Note.—In some ships the jib and fore-topmast staysail-halliards are rove through gins fitted for the purpose. Gins, however, are not supplied in all ships, but you can always fit fiddle-blocks under the eyes of your rigging; your jib and staysail-halliards reeve in the upper sheaves, and the topsail-buntlines in the lower ones. Cheek-blocks answer well on the trestle-trees.
When it is nearly slack water, cant her with the helm the right way, and if necessary, make use of jib, spanker, and yards.
When the tide slacks, sheer her with the helm, run up the jib and fore-topmast staysail, with weather-sheets aft; when canted the right way, the lee-sheets may be hauled aft, and the yards filled, thus setting her abreast to a taut cable; when the buoy is on the lee-quarter, brace the head-yards to the wind, and fill the after ones; when the tide swings her head around so as to shake the sails, haul down and stow them.
As the tide slackens, sheer her to the same side of the buoy on which she came to windward, and fill the yards, which will set her end-on over the cable; she will now by the effect of the wind, bring her stern over the cable, and bring the buoy on her weather-quarter; put the helm “a-weather,” and she will shoot ahead, tautening the cable, by sheering her head from the wind. When the wind gets a little aft the beam, hoist the jib, to prevent the cable from drawing her head to wind.
Let her lay in this position until she falls off; when the headsails shake, haul down and stow them.
As the tide slacks, sheer her to windward, sheet-home and set the mizen-topsail; thus she will back round to leeward as soon as the tide sets up; clew up and furl the mizen-topsail.
When tending to the tide, and the ship comes over her anchor, she may break her shear by canting her stern the wrong way; when this is the case put the helm “a-weather,” run the jib up, fill the head-yards, and the after-yards kept-to. Everything is now arranged to bring her round again, when she must be managed as before mentioned.
Unship the man-ropes, stow them away, secure the gangways, pay down the messenger, and secure anchors and boats. The anchors ought to be secured with preventer stoppers, and painters, particularly where they work with a slip-shackle or tricker, which a rope catching, may drag or drive out. In fact the jib-sheet is apt to do this if not looked to.
Wash and dry the nippers, then stow them away; wash down the anchors and buoys, and black them as soon as possible; when clear of the land, unbend cables, buoys, and buoy-ropes, and ship the blind-buckles, unless prevented by peculiar circumstances.
Take off the harbor-gaskets and have them repaired and blackened afresh, when convenient. If the bunt-gaskets, however, are retained on the yards, roll them up snug and secure them. Put the sea-gaskets on, make them up in cheises, and keep them before the yards.
Place bunt-line spans to their respective yards.
Have the boats’ sails and awnings dried and put below.
Quarter-boats clear for lowering.
Besides these, the watch on deck, when not employed in more pressing duties, may be occupied to much advantage as follows, viz.:
1st. Exercising small-arms, cutlasses and guns;
2d. Pointing all ropes requiring it;
3d. Working up a sufficient quantity of junk, into seizing-stuff, mats, swabs, foxes, thumb-lines, knittles, gaskets, reef-points, nippers, salvagees, straps, &c., &c.
We now come to the most important of all the regulations in a ship, namely, those which operate against the fatal and shocking effects of fire. Whatever good results from stationing people in ordinary cases, cannot be put in competition with this, which provides against the most dreadful catastrophe incident to a ship. From the number of unfortunate accidents of this nature we surely ought to be prepared to our utmost for such an event.
First, by internal precautions; and
Secondly, by the means to be used against the danger.
Let there be great attention in the use of fire and lights.—The regulations on these subjects which exist in men of war are still more required in merchant vessels.
Fires should be put out at eight P. M., and all lights at nine P. M., except those required for the binnacle, and on deck.
The officer of the last dog-watch ought to report the fire extinguished to the captain.
As each man is relieved from the wheel, he should examine below, and report “all well” to the officer of the watch.
No naked light whatever ought to be permitted; let either lanterns or lamps be used.
Spirits should be drawn off by day; a naked light should on no account be permitted near a spirit cask.
Smoking should not be allowed below. I have known more than one ship set on fire by a man’s pipe; and by segars, I have no doubt many have been burnt.
In stowing a hold, do not allow naked lights to be used, nor any person to smoke there when so employed.
On receiving cotton as a cargo, both those who ship as well as those who receive it, ought to ascertain that it is in a safe state before it be put on board. I have known instances of its being sold and moved away, when, in a few hours, if it had not been moved, it would have ignited.
I am acquainted with the particulars of a ship that was burnt some years since, where oil had been stowed in the hold with cotton over it, with what was considered safe and secure dunnage between. The cotton, notwithstanding, absorbed a quantity of oil, became heated, and ignited. The crew with difficulty saved themselves in the boats before the flames burst forth, and the vessel was entirely consumed.
Chests containing bottles of inflammable substances, such as vitriol, &c., cannot be too well secured. A medicine chest upset in a gale may set fire to a ship.
Friction matches should never be allowed on board a ship.
The coals in steamers have frequently taken fire, and in many cases with the most fatal consequences. Too much care cannot be taken in the selection of coals; a strict examination ought to be made as to their state when received and stowed, and no suspicious circumstances should be then overlooked. When receiving coals, avoid throwing the fresh ones on the old, which ought to be kept uppermost, and first for use. When once they become ignited, I can hardly offer a remedy for the evil.
When coals take fire, some people throw water upon them, and smother the fire by wet beds. Hot water, or steam, if they can be used, are more expeditious than cold water in extinguishing fire, I believe. To attempt to discharge the coals, would allow the air freer access, and would be certain to increase the power of the fire.
A few canvass buckets, with long lanyards, should be always prepared and ready on deck for drawing water.
When a fire is first discovered, shorten all low sails directly, courses up, stay-sails and wind-sails down, boat-covers taken off.
If the sails should take fire from lightning, or any other cause, cutting away the mast appears the most likely method of saving the ship.
At first, endeavor if possible, to stifle the fire; which may be best done by shutting off any draught of air, and smothering it with wet bedding, small sails, &c., until a good supply of water can be applied.
If the fire is forward, put before the wind until it is necessary to “out boats,” then bring-to.
If the fire is aft, or a-midships, keep to the wind.
Coolness and steadiness in any misfortune by fire are essential to arrest it.
If a fire break out below, the hatchways should be immediately covered, to prevent a draught of air.
Ring the ship’s bell to call the men to their stations.
| MEN’S NAMES. |
DUTIES. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A very steady man | - | To the helm. | |
| The carpenter, and one man. | - | First, to cover hatchways with gratings and tarpaulins. | |
| Secondly, to rig pumps and lead hoses; and | |||
| Thirdly, get the tools ready for cutting away, if required. | |||
| The chief mate, boatswain, and ship’s cook. | - | To attend where the fire is, and pass water to it, &c. | |
| A man of each watch or more. | - | To the pumps, and to draw water as for washing decks. | |
| A boy. | - | To collect all the buckets to the part where the water is being drawn. | |
| Remainder of starboard watch. | - | First duty to haul up courses, brail up trysails and spanker. | |
| Second duty, draw and pass water with the fire buckets; then for third duty see below. | |||
| Remainder of larboard watch. | - | First duty, to haul up courses, brail up trysails and spanker. | |
| Second duty, to soak small sails and bedding to throw over and smother the fire; then for third duty see below. | |||
| Cabin steward, and cabin boy. | - | If any powder or other combustibles are on board, to throw them overboard if possible, or drown them. | |
| Second mate to direct fire hose, and the supply of water from deck. | - | If the fresh water is in tanks, turn the waste-valves[35] of two of them for a first supply for the pump, and then go to direct fire hose, &c. | |
| The crew. | - | Third duties of the crew, the yard and stay-tackles to be got up ready for getting out boats. | |
| Fourth duties of the crew, if the fire appears to increase, out boats, and lower down the quarter boats; let them lay off in a string to windward, with a man and a boy as keepers, ready for the rest of the crew if required. | |||
| The captain | - | To attend at all the stations as he deems best. | |
If the ship cannot be saved, the passengers and crew are the first objects, with some fresh water and biscuit; a compass, quadrant and Bowditch. Unless there is sufficient time, and it can be done without endangering the sea-worthiness of the boats, nothing should be taken that is not essential to the mere preservation of life, and necessary for navigating the boats.
[34] This bill ought to be written out or printed, and hung up for every one’s inspection.
[35] The mate ought to have the key of the valves of the water tanks in his own keeping.
The captain should in his own mind, and by a private memorandum, station the passengers and crew to the boats on board, and likewise make the persons here specified be responsible for having the following articles put into the boats.
| Captain. | - | Compass, Maury on Navigation, sextant, spyglass, Nautical Almanac, pencils and writing paper, general chart, pocket watch, pair of compasses, &c. | |
| First mate. | - | Oars, masts, sails, boat-hooks, bolt of canvass, boat’s compass, Bowditch’s chart, ensign. | |
| Second mate. | - | Two or three bags of biscuits, some breakers of water, quadrant, pencils and writing paper, half-gill measure, a musket, box of cartridges, and flints or caps. | |
| Surgeon | - | Pocket instruments. | |
| Carpenter. | - | Hammer, nails, sheet-lead, grease, fearnought, oakum, saw, chisel, turn-screw, cold chisel, a vial of sweet oil, any small iron rod. | |
| Third mate, or boatswain. | - | Coil of inch rope, long reel, deep-sea reel, painted canvass, marling-spikes, spun-yarn, &c. | |
| Sail maker. | - | Palm, needles, twine, fishing-lines, hooks, painted canvass, boat’s awning. | |
| Cook, and steward. | - | Tinder-box, flints and tinder, small box, lantern and candles, cheese, cabin biscuit, chocolate. | |
| Each person. | - | A tin pot, a pocket knife, a change of flannels and stockings. | |
With a scarcity of food, savages attempt to lessen the cravings of hunger by tightening a belt around the waist; and by sucking a pebble they in some degree alleviate thirst. Chewing tobacco may also be serviceable under such circumstances. In such emergencies all must fare alike.
A ship might lose her rudder at a critical moment in crossing the bar of a river, when a few minutes more might run her aground, if she were unmanageable; and in this case, what temporary rudder is best becomes a question for which a few moments only are given to decide. The plan of steering by the stream-cable payed out astern, or by the stern-boat lowered instantly, with the plug out, and towed astern by a hawser, with guys leading up to each quarter, would perhaps then be adopted; while a ship losing her rudder at sea would have leisure to adopt any other plan.
It might be an advantage, if every vessel would take some opportunity of trying how she could steer with a stern-boat in the manner described, and what length of tow-line was required to enable her to steer the most easily, so as to avoid wild yawing. The experiment might be made in moderate weather with the wind on the quarter, and also right aft, under top-sails, top-gallant-sails and fore-sail, running five or six knots. Nothing gives confidence so much as practice.
As steamers would probably do so with very fresh way on, they ought at once to stop their engines, but on no account to attempt to reverse them, until the extent of the injury be ascertained; otherwise they may go down in deep water. Their first duty is to out boats, and place the passengers in safety in them; the crew might then ascertain the state of the vessel; if she is likely to float, and can be got off, the attempt to do so should be made; but if not, the crew can take to the boats.
When two vessels have run foul of each other, the one which is the least injured is bound, by every sense of justice and humanity, to stay by the other to render every assistance in her power; a contrary proceeding ought to make the guilty party liable to some punishment. If one appears likely to sink, the boat lashings should be cut, that the boat or boats may be got out or float off.
United States Razee or Frigate Independence, at Anchor.