Sub-para. (a).—The difference will not be affected by correction for length, as the allowance will be practically the same in both tables. Sub-para. (c). The engine and boiler openings, if protected only by a raised quarter-deck, will require an addition in freeboard varying from in. in vessels of 15ft. moulded depth to 2in. in vessels of 20ft. moulded depth. In vessels having less than 15ft. moulded depth a proportionate addition should be made.

If with a small bridge-house in front of, but not covering, the openings, an addition of half the above amount.

Sub-para. (d).—If the crew are not berthed in the bridge-house, and the arrangements to enable them to get backwards and forwards from their quarters are not satisfactory, an addition should be made to the freeboard of 1 per cent. of the moulded depth of the ship in the case of vessels 180ft. or more in length and having wells 70ft. or less in length. If the vessel's length does not exceed 150ft., or if the well is Soft. or more in length, the foregoing addition will not be required. In the case of vessels between 150 and 180ft. in length, or having wells between 70 and 8oft. in length, the addition is to be found by interpolation.

Planks secured in position by lashings are not to be regarded as satisfactory arrangements; and a gangway providing access between the bridge-house and forecastle cannot be considered satisfactory. unless the following requirements at least are complied with:

The gangway to be not less than 18in. wide, and to be efficiently supported at suitable intervals. The ends to be strongly bolted to lugs riveted to the bulkheads of bridge and forecastle, or to the hatch coamings, or to iron standards bolted to the deck or to be secured in some equally efficient manner. The top of the gangway to be not less than 2ft. 6in. above the top of the deck at any part. A life-line or rail to be fitted for the entire length of the gangway and to be supported by wrought iron stanchions suitably spaced and not less than 2ft. 6in. in height. If the hatchways are at least 2ft. 6in. in height the gangway may be fitted between the hatchways and beyond them only, provided that a continuous platform of at least the required height is obtained, and the rail or life-line is fitted and efficiently supported by wrought iron stanchions for the entire distance including the hatchways. The gangway should be fitted as far inboard as practicable.

Sub-para. (e).—The minimum freeing port area is to be as follows:

65 and above, I square foot to each 5 feet length of bulwark,

C

If the freeing port area is less than that stated above, an addition is to be made to the freeboard of 1 per cent. of the moulded depth.

The scale of allowance for erections on deck to vessels with topgallant forecastles having long poop or raised quarter decks connected with bridge-houses is not to be used without modification, unless the strength of the bulkhead at the front of the poop or bridge-house is at least equivalent to the following requirements:

(a).-Poop of bridge bulkheads to be of the thickness of their side plating as required below for vessels under 13 depths to length, with coaming plates 1-20th of an inch thicker, and to be stiffened with bulb angles according to the following scale, spaced 30in. apart, and connected to the coaming plates and to the deck plating, or to an athwart-ship plate on the beams both below and above, with a bracket plate to each end of the stiffener.

Intermediate sizes to be found by interpolation.

(b.)-Horizontal brackets or gusset plates of the same thickness as the coamings to be fitted, connecting the poop or bridge bulkheads with the bulwarks on each side of the vessel at about the height of the rail. In the case of vessels having a forecastle and raised quarterdeck only, the break bulkhead should be of the same thickness as required for bridge sides, and stiffened with angles 30in. apart, and of the size required for the main frames.

In order to obtain the allowance for deck erections provided by this paragraph, the openings, if any, in the bulkhead at the front of the long poop or bridge house must be provided with hinged iron or steel doors, or with some equally permanent means of closing such openings. When the width of the openings exceed 30in. special means are to be provided for maintaining the strength of the hinged doors.

The standard of thickness of the side plating of long poops and bridge houses is that required by Section 44 of Lloyd's Rules, as modified by the Table of Thicknesses of Side Plating of Awning-decked Vessels on page 42.

The additional freeboard for North Atlantic winter for well-deck vessels is to be as follows:

Para. 12.-For vessels having no forecastle, but with the other deck erections prescribed in this paragraph, estimate the allowance

for erections supposing there is a forecastle 1-8th the length of the vessel, and deduct 1 times the allowance that would be made under para. 15 if the vessel were fitted with such a forecastle only.

This rule also applies to vessels having no forecastle, but with a bridge-house, as provided for in para. 13.

In steam vessels coming under this paragraph, and having closed erections extending over 6-10ths or more of the vessel's length, onehalf the length correction specified in Table A is to be made, and the freeboard corrected for sheer only in estimating the allowance for erections, as the allowance for length will be practically the same in both tables.

For erections which extend over less than 4-10ths the length of the ship, the allowance is to be in proportion.

For instance, if.3-10ths are covered, allow 3-4ths of 25 per cent.

In the case of vessels under 15ft. moulded depth, in which the combined length of enclosed erections exceeds 5-10ths of the vessel's length, or in which the combined length of erections enclosed, and open, is equivalent to more than 5-10ths of the vessel's length, subparas. (d) and (e) of the preceding paragraph are to apply; but the full addition of 1 per cent. of the moulded depth under each of these sub-paragraphs is to be made only when the erections cover 6-10ths or more of the length; for lengths of erections intermediate between 5-10ths and 6-10ths, the required addition is to be in proportion; thus, when 55-100ths of the vessel's length is covered, the addition to the freeboard is to be per cent. of the moulded depth under each sub-paragraph.

Paras. 12 and 13.-The allowance in a sailing ship for a bridge-house in addition to a poop or forecastle, or in addition to a forecastle only, is obtained by the rules laid down in paras. 12 and 13, as the case may be, and is calculated upon the difference between the freeboards of Tables A and C; in other words, the allowance for a forecastle, bridge-house, and poop, or for a forecastle and bridge-house in a sailing-ship, is the same as would be given for similar erections in a steamer of the same dimensions.

Para. 13.-When the combined length of the top-gallant forecastle and bridge-house is 5-10ths of the length of the ship, a deduction from the freeboard may be made of 30-100ths, and this is the maximum deduction for this type of vessel.

For erections which extend over less than 3-10ths of the length of the ship the allowance is to be in proportion.

For instance, 2-10ths covered allow 2-3rds of 19 per cent.

In all the rules governing the deductions to be made from the freeboard it is to be understood as follows:-When the top-gallant forecastle is not closed by an efficient bulkhead at the after end, the length is never to be estimated at a greater full value than 1-8th the length of the ship, but any extension beyond this may be estimated at one-half the value. For instance, if a vessel 240ft. long has an open forecastle Soft. long, its value for deductions is 30+25=55 ft. When the topgallant forecastle has an efficient bulkhead with an elongation abaft that bulkhead not enclosed at the after end, the full value of the closed-in portion is to be estimated either as 1-8th the length of the ship or the entire length of the enclosed portion, whichever may be the greater.

Open bridge-houses.-When the bridge-house extends from side to

SHIPPING WORLD

side of the ship, its value for deductions must be considered on its merits, which will depend upon the security of all deck openings, doors, bunker lids, or otherwise.

Where these are all properly protected, and the bridge-house is open at both ends, one-half the length may be estimated as the value for deductions. Where, in addition, the fore end is enclosed by an efficient bulkhead, 3-4ths the length may be estimated as the value for deductions.

If the openings in a bulkhead at the after end of a bridge erection, having its fore-end closed, are efficiently protected by weather boards, properly fitted to at least half the height of the erection, the full length of the erection may be allowed in estimating its value for freeboard. This does not apply, however, to the case of a long erection falling to be dealt with under para. 11, as in well-decked vessels, having the well aft, except in shelter-decked vessels having efficient means provided for temporarily closing the openings in the shelter-deck in bad weather.

In the case of steamers coming under paras. 12 and 13, when the engine and boiler openings are not covered by an erection extending from side to side, bridge-houses may have an allowance not exceeding that which would be given for half the length of a bridge-house of the same character covering engines and boilers.

Paras. 14 and 15.-When the poop has no efficient bulkhead, or the bulkhead does not extend across the vessel, one-half its length may be allowed, provided always proper freeing ports are fitted.

When the openings in the bulkhead are provided with efficient weather boards or other efficient temporary means of closing, and extending the full height of the openings, then the full length of the poop may be allowed.

In no case, however, shall shifting boards or any other temporary means of closing the openings in the bulkheads at the after end of a bridge-house, or fore end of a poop be considered satisfactory, unless the means of their attachment, whether by channels, hooks, cleats, or otherwise, are permanently secured to the bulkheads.

The standard heights of forecastles and raised quarter-decks, as defined in para. 11, pages 23, 24, 32, and 33, apply also to these paras.

Paras. 16 and 17.-In the case of a sailing vessel having a forecastle and raised quarter-deck, or a raised quarter-deck only, the latter of less than 4ft. in height, the length of the raised quarter-deck to be allowed should be in proportion to its height as compared with the standard height of 4ft.

The provisions of the preceding paragraphs relating to the height of forecastles, bulkheads at the after end of forecastles and at the fore end of poops, and the means of closing openings in poop bulkheads, are also to be applied to sailing vessels dealt with under paras. 16 and 17.

APPLIANCES FOR CLOSING OPENINGS IN THE BULKHEADS AT THE ENDS OF DECK ERECTIONS (Board of Trade Circular 1388, issued February, 1907).-With reference to the last clause but one of para. 11 (page 34), and to the various provisions regarding temporary means of closing on this and the previous page, the following additional rules should be complied with:

1. When an opening in the bulkhead of a deck erection is closed

either by a hinged door, or by a plate which is secured in place by nut and screw bolts, spaced not more than 6in. apart (centres), so as to be watertight, the opening may be regarded as completely and permanently closed.

The temporary appliances referred to in the following instructions are divided into two Classes (A) and (B); and it is to be understood that the openings referred to exceed the area specified in Clause 4, but are not more than 4 ft. in width.

Class A.-Appliances which, though temporary, completely close the openings and may be accepted as fully efficient except in the case of vessels dealt with under para. II. In this class are included the following appliances: Shifting boards when fitted into channel bars, which extend the full height of the openings and are riveted to the bulkhead; portable plates secured by nut and screw bolts passing through plate and bulkhead, when the spacing of the bolts exceeds 6in. (centres), but does not exceed 12in. (centres); portable plates when secured by hook bolts, spaced not more than 12in. apart, and passing through the bulkhead plating of the erection in question, so as to afford evidence to the master that the opening is to be closed at sea.

Class B.-Appliances which, though completely closing the openings, cannot be regarded as fully efficient for closing the forward ends of deck erections. In this class are included the following appliances: Shifting boards extending the full height of the openings, when the channel bars for securing them are not riveted to the bulkhead; portable plates when secured by loose strongbacks; portable plates when secured by hook bolts which pass through the plate, but do not pass through the bulkhead; portable plates secured by nut and screw bolts or hook bolts, but which do not comply with the requirements of Class A as to spacing of bolts.

2. In the case of vessels coming under paras. 12 to 17 the following rules are to apply:

(a) When there is an opening or openings in the bulkhead at front of a bridge-house or poop closed by efficient temporary appliances of Class A, the bulkhead in question is to be regarded as complete. When, however, there is an opening in the front of a bridge-house closed by appliances of Class B, unless the bridge-house is sub-divided by an efficient iron or steel bulkhead, three-fourths of the length of the bridge-house is to be allowed, and the sheer is to be measured as if there were no bridgehouse, as required by para. 18, in the case of bridge-houses not enclosed at both ends. When the opening in the front of a short poop is closed by appliances of Class B, three-fourths the length of the poop should be allowed.

(b) When there are doorways in the bulkheads at the forward and after ends of the bridge-house, having shifting boards or other equally efficient appliances which extend at least half the height of the bridge-house, but do not entirely close the doorways, the effective length of the bridge-house is to be computed at threefourths of its actual length, provided that the machinery openings are either covered by a strong watertight casing or casings, without any doorways or other openings in them, or provided that the