The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-10-15 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Sins—l have recently seen in your paper a letter writ-
ten by a Mr. Robert Talbot, shipbuilder, wherein he
shows that which he considers essential, for strength,
capacity, and velocity, for seagoing vessels. His first
principle is that of the insecurity of ships from angle
chocks. As a shipbuilder he must be aware the adoption
is from necessity, in the want of crooked timber. This
of itself is of very minor importance as to security, when
compared with the disjointed manner in which the frame
timbers of merchant ships are erected. Let shipbuilders
carefully place together the sections of each frame, and
well bolt them, so as to have no filling timbers shuffled
in place after the ribands are around ; let all the bolts in
each floor be driven through the keelson, and clenched
on the underside of the keel ; let the limber strakes be of
5 or 6-inch plank, well bolted through the bottom and
clenched, with a water-course on the floors ; let the gar-
board strakes be at the keel two inches thicker than the
plank of the bottom ; let the edges of the ceiling planks
be well fayed and caulked from the floor-heads upward;
let the beams be of a sufficient number and well placed,
secured at their ends by thick waterways and shelfpieces
well fayed and bolted. This, with the outside plank,
being well wrought and fastened, and the work duly per-
formed, not only the objectionable chocks may be pro-
perly applied, but all the ponderous iron knees and stan-
dards, together with the sister keelsons, may be thrown
overboard as useless limber, for it should be understood
that no ship is stronger than her weakest part. If, there-
fore, a ship, from the ricketty manner in which she has
been built, requires strapping with iron knees (which at
the best is a very uncertain security), through which
those weak parts are rendered less secure, and often the
sole cause of vessels foundering; let her frame be firmly
united from keel to gunwale, and from stern to sternpost,
with the other required securities, and there is no cause
of fear of the ship doing well, although the heads and
heels of the first and second futtocks (which are all that
require chocks) are chocked, together with the disappear-
ing of all iron knees or sister keelsons.

Mr. Talbot gives a breadth for length, which
may be well for a vessel of from 200 to 220 tons, but the
proportion would be too narrow for a vessel of 150 tons,
and too wide for one of 300 tons measurement. The sta-
bility of a vessel depends not on either her breadth or her
depth, but on her form and the correctness of her dis-
placement. As a proof, plane up from the same piece
two pieces of fir, say 2 feet long by 3 inches by 6 inches ;
form each in shape like the bottom of a vessel, with this
difference—the bottom of one to be formed with the
breadth of 6 inches, and the bottom of the other with the
breadth of 3 inches; that is, the breadth of the first will
illolnhge,
found,andi i thy a
be as listo 4, the other as listoB, of their length. In
forming these two blocks, let them be of equal weight
when finished. Then take two slips of lead, of equal
weight, say 21b. each, which fix as keels to each bottom,
observing that they swim perfectly level. In each fix in
a re gives
the
safest stabil i t
ships
i; p
sy
ient
a every
sea,
midships a mast, whose height may be 18 inches from the
a ya r d
whenof a fioto
will
fwoaotte
irn, ahnedi
gchrtofsrsowniis e fithex
water,applying at one end of each yard anything of equal weight,
that the narrow vessel is the stiffer of the two, and as
such will carry more canvass. This is not shown to re-
commend narrow ships, but merely to show that dis-
placement,and by far less expensive, if their masts and yards are in
proportion.
It remains now to show that Mr. Talbot's opinion is
dayproves thatand narrow not bresandipths,
fallacious respecting poops and topgallant
forecastles.
Height out of water is not of the least injury to a 6 lh. if
she is in sailing trim. They are certainly - liablep
more to
fall over with a clean hold • but how often have they been
the means of saving numbers of lives when the ship has
been water-logged ! Proofs of their
utility
could be ad-
duced by referring to many of the masters of
_ your.Liver-
pool ships. One proof will suffice to fully establish this
fact. It is well known that a part of our navy is nom-

Oct. 15, 1844

prised of what are termed three-deck ships; the truth is
they have five decks, on four of which they have a range
of guns. During the last French war, we were under the
necessity of blocking up their ports. If any remission of
this duty had taken place, the advantage accruing there-
from would have been lost; therefore our ships were
obliged to weather the winter storms, yet at times shelter
was required ;_ but in all cases our three-deck ships were
the last that sought a harbour, and very offer. remained
in the bay, and with less damage than frigates, being
always considered the safest ships. By shoving their
proportions, every obstruction in a merchant vessel, as
to height, sinks into nothingness. Their lengta as to
breadth was as 41 is to 1 ; their draught of water, 22 feet;
their height, from the water to the poop deck. feet;
extended on the four decks, from 100 to 120 guns, ~oget-
her with above 200 tons of shot, anchors, and other heavy
materials, and above 800 men.

I remain, sir, your very humble servant,
JOHN COCK,
Author of a little work on Masting Ships
and Mastmaking.
Pembroke Dock, October 2nd, 1844.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
should be gratified if any of your medical
friends or correspondents would have the kindness to
solve the following queries. What is the most general
cause of "Catarrh," or what is usually termed " catching
a cold ? " What habit of body predisposes a person to
catch cold, and will a plethoric habit be more likely to
catch cold than a contrary habit—does full and free living
or an abstemious diet occasion a disposition to thin
malady ?
. _

Is cold usually caught by passing from heated air into a
lower temperament, or the reverse, that is, from a cold
atmosphere into a heated apartment?

The Jupiter steam-ship, on the 10th of October, at
half-past 10 o'clock, a.m., of Donagadee, spoke the brig
St. Lucia, of Liverpool, making for Belfast to repair
damages. She left Liverpool on the 7th of October.
The machinery of the French steam ship Gomer which
conveyed Louis Phillippe to this country was manufac-
tured by Fawcett, Preston and Co., of this town. It Is of
most stupendous character.
COURT MARTIAL.-At a court martial, at Devonport,
on Friday, John Barnes, carpenter's mate on board ber
Majesty's ship San Josef, was sentenced to be hanged at
the yardarm, for lifting an axe and threatening to kill the
boatswain of that ship. The court, however, promised to
recommend him to the mercy of the Admiralty.
IMPORT FOR THE FLAX AND COTTON MILLS.—The
Oswego, a large American ship, of 800 tons' burden, for-
merly employed as a liner between Liverpool and New
York, arrived in this port yesterday, direct from New
Orleans, with a full cargo of cotton for the Hull flax and
cotton mills.—Hull Packet.

THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAVELLING.—At a
recent inquest Mr. Wakley took occasion to observe,
that he had held the office of coroner for five years and a
half, and had the two great termini, and upwards cf 30
miles of the most extensive railways in the kingdom in
his district, and yet, notwithstanding the millions of per-
sons that must have travelled up and down those lines
during the period he lied itioned, he had never held a
single inquest on a railway passenger.
TARTANS.—WC perceive Messrs. John Cripps and Co.,
Maison de Lyon, 48, Bold-street, are making a splendid
display of the Scottish Clan Tartans, and at that establish-
ment we have just been shewn the Rothsay Tartan, which
has just been ordered by her Majesty, and which, for
beauty of texture and of colouring, exceeds anything that
we have as yet seen in this fashionable and useful fabric.
We may predict that their adoption during the present
season will be general.
NARROW ESCAPE IN THE RlVER.—Yesterday, about
noon, the ship Lucas approached the Prince's Pier. and
was running up alongside of it for the purpose of
entering the dock, while a boat, containing four men,
happened to be between her and the sea-wall. The men,
seeing that they were in danger, jumped into the water to
save their lives. Two of them caught hold of a rope at.
tached to the vessel, and were picked up by a boat. One
of the men was rescued when nearly exhausted, and one
had his knee much crushed ; but all were saved. The
precaution they had taken was not without grounds, as
the boat in which the poor fellows were was, soon after
they took the water, crushed to pieces between the ship
and the wall.

EARLY CLOSING OF SHOPS IN ORMSKIRK.—At a
meeting of the shopkeepers of Ormskirk, held in the
Town-hall, on Friday, the 11th inst., publicly called by
the constable, in compliance with a requisition numerously
and respectably signed. Edward Boyer, Esq., in the
chair. It was unanimously resolved that the meeting con-
sidered that the hours of business in shops were unneces-
sorily prolonged, and, therefore, deemed it advisable that
the shops should be closed at an earlier hour. And con-
sidered it necessary in order to afford time requisite for
exercise, recreation, and the acquirement of information,
that the shops be closed at 8 o'clock, Saturday excepted.
A committee was appointed to adopt such means as should
appear to them best calculated to effect the object of the
meeting. A declaration was afterwards signed by all
present expressing their cord;al concurrence in the gene-
ral object of the meeting, and handed over to the commit-
tee, who were requested to obtain the signdtures of those
persons who were not present. A 'correspondent at
Ormskirk wishes to know why the attorneys' offices in
that town cannot be closed at an earlier hour. We see
no reason why they should not, for the boors at similar
offices in this town have been very much curtailed without
inconvenience.

MR. ILLIDGES PORTRAIT OF LORD SANDON.—The Globe of
Wednesday last, says that this painting is a beautiful portrait of
Lord Sandon, painted by Illidge, and mezzotinted by George
Raphael Ward, in the best style of each of these distinguished
artists. The dkeness, we have had opportunities of knowing,
is most excellent, not only the similarity of features being pre-
served, but the mentalism of the noble lord maintained and
made palpably manifest, as far as the sister arts of portr lure
and engraving can accomplish that ultimate result of their
joint labours.

THE ART UNION PIED:RES.—We have been much gratified
at viewing a very neat frame, manufactured in Papier Mache,
resembling the most graceful and elaborate carving in oak and
other woods, the style and design of which is particularly
adapted to the engraving after Danby's celebrated painting of
the " Opening of the Sixth Seal." This frame is to be seen at
Mr. Keys' Show Rooms, 52, Bold-street, and judging from its
elegance and cheapness,. (for they are not quite the price of
common carvings,) we have no doubt of its universal application.
We advise our readers, particularly those in whose possession
the engraving is,to visit the papier mache warerooms previously
to selecting a frame.

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, OCT. 14.
If any change can be noticed in Cotton during the last week
it is an improvement of tone, which seems generally infiraed
nevertheless. Cotton is freely offered, and buyers can do their
business quite to their satisfaction. Several heavy consumers
are greatly stocking themselves for the next two months.
Speculaters are waiting the arrival of the steamer, which will
bring the prospects for the new crop. 5,00 a bales have been
sold to-day at last week's prices. Market closes steadily, but
rather qui t than otherwise.

LIVERPOOL CATTLE MARKET, OCT. 14.
We have had a smaller supply of a'l kinds of Cattle at market
to-day than for some weeks of late. Anything good eagerly
sought after, and sold at a little advance in prices. Beef,
5d to 52d; Mutton, Sid to Sid.

TIDE TABLE.
DAIS. MRN. EVN. I HEIGHT HOLYDAYS, ETC.
Tuesday 15 048 111 29 1 Jupiter rises 4h 26m. C.
Wednes. 16 133 157 17 9 Jupiter sets 3h 53m m.
Thurs... 17 223 250 16 3 Ethelreda.
Friday.. 18 318 349 14 4 St. Luke.
Saturday 1g 424 5 3 13 1
Monday.
21 20 543 625 12 7 20th Sunday at Trintiy.
7 5 743 12 6 Mars rises 4116 m. mar.