Q. The cyclone is now upon you in all its fury, the ship is driving towards the beach, is there anything else that you can do?

A.-As a last resource, to save the lives of the crew, the ship and cargo, I would cut away the masts.

MOORING-TAKING ANCHORS AWAY.

Q-Moor a ship up and down the stream with 45 fathoms of cable each way.

A.-Let go the first anchor, pay out 90 fathoms of cable, pass a slip rope from aft round the second anchor shank close down to the crown, haul the anchor aft, make fast, let go the anchor and heave in 45 fathoms of the first chain. If both stopper and shank painter of the second anchor be let go at the same time the slip rope will not be wanted.

Q.-Run a kedge and warp away.

A.-Place a plank, say the loose, thwart across the boat's gunwale, well aft, place the flukes of the kedge on the plank and the stock abaft the boat's stern, stock the kedge, bend warp and buoy rope on to it, coil the warp into the boat, leave the end on board the ship, pull away, when the warp is tight run out, lay the kedge so that it can be hove clear of the boat, stream the buoy, and heave the kedge by lifting one end of the plank.

Q.-Take an anchor out.

A.-Run a kedge and warp away. If there be plenty of water, lower the anchor from the ship till the stock is awash, pass the stopper or shank painter through the ring, make one end fast to the ring bolt in the boat's stern post, and the other end fast to the ring bolt in her stem. lower the anchor down so that it will hang under the middle of the boat Note. The Sylphide, when loaded, got ashore on the Island of Oland, and her anchor was taken out in this manner.

If there be not sufficient water to hang the anchor in the preceding manner, make a lanyard rope fast to the crown, hang the anchor to the boat's stern clear of the upper part, pass the stopper under the stock and make it fast, haul in the lanyard rope from forward of the boat, take care there is sufficient length of rope to allow the anchor to fall to the ground, make it fast, carry the chain in another boat, when ready haul the boat with the anchor out by the warp, when far enough let go.

To prevent the chain running out too fast and damaging the boat, lash a stout spar, with the staple norman in it, across the boat's gunwales aft, take a turn with the chain round another stout spar, lash this spar across the gunwales a little abaft the body of the chain, ease away the chain and haul the boat on board.

Note. The lanyard rope on the crown of the anchor, and the chain in another boat, cause the anchor to fall clear. A better plan is to lower the anchor between two boats, lash its crown and ring to spars laid across the gunwales of the boats, and keep the greater weight nearer the larger boat.

UNMOORING.

Q.-Unmoor your ship.

A.-Heave the lee anchor up, cat and fish it, then heave the second anchor up,

GETTING UNDER WEIGH.

(See pages 352 & 353.)

Q.—It comes a fair wind, ship riding leeward tide, get under weigh.

A.-Heave short, loose the jib and staysail, heave the anchor up, cat and fish it, make sail.

Q.-It comes a fair wind, ship riding weather tide, get under weigh. A.-Loose sails, heave the anchor up, cat and fish it, make sail.

Q.-It is a foul wind, the ship begins to tend to windward, get under weigh, cast to starboard.

A.-Heave short, hoist main and foretopsail, haul in the port fore braces and starboard main ones, loose jib and staysa sot mizen, put the helm hard a starboard, heave the anchor up, when. the main yard fills fill the fore yard, hoist jib and staysail, cat and fish the anchor, make sail.

DREDGING.

Q.-You are riding leeward tide, there is a shoal astern of you, with deep water on each side of it, you must get under weigh.

A.-Heave sufficiently short to start the anchor, and then dredge the ship clear of the shoal.

CLUB HAULING, AND WEARING SHORT ROUND ON THE

SHIP'S HEEL.

Q.-You come suddenly in with the land, the ship won't stay, and there is not room to wear.

A. Supposing there be anchorage, club-haul the ship. See page 350. If there be no anchorage, make a stern board, and wear the ship round on her heel. See pages 355 and 356.

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS.

Q.-State the advantages and disadvantages of having a buoy to the anchor.

A. The advantages are, that the exact position of the anchor is known, so that the ship can be easily kept clear of it, and in case of slipping, or parting, it can be easily swept. The disadvantages are, that in a strong tide it has a tendency to start the anchor, and in a steamer to get foul of the propeller.

A. It is a gale of wind, you are dismasted, or your engine is brolion down, cannot set sail to steady the ship, how would you act?

A.—I would ride by a sea anchor made in a triangular form with three small spars lashed together, and other small spars or rope lashed across the triangle, and strong canvass fastened over all. Or ride by the middle of a large spar. Or, ride by the cable chain paid out.

Q.-A ship is riding in ten fathoms, how much chain should she have out, so that the strain may be applied to the anchor in the best position. for it to hold.

A.-Not less than 137 fathoms.

Q. What important lesson do you derive from this.

A. That, in a gale, a ship should ride with a very long scope of chain out.

Q.--Will a ship ride easier in deep or in shoal water.

A.-In deep water.

Q.-Why.

A.-Because when anchored in deep water the chain hangs down in a curve, and its weight draws the ship ahead, so that the chain is generally slack between the ship and her anchor, and in consequence it acts as a spring or buffer does to a railway carriage, in easing the force of gusts of wind, or heavy seas striking the ship.

Q. What precautions should be taken with the cable chain.

A.-It should occasionally be got on deck and examined, and the shackles put in order.

REMARKS.

The author thought it advisable to have the benefit of the opinions of experienced men on the preceding article, he therefore submitted it to Captain John Lindsay, for 45 years master in active service, and to the author's brother, Captain Stephen Bergen, for 35 years master in active service. The author tenders his thanks to these two gentlemen for several valuable corrections and suggestions. Captain Lindsay mentioned instances of the benefits he has seen from springs on the cables when the ship was riding out a cyclone; he also mentioned an instance of a ship riding remarkably easy with one anchor down, and both cables shackled together and paid out. Captain Stephen Bergen mentioned an instance of a ship riding very heavy with both anchors down; one of the chains broke, and then the ship rode much easier. In the opinion of the author this would arise from one of the anchors bringing the ship up suddenly when a heavy sea struck her, but when the chain broke the ship would yield to the force of the sea until it was exhausted.

Rotation No.

Exn. 4a,

Port of.......

EXAMINATION PAPER TO BE USED BY ALL CANDIDATES WHEN APPEARING FOR EXAMINATION FOR THE FIRST TIME ONLY.

The

The Applicant is to write a short definition against so many of the following terms as may be marked with a cross by the Examiner. writing should be clear, and the spelling should not be disregarded.

1. The Equator is that great circle which is equidistant from both poles of the earth.

2.-The Poles are the ends of the axis of the earth, or those of the axis of the heavens.

3. A Meridian is a great circle passing through the poles of either the earth or the heavens.

4. The Ecliptic is that great circle which is the sun's apparent yearly path in the heavens.

5.-The Tropics are two parallels of latitude about 23° 28' from the equator, one on each side of it.

6. Latitude of a place is the arc of the meridian between it and the equator.

7.-Parallels of latitude are small circles parallel to the equator.

8.-Longitude of a place is the arc of the equator between its meridian and that of Greenwich.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE DEFINITIONS.

The following illustrations are in general drawn on the Stereographic Projection of the Sphere, in which a great circle is taken as the primitive, and the eye is supposed to be at its pole. For more information on this subject, see the Theory of Navigation and Nautical Astronomy.

Def. 8. Fig. 1. NESQN, NCS, NBS are Meridians.

Def. 4. Fig. 6. MT is the Ecliptic.

Def. 5. Fig. 1. mn, rs are the Tropics.

Def. 6. Fig. 1. Let G be Greenwich, D a place in south latitude. GB is the Latitude of Greenwich; DA is the Latitude of D.

Def. 7. Fig. 1.

mn, rs are Parallels of Latitude.

Def. 8. Fig. 1.

AB is the Tongitude of D.