The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1853-04-09
How a Ship is Launched.

When ship is building, her keel rests on
series Of hlnrks Of wood plared about three
tert anart AMI she * supported On either Si,i,
bv pieces of timlcr-"nr end of each .'-horr."
Is these timbrr> ar. Technically termed. rest
ing on the ground. and the other snoring MP
Ia. ship. or. IN other worl> krrTinr her from
falling over SIDEWAYS, The ordinary prar,ice
in huildin~ >lr'r> * TO place the stern next
the wafer, AMI thu heal of the ship nr the
varl so that the vessel shall 90 stern fore
most into the river When the launching
time comes the shin requires to be released of
all these supports and barriers, AMI il nav
interest the country reader 10 explain how
this i done
First Of all large beams Of timber are plar-
c'l lcnrthwi>- under each side nf the ship.
with a slight iu.'ination towarlthc water end
Of them The. timl,rrs are holtcd to llnrks
of wool in th .,rounl AMI tlov have other
pieces of timber bnli"l to the sides Of them
50 as to form WAYS" a the Shipwrigh,S Sar.
or grooves. hv whirh the ship i> 10 move into
the wafer. The R'Nt process iS to place
other beam of timber on each Of these "wavs"
ant! to holt smaller pieces Of timhcr upon
them. which are fitted hut not fastened the
ships side, - As TO form 4 kind of cradl" in
viii h the vessel is 10 rest, which goes into
the water The hramS of timber fixed to the
blocks plentitully CREASED with s,.st >ssa,.
and oil. Ia make thr vessel move >mon,ht,.-
and when all i rralv- the supporters are
km"rk"i away. and The ~hip -til.s into the
wafer
The >hir j liberated br striking down her
-la@rr'S." which arr the last hindranrc> tn
taking rhe water There i a ,ia..-cr at ,.,.,i,
.'.'. III, l. i just at the head of the
launching timhrr>. and is simply sIrIar.
piece of wood. placed in a ~lantinc direction,
one end of which rests against the fixed beams
of timber which lie under The vessel. and the
other end IS placed against the cradle on
which the ship rests. It is an honorable 'lis-
tinction in a ship-builder's rar,i to kn".k
down the ,lacgcrs. and it is the custom 70 a
warl the honor TO the two oldest apprentices
'nderncah the das@cr a small piece OF wool
* placed on end. to prevent the dar-er fall
inc of it~"lf and rhiSel is also driven into
the wood TO keep the ''tom,' as it is callcd,in
It's rlarr
The real interest Of ship launch is a brief
hut c1-irin@ thinr, 1t commences when the
men lie along under the vessel to '-.ivc her a
rally" that Is to drive in 4 number of wr,ly
IS to ease the ship of tn" Elork> under her
keel. 4 courlc Of hundred men NAV be a
bout the ship in this work, and at The Voice
Of the lca,fin. man. every one Of them strikes
ms wedge. at the same instant gradually rai--
inc the ship. and producing a souna Ike
mutflrl thunder The center block. arr then
removed. and the shores taken away from the
the sides o. the ship. The ship Is now rralv
for launching. and the master >hip-buildrr
and his friends stand at the head of the vc,-
sci
The men place thrmsclvr. DOWN zach si,'o
of the wars. the >i"nal ',Out nakum" is nivcn
and immediately the oakum. which has Kept
the dust from the grease. i removed. ''All
ont sir" Is the response. "0ut KEYS. l. IN"
next command AMI n Tuirkly as in th, fn-
mcr case tie men remove some small pieces
of wool wIirh have been placed down the
the wavs 10 assure them that all continues
/, true. t"an the mrn rcsnond "in ont. sir
, ami they hasten from the SIDES Of thc ship
The whole interest Is now in tn" dac-"r'.
10th of which the master shipwright sc"s.-
-.Out ,.lIisrlS." .'olt small toms" Down aag-
rrr~." follow in rapid ORDER and the ship l.
, freed fr.rm her rest, ants \ bottle of wine
, from the far lady breaks on The ships head.
:, <hc cl;,l,,> DOWN the wav~. ii, wav" rises AZ
. she ,olrh"> ,l.c water. cuIargin. it>rlfas she
,r,.ts n.T il,. ,tock<. ami the Ship - iaunrhrd
t AZ OrIrCT "r C">TENrT.- .Iul1c Dick
4 Claiborne. unlcr tie old cork'.i hat and rnor-
T. nous rrcroratir"s Of parish in'igc, >~ayr'i
( the >ccptrr Of Northwestern Louisiana with
! potcntiafrr and ri-or hardly cIualled at the
= present dar hr the car Of Russia. Among
the mul;if.rivu> DUTIES and powers of the par
, i>h iu!rc wa> that Of an tonr"r. He sold all
the property Of >urcc>>ionS IN his parish. It
NJ tl,,.