the stem and the breadth at the stern; number them successively one, two, three, &c., commencing at the stem; multiply the second and all other even-numbered breadths by four, and the third and all odd-numbered breadths (except the first and last) by two; to the sum of these products add the first and last breadths; multiply the whole sum by one-third of the common interval between the breadths, and the result will give, in superficial feet, the mean horizontal area of such space; measure the mean height between the plank of the two decks, and multiply by it the mean horizontal area, and the product will be the cubical contents of the space; divide this product by 100, and the quotient shall be deemed to be the tonnage of such space, and shall be added to the other tonnage of the vessel, ascertained as aforesaid. And if the vessel has more than three decks, the tonnage of each space between decks, above the tonnage deck, shall be severally ascertained in manner above described, and shall be added to the tonnage of the vessel, ascertained as aforesaid.

In ascertaining the tonnage of open vessels, the upper edge of the upper strake is to form the boundary line of measurement, and the depth shall be taken from an athwart-ship line, extending from upper edge of said strake at each division of the length.

The register of the vessel shall express the number of decks, the tonnage under the tonnage deck, that of the between decks, above the tonnage deck; also that of the poop or other enclosed spaces above the decks, each separately. The total registered tonnage shall be deeply carved or otherwise permanently marked on the main beam, and shall be so continued; and if it at any time cease to be so continued, she shall no longer be recognized as a registered United States' vessel.

The charge for the measurement of tonnage and certifying shall not exceed one dollar and fifty cents for each transverse section under the tonnage deck; three dollars for measuring each between decks above the tonnage deck; and one dollar and fifty cents for each poop, or closed-in space available for cargo or stores, or for the berthing or accommodation of passengers, or officers and crew, above the upper or spar deck.

1251. The Danube. Table showing the proportion between the ton register English and the measures adopted in other countries for gauging vessels.

* Factor by which the unit of measure in each country is to be multiplied.

+ One English ton equal to 61'53-100 kilos of Constantinople.

Steam Ships. In calculating the dues payable at the Sulina Mouth, the Board of Trade (8th May, 1863) deduct for engines and coal bunkers 37 from paddle-wheel, and 32 cent. from screw steamers.

cent.

1252. TORTOISE SHELLS. Bengal, Madras, and Bombay ton 50 cubic feet. A Surat maund 37.33 lbs. A box, containing one pecul of Chinese tortoise shell, measures nine feet; of these six on an average go to a ton of 50 cubic feet.

1253. TRAGACANTH, a species of gum exuding from a thorny shrub in Persia, Crete, and the Levant, flowering from May till July; a case contains about 24 cwt.

1254. TRANSHIPMENT. It is not binding on all occasions to tranship cargo. In case of constructive total loss, the master is not bound to repair his ship. So with a vessel sunk in deep water, with a cargo on board; the ship and cargo may be in such a state as not to repay the costs of raising, and she had better be left where she is at the bottom of the sea. The shipowner is bound to use all reasonable care in fulfilling his contract by conveying the cargo to its destination, but is not bound to ruin himself, in order to do so. Jessie Miller, HAYDORN V. BIBBY, C.E. 1st March and 11th July, 1855.

v.

1255. TRIM. The trim of a merchant ship is, of course, very much governed by the nature of her cargo, and by the mode in which it is stowed.

1256. Deck and Load Lines. Every British ship, except under 80 tons register, employed solely in coasting, fishing, or as a yacht, shall be permanently and conspicuously marked with deck lines, 12 inches long and 1 inch wide, painted longitudinally on each side amidships, showing each deck that is above the water; the upper edge of line level with upper side of deck plank next to the waterways to be white or yellow on dark ground. See sec. 25 of Act 1876.

1257. Load-lines on foreign-going British ships same as above. Master shall before entering his ship outward from the United Kingdom, or as soon after as may be, mark on each of her sides amidships, or as near thereto as possible, in white or yellow, a circular disc 12 inches in diameter, with a horizontal line 18 inches long drawn through its centre. Centre of disc shall be the maximum load-line in salt-water to which the ship shall be loaded for that voyage.

When entering outwards, he shall give statement in writing of distance between centre of disc and upper part of each deck-line, in default of so doing the collector can refuse to enter the vessel.

A copy of this document to be in the crew's articles of agreement before they sign them. No crew to be entered until this is done.

It is also to be entered in the official log book. The marks shall not be altered until her next return to the United Kingdom. See sec. 26 of Act of 1876.

1258. Coasting vessels (except under 80 tons) shall be marked with a disc and line. The master shall give a statement to the Customhouse once in 12 months, failing to do which he will incur a penalty not exceeding £100. When once so marked he shall not alter it without notice to Custom-house. See sec. 27 of Act 1876.

1259. An owner or master of a British ship who neglects to cause his ship to be marked, or who allows the centre of the disc to be submerged in salt-water, or any person who conceals, removes, or alters, or obliterates any of these marks, except to escape from an enemy, shall for each offence incur a penalty not exceeding £100. See sec. 28 of Act 1876.

1260. If any mark required by Act of 1876, is in any respect inaccurate so as to mislead, the owner will be liable to a penalty not exceeding £100.

1261. Draught of Water. Ships of equal burthen, but of unequal form, when bound on the same voyage, will often require cargo or ballast materially different in quantity; the proportion being always less or more according to the sharpness or flatness of the bottom, called by seamen the flat and rising floor. Usually ships swim considerably by the stern when light; the centre of gravity of lading is, therefore, obliged to be before the centre of buoyancy. Generally, they will not carry sufficient sail till laden so that the surface of the water reaches nearly to the extreme breadth amidships. The Emigration Commissioners require a ship to have a side out (from the water's edge to the covering board) of at least one-third of her entire depth of hold

1262. Some authorities contend that no vessel bound on any over-sea voyage, should be loaded beyond that part of immersion which will present a clear side out of the water, when upright, of three inches to every foot depth of hold, measured amidships, from the height of the deck at the side to the water. Others consider that over-sea ships should have one-fifth to one-fourth, and coasting vessels one-sixth to one-fifth clear to their depth of hold. In loading grain at New York and Quebec, the rule is that the draught must be regulated by the depth of the hold, allowing three inches to every foot depth of hold, measured from lowest line of sheer of deck amidships to the water, when upright.

1263. Freeboard. The Old Rule laid down by LLOYD's, for free-board in midships from top of deck to load-line, is 3 inches to

a foot of depth in hold; in summer months, 2 inches, but if this rule were deemed safe for a vessel of a certain breadth and depth, 200 feet long, the same could not be reasonably applied to a ship 300 feet long and of the same breadth and depth. The Liverpool Underwriters' Association have adopted a scale, which is, however, subject at all times to the judgment of the surveyor, who is influenced by the age and class of the vessel, her form, rise of floor, amount of sheer, closed-in spaces on deck as poop, spar deck, intended voyage, the season, and nature of cargo, &c., and which scale is as follows:

Dry Side,
Wood
Vessel.

Depth of Hold.

Vessel.

It is suggested by one authority that the most correct method would be to deal with the registered tonnage, or the internal capacity of the vessel, and that for a cargo properly stowed, composed wholly of railway iron, chairs, or pig iron, that once-and-a-half of the registered tonnage, would be a fair cargo. For dead-weight and measurement cargoes, one-and-three-quarters of the registered tonnage might be admitted, and for lighter cargoes, twice the register tonnage might be taken on board.

Another authority doubts the practicability of applying any general rule, except such an one as this: that a common measure of stability should be arrived at, and a range indicated above and below which should be considered as extremes, and out of the pale. As this measure would be affected very much by different cargoes, there is, of course, a difficulty in the way of any particular application of it. He believes it to be a sounder way to mark limits of safety than adopting a fixed proportion of displacement, and that every type of vessel must be a law to itself, regulated in reference to the form, dimensions, &c., of the vessel to which such limit of flotation has to be applied.

A shipbuilder of great experience says, that a good designed ship ought to have three inches side, counting from top of deck plank to water-line, for every foot immersed, but such rule depending upon the construction of the ship; for instance, a vessel of a light draught

of water, being designed for a certain purpose, ought in no case to go to sea with less than a 3 feet 9 inches side at the lowest point. A 7-feet spar-decked vessel he considered safe when having 2 feet side from top of plank on main deck to the water-line. With a cargo wholly composed of iron, a ship ought to have 4 inches side per foot immersed, and two-thirds of the cargo stowed in a parallel line, with the meta centre, or, in other words, well up in the hold to make her seaworthy.

Another shipbuilding firm give it as their opinion, that for spardecked vessels (flush deck ships they say, especially steamers, scarcely exist at the present time, or at least none are now being built) the old rule of having a clear side of one-fourth the depth of hold, is a fair and reasonable one.

In

A third shipbuilder says-All flush-decked steamers, or steamers with raised quarter-decks or short poops, to have a clear side of 24 inches for every foot of depth moulded, such clear side to be measured from the surface of the water to the top of the deck plank at the lowest point of the deck in ordinary trim, which point might be assumed to be one-fourth of the length from the stern. steamers with long full poops coming to the fore end of the engine space, the above clear side to be measured from the top of the main deck plank at the fore end of the said poop. Steamers with complete spar decks not to be loaded above the scuppers; or say, not above a line one foot below the top of the deck plank of the main or lower deck.

A fourth builder gives it as his opinion, that the depth of side out of the water should be at least 2 inches to every foot of the depth of hold in summer, and 24 inches in winter; and for a spar-decked vessel 3 and 34 inches respectively, according to the season.

A nautical authority, whose opinion is entitled to some consideration, considers that a vessel without a spar deck, when fully laden, should have a clear space of 2 inches from water to upper edge of main deck (at centre frame) to every foot depth of hold. With a spar deck, depth of which add to depth of main hold, and leave a clear space from water line to upper edge of the lowest surface of spar deck (at centre frame) of 4 inches to every foot depth of hold, including spar deck. (The above refers to first-class vessels floating in salt water, with dead-weight properly divided.)

Another nautical authority of experience in steam-ships says:"What is a fair side for a laden steamer ?" I would at once say that, as a broad rule, two inches clear side for every foot depth of hold amidships would suffice for any steamer of ordinary propor