This is the complete article from the 1st edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, published in Edinburgh in 1771. If I have the time (and if there is the interest) I'll scan and post extracts from other books in my possession. All will be on the wooden sailing ship - the greatest creation of history where, as Britannica says, "The different SCIENCES and ARTS are digested into a distinct .. system".
The EB article consists of 5 pages of text and 2 plates; I've divided each plate into 3 parts for better viewing. Please note that the text was scanned & OCRed, then I went through to correct the notorious 'long-tailed S', but I apologize if I've miffed a few. The only changes to the text I've made apart from that is the insertion of a few para breaks to make it a bit more readable; I haven't tried to break up sentences in the same way, so the rather breathless, long-sentence structure of the original remains.
Note: to see any image at a larger scale, click on it - or right-click and select 'Open in a new window' - you can then look at both by clicking on the boxes at the bottom of the screen. The first 3 images are Plate CXLVIII (148), and the next 3 are Plate CXLIX (149).**********************
SHIP, a general name for all large vessels with sails, for navigation on the sea, except galleys; which go with oars, and smack sails. See NAVIGATION.
A ship is undoubtedly the noblest machine that ever was invented; and consists of so many parts that it would require a whole volume to describe it minutely. However we shall endeavour to satisfy the reader the more fully on this head, as it is an article of the utmost importance. And first, to give an idea of the several parts and members of a ship, both external and internal, with their respective names in the sea-language, in Plate CXLVIII. is represented a ship of war of the first rate, with rigging, &c. at anchor: where A is the cat-head, B the fore-chains, C the main-chains, D, the mizzen-chains, E the entering part, F the hause holes, G the poop lanterns, H the chess-tree, I the head, K the stern.
L, The bowsprit. 1, 2, Yard and sail. 3, Gammoning. 4, horse. 5, Bob-stay. 6, Spritsail sheets. 7, Pendants. 8, Braces and pendants. 9, Halliards. 10, Lifts. 11, Clew-lines. 12, Sprit-sail horses. 13, Bunt-lines. 14, Standing lifts. 15, Sprit-sail top. 16, Flying jib boom. 17, Flying jib stay and sail. 18, Halliards. 19, Sheets. 20, Horses.
M. The sprit-sail top-mast. 21, Shrouds. 22, 23, Yard and sail. 24, Sheet. 25, Lifts. 26, Braces and pendants. 27, Cap. 28, Jack-staff. 29, Truck. 30, Jack flag.
N. The fore mast. 31, Runner and tackle. 32, 33, Shrouds. 34, Laniards. 35, Stay and laniard. 36, Preventer stay and laniard. 37, Woolding the mast. 38, yard and sail. 39, horses. 40, top. 41, Crowfoot. 42, Jeers. 43, Yard tackles. 44, Lifts. 45, Braces and pendants. 46, Sheets. 47, Fore tacks. 48, bow-lines and bridles. 49, Fore bunt-lines. 5o, Fore Leech lines. 51, fore top rops 52, Futtockshrouds.
O, The fore top mast. 53, 54, Shrouds and laniards. 55, Yard and sail. 56, Stay and fail. 57, Runner. 58, Back Stays. 59, Halliards. 60, Lifts. 61, Braces and pendants. 62, Horses. 63, Clew-lines. 64, Bow-lines and bridles. 65, Reef-tackles. 66, Sheets. 67, Bunt-lines. 68, Cross trees. 69, Cap.
P, The fore top gallant mast, 70, 71, Shrouds and laniards. 72, Yard and fail. 73, Back stays. 74, Stay, 75, Lifts. 76, Clew lines. 77 Braces and pendants. 78, Bow lines and bridles, 79, Flag ftaff. 80, Truck. 81, Flag-staff stay. 82, Flag of lord high admiral.
Q, The mainmast. 83, 84, Shrouds. 85, Laniards. 86, Runner and tackle. 87, Pendant of the gornet. 88, Guy of ditto. 89, Sail of ditto. 90, Stay. 91, Preventer stay. 92, Stay tackle. 93, Woolding the mast. 94 Jeers, 95, Yard tacles. 96, Lifts. 97, Braces and pendants. 98, Horfes. 99, Sheets. 100, Tacks. 101, Bow-lines and bridles. 102, Crow foot. 103, Top rope. 104, Top. 105, Bunt-lines. 106, Leech-lines. 107, Yard and fail.
R, The main top mast. 108, 109, Shrouds and laniards. 110, Yard and fail. 111, Puttock fhrouds. 112, Back-Stays. 113, Stay. 114. Stay fail and ftay halliards. 115, Runnets. 116, Halliards. 117, Lifts. 118, Clew-lines. 119, Braces and pendants. 120, Horses. 121, Sheets. 122, Bow-lines and bridles, 123, Bunt-lines. 124, Reef tackles. 125, Crofstrees, 126, Cap.
S, The main top gallant mast. 127, 128, Shrouds and laniards, 129, Yard and fail. 130, Back ftays. 131.Stay. 132, Stay fail and halliards. 133, Lifts. 134, Braces and pendants. 135, Bow-lines and bridles. 136, Clew-lines. 137, Flagstaff. 138, Truck. 139, Flag staff stay. 140, Flag standard.
T, The mizzen mast. 141, 142, Shrouds and laniards. 143, Pendants and burtons. 144, Yard and fail, 145, Crow foot, 146, Sheet. 147. Pendant lines, 148, Peck brails. 149, Stay fail, 150, Stay, 151, Derric and spann. 152, Top, 153, Crofs jack yard. 154, Cross jack lifts. 155, Crofs jack braces, 156, Cross jack slings.
V, The mizzen top mast, 157, 158, Shrouds and laniards. 159, Yard and sail. 160, Back-stays, 161, Stay, 162, Halliards. 163, Lifts. 164, Braces and pendants, 165, Bowlines and bridles. 166, Sheets. 167, Clew-lines. 168, Stay sail, 169, Crofs trees. 170, Cap. 171, Flag staff. 172, Flag staff stay. 173, Truck. 174, Flag union. 175, Ensign staff. 176, Truck, 177, Ensign, 178, Poop ladder, 179, Bower cable.
Thus we have pointed out the external parts, masts, rigging, &c. an account of all which may be seen under thcir respective articles MAST, HULL, ROPE, RUDDER, &c.
In Plate CXLIX is represented the section of a first-rate fhip of war, shewing the inside thereof: where A is the head; containing, 1, The stem. 2, The knee of the head, or cut water, 3. The lower and upper cheek. 4, The tail board, 5, The figure. 6, The gratings. 7, The brackets. 8, The false Stem. 9, The Breast hooks, 10, The hause hole, 11, The bulk head, forward. 12, The cat-head. 13, The cat-hook. 14, Necessary seats. 15, The manger within board,16, The bowsprit.
B, Upon the forecastle, 17, The gratings, 18, The partners of the fore mast. 19, The gun wale. 20, The belfry. 21, The funnel for the smoke. 22, The gangway going off the forecastle, 23, The fore. castle guns.
C. In the forecastle. 24, The door of the bulk head, forward. 25, The officers cabins. 26, The stair case. 27, The fore top sail sheet bits. 28, The beams. 29, The car lines.
D, The middle gun-deck forward. 30, The fore-jeer bits. 31, The oven and furnace of copper, 32, The captain's cook room. 33, The ladder, or way up into the Forecastle.
E. The lower gun-deck forward. 34, The knees fore and aft. 35, The spirketings, or the first streak next to each deck; the next under the beams being called clamps. 36. The beams of the middle gun deck, fore and aft. 37, The car-lines of the middle gun-deck, fore and aft. 38, The fore bits. 39, The after, or main bits. 40, The hatchway to the gunner's and boatswain's ftore-rooms. 41, The jeer capston.
F, The orlap. 42,43,44, The gunner's, boatswain's, and carpenter's store-rooms, 45, The beams of the lower gun-deck- 46, 47. The pillars and the riders, fore and aft. 48, The bulk head of the store-rooms.
G, The hold. 49, 50, 51, The foot-hook rider, the floor-rider, and the standirt, fore and aft. 52. The pillars. 53, The Step of the fore mast, 54, The keelson, or false keel, and dead rifing. 55, The dead wood.
H, A midships in the hold. 56, The floor timbers. 57, The keel. 58, The well. 59, The chain pump. 60, The step of the main mast. 61, 62, Beams and carlines of the orlop, fore and aft.
I, The orlop a midships. 63, The cable tire. 64, The main hatchway.
K, The lower gun-deck a-midships. 65, The ladder leading up to the middle gun-deck. 66, The lower tire or ports.
L, The middle gun-deck a-midships. 67, The middle tire ports. 68, The entering port, 69, The main jeer bits. 70, Twisted pillars or stantions. 71, The capston. 72, The gratings, 73, The ladder leading to the upper deck.
M. The upper gun-deck a-midships. 74, The main top-sail sheet b!ts. 75, The upper partners of the main mast. 76, The gallows on which spare top masts, &c. are laid. 77, The fore sheet blocks. 78, The rennets, 79, The gun wale. 80, The upper gratings. 81, The drift brackets, 82, The piss dale, 83, The capston pall.
N. Abaft the main maft. 84, The gangway off the quarter-deck. 85, The bulkhead of the coach. 86, The stair case down to the middle gun-deck, 87, The beams of the upper deck. 88, the gratings about the main mast. 89, the coach, or council-chamber. 90, the staircase up to the quarter-deck.
O. the quarter-deck. 91, the beams. 92, the car-lines. 93, the partners of the mizzen-mast. 94, the gangway up to the poop. 95, the bulkhead of the cuddy.
P. the poop. 96, the trumpeter’s cabin. 97, the tafferel.
Q. the captain-lieutenant’s cabbin.
R. The cuddy, usually divided for the master and secretary’s officers.
S. The state room, out of which is made the bed-chamber, and other conveniences for the commander in chief. 98, the entrance into the gallery. 99, the bulk-head of the great-cabin. 100, the stern-lights and after-galleries.
T. the ward-room, allotted for the lieutenants and land-officers. 101, the lower gallery. 102, the steerage, and bulkhead of the ward-room. 103, the whipstaff, commanding the tillar. 104, the after staircase down to the lower gun-deck.
V, several officers cabbins abaft the main-mast, where the soldiers generally keep guard.
W, the gun room. 105, The tillar commanding the rudder. 106, the rudder. 107, the stern-post. 108, the tillar-transom. 109, the several transoms, viz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 110, the gun-room ports or stern-chase. 111, the bread-room scuttle, out of the gun-room. 112, the main capston. 113, the pall of the capston. 114, the partner. 115, the bulkhead of the bread-room.
X the bread-room. Y, the steward’s room, where all provisions are weighed and served out. Z, the cock-pit, where are subdivisions for the purser, the surgeon, and his mates.
AA, the platform, or orlop, where provision is made for wounded in time of service. 116, the hold abaft the main-mast. 117, the step of the mizzen mast. 118, the keelson, or false keel. 119, the dead-wood, or rising.
Different kinds of ships. All ships at first were of the same form, whatever uses they were designed for; but the various ends of navigation, some of which were better answered by one form, some by another, soon gave occasion to build and fit out ships, not only different in bigness, but also in their construction and rigging: and as trade gave occasion to the fitting out large fleets of different kinds of merchant ships; so ships of war became necessary, to preserve them to their just proprietors.
Ships of war have three masts, and a bowsprit, and arer sailed with square sails; the other parts being as described above, and represented in Plate CXLVIII. They are divided into several orders, called rates; that is, their degree or distinction as to magnitude, burden, &c. The rate is usually accounted by the lkength and breadth of the gun-deck, and number of tons, and the number of men and guns the vessel carries. There are six rates, viz.
A common first rate man of war has its gun deck from 159 to 178 feet in length, and from 44 to 51 broad. It contains from 1313 to 2000 tons; has from 706 to 1000 men, and carries from 96 to 100 guns. But one of the most considerable first-rate ships that built at Woolich in 1701; the dimensions whereof are as follow: The length 210 feet; number of guns 110; number of men 1250; number of tons 2300; draught of water 22 feet; the mainsail in length 54 yards depth 19; main mast in length 39 feet in diameter 38 inches; weight of the anchor 82 Cwt 1 qr 14 lb; cable in length 200 yards, diameter 22 inches. –The expence of building a common first rate, with guns, tackling, rigging is computed at 60,000 l sterling.
Second rate ships have their gun-decks from 153 to 165 feet long, and frum 41 to 46 broad: they contain from 1086 to 1482 tons; and carry from 524 to 640 men, and from 84 to 90 guns.
Third rates have their gun-decks from 140 to 150 feet in length, from 37 to 42 feet broad: they contain from 871 to 1262 tons ; carry from 389 to 476 men, and from 64 to 80 guns.
Fourth rates are in length on the gun-decks from 118 to 146 feet, ard from 29 to 38 broad: they contain from 448 to 915 tons; carry from 226 to 346 men, and from 48 to 6o guns.
Fifth rates have their gun-decks from 100 to 120 feet long, and from 24 to 31 broad : they Contain from 259 to 542 tons; and carry from 145 to 190 men, and from 26 to 44 guns.
Sixth rates have their gun-decks from 87 to 95 feet long, and from 22 to 25 broad: they contain from 152 to 256 tons; carry from 40 to 110 men, and from 16 to 24 guns.
It is to be obferved, that the new-built ships are much larger, as well as better, than the old ones of the same rate ; whence the double numbers. all along; the larger of which express the proportions of the new built ships, as the less those of the old ones.
Merchant ships estimated by their burden: that is, by the number of tons they bear, each ton reckoned at 2000 lb weight; this estimate being made by gauging the hold, which is the proper place of loading.
Besides those mentioned above, there are other forms: as, 1, The bilander, (Plate CXLIX. fig. 2. ) which has rigging and sails not unlike a hoy, only broader and flatter: bilanders are seldom above twenty-four tons, and can lie nearer the wind than a vessel with cross-sails, can do. 2. Bomb-vessels, (ibid. fig. 3.) have sometimes three masts, and square sails, as represented; but they are also frequently ketch-fashion, with one
mast and a miZen. 3, Brigantines (ibid. fig 4 ) are now disused; but had two masts, and square sails. 4. Hag-boats (ibid. fig, 5) are masted and sailed ship-fashion, but are built in the form of the Dutch fly-boat. 5, Hoys (ibid. fig. 6.) are fitted with one mast and a sprit-sail; whose yards stand fore and aft like a mizen, so that it can lie near the wind. 6. Hulk. (ibid. fig. 7-) are generally old ships cut down to the gun-deck, and fitted with a large wheel, for men to go in when careening; it has also scveral capstons fixed on its deck, for setting ships masts. 7. Ketches (ibid fig. 8.) are fitted with two masts; and their mainsail and top sail stand square as those of ships do, but their fore-sail and jibbs as those of hoys, ditto.
8. Lighters (ibid fig. 9.) are vessels made use of for laying down or shifting the moorings, for bringing ashore or carrying on board ships cables, anchors, &c. 9. Pinks (ibid. fig. 10.) sail with three masts, ship-fashion; but are round-sterned, with a small projection above the rudder. 10. Punts (ibid fig 11) are built square, and used about the docks for fetching clay and other services as the master shipwright wants them for. 11. Shallop (ibid fig 12) is a small lioght vessel, with only a small main and fore mast, and lugg sails, to haul up and let down on occasion. 12. Sloops (ibid fig 13) have only one mast, with shoulder-of-mutton, square lugg, and smack sails. 13. Smacks (ibid fig 14) are transporting vessels, with one mast, and an half sprit-sail. 14. Yachts (ibid fig 15) have only one mast, with an half sprit or smack sail, and sometimes ketch fashion.
The most celebrated ships of antiquity are those of Ptolemy Philopater. One was 280 cubits long, 38 broad, and 48 high, each cubit being 1 English foot 5-1/2 inches, and carried 400 rowers, 400 sailors, and 3000 soldiers. Another which the same prince made to sail on the Nile, we are told, was half a stadium long. Yet these were nothing in caomparison with Hiero’s ship, built under the direction of Archimedes; on the structure whereof Moschion wrote a whole volume. There was wood enough employed in it to make 50 galleys; it had all the variety of apartments of a palace; such as banqueting-rooms, galleries, gardens, fish ponds, stables, mills, baths and a temple to Venus. It was encompassed with an iron rampart, eight towers, with walls and bulwarks, furnished with machines of war; particularly one, which threw a stone of 300 pounds, or a dart 12 cubits long, the space of half a mile, with many other particulars related by Athenaeus.
Construction of Ships. Naval architecture may be divided into three principal parts: 1. to give the ship such a figure and proportion as may suit the service she is designed for. 2. to find the true form of all the pieces of timber that shall be necessary to compose such a solid. 3. to make proper accomodation for guns, ammunition, provisions and apartments for all the officers, and likewise room for the cargo.
As to the first part, the length of the keel, greatest breadth, depth in the hold, height between decks and in the waste, and sometimes the height and breadth of the wing-transom, in ships for the merchant service, are agreed on by contract; and from these dimensions the builder forms a draught suitable to the trade the ship is designed for. The first thing that is generally done, is to lay down the keel, the stem, and stern-post, upon the sheer plane, or plane supposed to pass through the middle line of the keel, stem, and stern-post, cutting the ship in two halves, lengthwise.
They next determine the proper station of the midship timber, where a perpendicular is erected, and is generally about two-thirds of the keel before the stern-post: on this line the given depth of the hold is set off from the upper side of the keel; to obtain which point the thickness of all the timber and plank must be added to the height agreed on. This being fixed will enable us to determine the upper height of the extreme or greatest breadth of the ship; which, sometimes, is that very point; and from the same place the lower height of the breadth must be determined. The two main heights of the breadth lines, which nearly unite abaft and afore are next determined. The height of the breadth line of the top-timber is next formed; being limited in the midship by contract, but afore and aft by the judgement and fancy of the artist. If a square stern is designed, the breadth at the wing transom is limited, being generally about two-thirds of the greatest breadth.
The artist next fixes the breadth of the top-timber, and then describes the two half-breadth lines. After these are formed the places where the several timbers are fixed: and for forming the midship frame, radii are assumed at pleasure, till the sweeps are made to please the fancy and judgement of the artist. When this midship frame is formed, a pattern or mould is made to fit exactly to the curve, and the dead-rising or water-line; and by this and a hollow mould, all the timbers are formed, as far as the rising line, which is parallel to the lower height of the breadth line.
We come next to consider the upper works, or all that is above water, called the dead-work; and here the ship must be narrower, by which means she will strain less by working the guns, and the mainsail will be easier trimmed, as the shrouds spread less than they would otherwise do. But though these advantages are gained by narrowing a ship above water, yet great care must be taken not to narrow her too much, lest there should not be sufficient room upon the upper deck for the guns to recoil. The security of the masts should likewise be considered, which require sufficient breadth to spread the shrouds; though this may be assisted by enlarging the breadth of the channels.
Principal qualities belonging to ships. A ship of war should carry her lower tire of guns four or five feet above the water; a ship for the merchants service should stow the cargo well; and both of them should be made to go well, carry a good sail, steer well, and lie-to easily in the sea.
1. To make a ship carry a good sail, Mr Du Hamel recommends a flat floor-timber, and somewhat long, or the lower futtock pretty round; also a straight upper futtock, and the top timnber to throw the breadth out aloft; and at any rate, to carry her main breadth as high as the lower deck; for if the rigging be well adapted to such a body, and the upper works heightened as much as possible so as all to concur to lower the centre of gravity, there will be no room to doubt of her carrying a good sail.
2. to make a ship steer well, and answer the least motion of the helm, the fashion pieces should be well formed, the tuck carried pretty high, and the mid-ship frame carried pretty forward; also there should be a considerable greater draught of water abaft than afore, a great rake forward, and none abaft, and a snug quarter-deck and forecastle: all these will make a ship steer well.
3. to make a ship carry her guns well out of the water, is effected by a long floor-timber, and not of great rising, a very full midship frame, and low tuck, with light upper works.
4. to make a ship go smoothly through the water, without pitching hard, her keel should be long, her floor long and not rising high afore or aft; the area or space contained in the fore-body should also be duly proportioned to that of the after-body, according to the respective weights they are to carry.
5. to make a ship keep a good wind, she should have a good length by the keel, not too broad, but pretty deep in the hold; which will make her floor-timber short, and rising great. As such a ship will meet with great resistance in the water going over the broad side, and but little when going ahead, she will not fall much to the leeward.
Now some ship-builders imagine, that it is impossible to make a ship carry her guns well, carry a good sail, and be a prime sailor at the same time; because it requires a very full bottom to gain the two first qualities, and a sharp-bottomed ship best answers the latter: but when it is considered, that a full ship will carry a great deal more sail than a sharp one, a good artist may so form the body as to have all these three good qualities united, and likewise steer well; for which purpose Mr Du Hamel recommends somewhat more in length than has been commonly practised.
