having the choice. of three ports of loading, six trips are sometimes made in a week. The vessels are light-handed and worked by shares; about 80 tons are dropped each trip, and 20 retained for ballast. In the United States, a barrel of water-lime weighs 300 lbs.

1076. In the Liverpool County Court, 16th July, 1835, Mr. C. W. POLLEXFEN, agent for the Sligo Steam Navigation Company, sued Messrs. FRAZER and BOND, for £32 16s. 4d. freight and dues on stone conveyed on the 10th and 17th April, per steamer Sligo. Defendants paid into court £22 18s. 9d. as settlement in full. The difference arose through one side calculating the freight on the cubic measurement, which took into consideration the various vacant spaces which were made by the projections from the stones. It was stated to be the custom in Galway as well as the actual bargain, to pay freight on the measurement of the stones themselves. Mr. ABBOTT, the shipper, proved that the amount paid in was sufficient to cover the freight on this basis. Mr. Sergeant WHEELER considered that there had been a positive agreement to charge on the actual weight, and as defendants had proved on that weight, he must return a verdict in their favour.

1077. Millstones vary in size from 55 to 72 inches in diameter, by 9 to 12 inches thick, and are stowed the same way as grindstones. Yorkshire Landings and Paving are stowed on edge, fore and aft, so as to prevent breakage, and have an equal bearing along the vessel. At Odessa, a Russian cubic sagen of coblestones, fit for pavement, is equal to 343 cubic feet English, and a square sagen of hard flagstones, good for footpaths, 49 square feet. Portland Stone is often taken on board by means of derrick and gear, which can be obtained at the island. The men there load the vessel, and she has to pay out of her freight 1s. 3d. ton for this service. At Charmouth, Dorsetshire, Char Cement Stone and Blue Lias are sent off in boats marked at the stem, stern, and sides, so as to show the weight contained; this guides both the merchant and master. The boats are tested from

time to time in respect to their absorption of water, mud, &c., and re-marked if necessary. Portland Cement is becoming a great article of export; it weighs 100 to 110 lbs. per bushel. Chalk, specific gravity, 2-784; a cubic foot 174 lbs.; 18 cubic feet nearly 20 cwt.

PAVING STONES-SIZES to 20 Cwt.

1078. Grindstones should, if possible, be always stowed on their edges; potsherds, when procurable, make a good bed; the great object is to prevent damage to the edges; sometimes they are stowed flat, one on the other, with sand between to prevent chipping. The shipper sends into the hold a man who is paid by the master. 26 chaldrons grindstones, mixed sorts, weigh 21 tons, and are equal in bulk to half a keel of coal or 425 cubic feet. On the Crinan Canal 16 cubic feet go for a ton; same for freestone. In the United States a ton of grindstones weigh 2,000 lbs. Grindstones vary in size from 10 to 56 inches in diameter, by about 2 to 8 inches in thickness; they are classed in eight different sizes, called foots, according to their dimensions, as in the following table :

:

A Grindstone foot is 8 inches; the size is formed by adding the diameter and thickness together. Thus: a stone 56 inches diameter by 8 inches thick, making together 64 inches, is an 8-foot stone of 8 inches each foot.

GRINDSTONES-NEWCASTLE TABLE,

Showing the various sizes from 1 to 8 feet, the weight of each Stone and each

1079.

Marble in blocks should be stowed on the flat of the floor, in the middle of the vessel, taking care to have good dunnage so as to prevent other portions of the cargo from damaging it. Some merchants consider that slabs of marble are more safely carried when stuck together with plaster of Paris. At Leghorn, wrought marbles and statuary are measured by the palmas, and the rough parts (like granite) make the tonnage for freight very heavy, but as the exports there consist usually of light goods, the shipment of a few additional tons of marble may be convenient for trimming. All packages and cases should be stowed with the right side up, or breakage may take place. When loading or unloading, proper guys should be used, for if the slings catch against the combings of the hatchways, the cases will instantly slip through and their contents be broken to pieces. English marbles are more brittle than Bardilla or Carara; a ton of the latter admeasures 12 cubic feet. On the Crinan Canal, a ton is 12 feet. No goods of a greasy nature or in any way liable to leak, should be placed over or near marbles; two drops of oil will spoil a fine slab; great attention is required to this fact, especially when loading at Leghorn and Genoa, where marbles and oils are frequently stowed in the same hold. Rough blocks and slabs, shipped at Leghorn in December, 1858, were stained and damaged by bark stowed on the marble. Sugar, especially if damp, is exceedingly injurious. The expectoration from those who use tobacco is very detrimental; indeed its use ought to be prohibited