tide. On the contrary, a ship should, as long as it is practicable, be kept to leeward of her anchor. If when blowing hard, she has been kept to windward during the strength of the tide, she should be sheared to leeward as soon as it slackens. In bad holding ground the shear should be against the rise of the ground, without referer.ce to the wind, as long as the tide runs with any strength. If on the weather tide-that is, with the wind against the tide, or on the ship's quarter-she forges ahead and brings the buoy on the weather quarter, she is safe enough as long as it can be kept there; but the danger of this position is, in case the wind freshens, her head may fly off from the wind, bringing it on the other quarter, and, in consequence, make a long and dangerous sweep to leeward: therefore, the foretopmast-staysail must not be set too soon-and if the yards have been pointed to the wind, the after yards should be braced round and kept full, so that if the wind does come upon the other quarter, they may be pointed.

"Sometimes a laden ship will not keep in this position without frequently breaking her shear, and it is in this case that tending to windward becomes necessary-a very troublesome manoeuvre, and one where it is always requisite to have more canvas than the foretopmast-staysail. If, when the buoy is on the weather quarter, a sufficient strain has been on the cable to warrant the supposition that the anchor has been slued to leeward, she can be set to windward with the yards and staysails, without coming again astream of the anchor; but if the chain has not been very taut, it is always better to watch a lull, and set her to windward when astream of it. If this cannot be done, and she still keeps ahead of the chain, she may be set to windward; but while there, care must be taken that she does not drop astream of it, and when the lee tide makes, she should at first get a broad shear to leeward to insure the anchor being drawn properly round, and afterwards sheared to windward if necessary.

"If, while riding on the weather tide and sheared to windward, she forges ahead and brings the buoy on the lee quarter, sufficient canvas must be kept set to keep her ahead of the buoy, lest by dropping astream and falling to leeward the bight of the chain be thrown round the upper fluke of the anchor. In light winds and slack tides the anchor is not drawn round at all; therefore, care must be taken to swing the vessel always on the same side of it, so that if, while riding on the weather tide, she was sheared and tended to windward, it becomes necessary to tend her again to windward when the lee tide ceases-a thing that is very difficult to do; if the wind is much across, she must be shot across the tide to windward with the main and foretopmaststaysails, assisted by the jib and other fore-and-aft canvas if necessary, and kept there till the weather tide makes. Except in light winds, it is not always prudent to sight the anchor very often; for in some places it is a chance whether or not it will take hold again, so that all attention should be paid to the tending or swinging."The Mate and his Daties, pp. 25-26.

MOORING,* UNMOORING, ETC.

GETTING UNDER WAY FROM A SINGLE ANCHOR.-See all ready forward for getting under way; the rigging fair for making sail, the cat and

*The old fashion of mooring ships with an anchor on either side-that is to say, supposing the prevailing wind north, the anchors should be laid east and west-has long been exploded. It has been shown that the combined strength of two cables so placed is equal only to one-sixth of a single chain laid in the direction of the wind. See An Enquiry relative to various Important Points of Seamanship, by Nicholas Tinmouth. The reader is strongly recommended to a perusal of Mr. Tinmonth's work, being a scientific inquiry into subjects with which it should be the object of every officer to make himself acquainted, but which few have the opportunity of practically investigating in the ordinary course of the merchant service.

fish tackles rove, and the fish davit at hand. Heave short on your chain, and pawl the windlass. Loose all the sails if the wind is light, and sheet home and hoist up topsails, topgallantsails, and royals. If there is a stiff breeze, set topsails alone, whole or reefed. You should always, if it will answer, cast on the opposite side from your anchor; that is, if you are riding by your starboard anchor, cast to port. Brace your head-yards aback and your after yards full, for the tack you mean to cast upon. The sails being set, man the windlass again, give her a shear with the helm, and trip your anchor. As soon as your anchor is aweigh, hoist the jib. The foretopsail aback will pay her head off. Put the helm for stern-board. When her head is off enough, fill away the head-yards and haul out the spanker, shifting the helm for head way. Trim the yards for your course, and make sail on her. If the wind is light and the sea smooth, you may cat and fish your anchor after you get under way; but it is best in a rough sea to keep the vessel hove-to until the anchor is catted and fished.

TO MAKE SURE OF CASTING THE SHIP THE RIGHT WAY.-From unforeseen changes of wind and weather, it becomes unsafe to remain at anchor, and doubts are entertained of the ship casting the right way, the ship should be cast by means of a spring, and the cable slipped-to effect which, the stream cable or a good hawser should be got out of the quarter, and bent to the riding cable outside the hawse-pipe on the opposite side, and hove taut, but kept clear for letting go and running. Veer away the riding cable, having previously unshackled it; and when the ship has been sufficiently canted for the sails to act, and she begins to draw ahead, slip, or cut if necessary, the slipped part of the bower chain having been previously buoyed.

COMING-TO IN A TIDE-WAY.-If a ship be running over a weather-tide, with the wind on her port quarter, and it be required to ride to leeward, it is plain that the port anchor will be most serviceable, as the chain will not cross the cut-water or touch the copper in bringing up. If the wind be so strong that she will stem the tide after the sails are clewed up, she will not lay astream of her anchor. To round her in the ordinary manner would not stop her way, until the anchor be let go, in which case, before she could get away from it, in all probability there would be a sufficient quantity of the cable paid upon the top of it to insure its coming up upside down; the helm, therefore, must be put hard up when the anchor is let go, and if the tide be weak, the portstaysail-sheet hauled aft, when she will shear away from her anchor, and drop as nearly astream of it as the strength of the tide will permit. The helm, of course, must be afterwards eased, that she may not have too broad a shear.

If, with the like wind, it be required to ride to windward, the starboard anchor will be best. Furl all the square-sails, and come-to with only fore-and-aft sails set. Put the helm down, and keeping the staysails set after the anchor is gone will shear the ship to windward, the strength of the wind and tide determining how much canvas is requisite for the purpose-more, of course, in light winds and neap tide than when both are stronger-the staysails also requiring to be kept set if she will not keep a taut cable without them.

In coming-to upon a strong lee-tide with a fresh breeze, where there is a risk of snapping the chain or endangering the windlass by rounding-to, and bringing her up with stern way, the jerk may be very considerably eased by wearing round and putting the helm up when the anchor is let go. By these means a good scope of chain is laid in the mud, through which she must drag it before she can bring much strain on the windlass, and considerably ease the surges consequent upon bringing up when astream of the anchor with much stern-way.

RIDING AT ANCHOR IN A GALE OF WIND.-Vessels when riding in a roadstead in a gale frequently have their windlasses torn to pieces through the chain tightening and then slackening, as the vessel is drawn ahead or drops astern. The following plan has strong recommendations, as affording support to the windlass :-Reeve a good lufftackle, and hook the single blook on to the chain close to the windlass on the fore part, the double block being hooked to a toggle in the hawse-pipe, and hove well taut. Another tackle is then put on the chain abaft the windlass, and hove taut also. The one tackle acting against the other will keep the chain always tight round the windlass, and consequently prevent the great surging so trying to a windlass and a ship.

KEEPING WATCH.-The officer, when relieved, should point out to his successor the bearings of lights or any objects in view, give him the soundings alongside, the time at which the ship is expected to swing if in a tide-way, how the cable grows, as well as any order or direction that may be passed as to tending the ship. The deep-sea lead should be kept over the side, and the soundings tried frequently, and the bearings of the lights or other objects taken repeatedly. He should enter in the night order-book, as well as on the log-slate, the bearing of the different lights and soundings when he leaves the deck, signing his name to the same at the time; and he who relieves him should see that these entries agree with his own observation. He should look at the cable occasionally, and see how it grows, and also see that the spare anchor is ready for letting go, and chain clear for running.

RELIEVING THE WATCH AT SEA.-Having received the course, sail

set, account of weather, and orders for the night relative to reports or calling the captain, see that the quartermasters, in relieving each other, do not give up the wheel until the ship is steady on her course; that the wheel ropes are clear; and, if running before a gale, that the relieving tackles are hooked, and sufficiently overhauled to allow the helm going hard over either way-taking care that the blocks of the relieving tackles are placed so as not to be jammed under the tiller; that the life-buoys are clear for letting go, and boat's falls ready.

ON TAKING IN HEAVY WEIGHTS.

A DERRICK.-A derrick is a single spar rounded off at the heel to set in a shoe (similar to a shear-leg); the upper end is made with shoulders or cleats, to stop the purchase-blocks from working down, also the guys. The derrick may be used for many purposes instead of shears to great advantage, especially on board of merchant ships when discharging, it being so easily swung from a perpendicular position to rake over the ship's side, the heel resting in its shoe, and the head canted in any position by the guys. Any kind of a purchase may be used at a derrickhead, but the most general is the single and double burton.

On the subject of providing means.-Few ships go to sea without a spare topmast, or a spar to make one, which spar is in every way calculated for a derrick, if it will make a topmast. The rigging—that is the various guys and ropes necessary to sustain it in its position, and the purchase-blocks for lifting the weight-may be secured to the spar any height above the deck to suit the particular purpose in hand, without either cutting the spar, or nailing on cleats; as, by a well-managed arrangement of lashings, all slipping or shifting of position may certainly be prevented. It is necessary to observe, as a general rule, that in supporting a yard, or derrick, or shears, the supporting guys should be attached to the yard or spar at the spot from which the weight is to be suspended.*

"By examining the merits and character of a derrick, it will, no doubt, be found to possess advantages so numerous and valuable as to render it superior in every respect to a lower yard for the purpose of lifting a heavy weight. The main and principal advantages are, that it transfers the whole weight to the deck, which can be well supported by props below; it relieves all anxiety about the safety of the mast and yard; and it can be placed vertically, or at any angle most suitable to a particular case. It can be supported without any difficulty, either with or without the aid of a mast; it is very soon rigged and ready for use, and as quickly dismantled. These advantages are sufficiently numerous to recommend it for general use in all cases where strength is required."--An Enquiry relative to various Important Points of Seamanship, by Nicholas Tinmouth, Master Attendant, Woolwich Dockyard.

NOTE.-The more a derrick approaches a perpendicular position, the less will be the strain upon the guys.

SECURING LOWER YARDS.*-In hoisting in or out heavy weights by the lower yards, the more you consider them merely as outriggers, the better you will insure their safety. In whatever manner you guy your purchases out to the yard-arms, whether by blocks, thimbles, or lashings, be careful that the purchase pendants render well through them. The yards should be well topped up, good rolling tackles on the opposite side, and trusses well taut after the yards are laid; but should the yards be required for a continuance—as the main-yard is in hoisting in or out heavy guns-the pendant should then go over the lower cap and down on the opposite side of the deck, and be there well lashed to the top tackle bolt. The yard and masts should be covered with canvas sufficiently for cross-lashing the main-yard to the mast, after it is top up. It would be still advisable to have good rolling or yard tackle on the opposite side to the purchase.

TO GET HEAVY MACHINERY IN OR OUT.—Protect the side and decks with planks, and shore the beams well up in the between decks. If the machinery is heavy, the best plan is to cant the main-yard a little; untruss it, and pass a strong lashing round the main-yard and mast; then have a spare spar, with a piece of plank under the heel, for a shore from the deck, lashed to the yard, about a foot inside where the yard tackle comes. Over the main hatchway rig a pair of shears, securing them with guys to the fore and mainmast-heads, and putting planks under their heels, which should be on the beam before the main hatchway. According to the size of the shears and strength of purchase, almost any weight may be lifted out in this manner; and it is recommended, when getting heavy machinery in or out, to use the yard tackle over the hatchway as well as the other in case of accident; and in lowering over the side, use the tackle on the shears to lower with, as well as the yard tackle.

ACCIDENTS.

THE BOWSPRIT SPRUNG.-Fish it with spare spars, and send down the fore-topgallant and royal-mast, and take the flying jib-boom in, to ease it as much as possible.

BOWSPRIT CARRIED AWAY.-Hard up the helm, shiver the after yards, and get the ship before the wind; take the foretopmast breast back

* From Professional Recollections, by Captain Liadert, R.N.