Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/228

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 S. HI. MARCH 24, 1917.

Husbandry " as much to be commended then as it is essential now. The " comb ing- out " process, too, had to be applied to Government departments, as it is said to have been of late.

The diary fills fourteen pages out of the twenty-three contained in a note-book, bound in leather, of the same size and shape as the military diary. On the inside of the cover the diarist has made some pencil notes for his own guidance in the inspection of Portsmouth Dockyard. These he has entered again in ink on the first page. He has also made a list of some of his Majesty's ships. They are as follows : Union, Neptune, Amelia, Royal William, Pembrook (sic), Achilles (sic), Sunderland, Preston, Glasgow, Coventry.

The notes in ink, which are divided by horizontal lines, run :-

Memoranda (the rest illegible)

Portsmouth the 9 th Oct. 1756

Iron Ballast for ships in hand is it provided.

The Yard how stored with Timber plank Deals &.

The Yard how stocked with Sails Cordage Canvass Hemp. Hemp how stock'd

can Portsmouth make a large Anchor for the Royal Will or any Other ship of that Class.

how is the N of servants to y e work* ship- wrights.

Painting Leather Buckets, Marking sails & how practised

Tops for y e ships, if made by y 9 contractor how finished and y e price

To take a View of the Out Stores

To take a View of the ships Neptune and Royal William

To consider what may be done the Insueing year on takeing in the ground to the Northward of the Yard for Building a slip for 74 Gun Ships and upwards.

What is the next ship in Harbour that may be taken into the Dock likely to be repair'd at a small expence.

Will it be for the Advantage of the Service to Repair the Boyn as she* (if she can be Repair'd) or Cutt her down to 70 Gun Ship.

At the end of the book are two notes in pencil :

" Thomas Shepperd Shipwright in Portsmouth Yard a very good man to have a Ser** for Mr. Lock.

" A Lott No. ? lays in the way belongs to Timothy Guard purchased the 5th June is paid for."

DIARY.

9 h Oct. 1756. Set out on a Visit from y e N.O. [i.e., Navy Office] to his Majestys Yard at Portsmouth on Saterday the 9 th and got to> Portsmouth on Sunday about half an Hour past 12 of the 10 th. Dined at the Fountain Tavern and went down into the Yard in the Afternoon. found the Royal Sovereign in the great Dock, the Biddiford in the Bason Dock and Bolton* Yacht in the South Dock.

Leaks complaind of in the Royal Sovereign likely proceeded from the Butts in Midships just under water that by falling of the Ship when she was put out of the Dock at Chatham from straight Blocks Open'd and slack'd the Oakham Caulkers found the Hudding End Open by which the boring [?] of the Hawses and Cheeks [? checks) were Obliged to be taken off.

Spent the remainder of the Afternoon on going, round y e Yard and discourseing the Officers on buisness.

On Monday the lOthf went into y e Yard from. Portsmouth, Visited the Royal William in the- Double Dock Repairing and Cutting down to a 84 Gun Ship all the Timbers were in the Ship plank'd up from 6 or 8 strakes under the wall to y e top of the Side, and laying the upper Deck and as few Beams of either Deck remain to be- shifted am of Opinion the Ship may be got ready for Sea by the latter end of March next.

About 12 O'clock went on Board the Neptune of 90 Guns proposed to be Launch'd in Decemb p next, her works are very forward most that remain are those in the Hold, as far as I could Observe by the little time I was on board of her every thing appears pretty well, she is by the same Dimensions and Body as the Union lately launch'd" at Chatham, has a Figure of Neptune sitting on a Sea Lyon has a very long Head, Ship looks short,, and confirms the Opinion that 90 Gun Ships should certainly be five feet longer, and six inches deeper hi the Hold, or at least 175.0 and 21.0 deep, long and heavy Figure Heads should not be admitted to any ships under a 1st Rate.}:

From the Neptune took a View of the ground to the Northward of the yard where the Ballasl is kept and as the Bason slips will not be proper to build a larger ship on or from whence they can be launch'd with safety than a 60 or small 70 and there is but one slip in the yard on which s larger can be built, am of Opinion as the ships o; war are so much increased in their Dimension! and so great an Addition is made to the N 01 74 Gun Ships, another slip should be added to the Yard at Portsmouth that may be fitt for building any of those of 74 and uppwards upon, and n< place in the front of y e yard admitting thereof, 11 will be for the advantage of the Yard hi future Service to take in to the Yard such an additiona quantity to the Northward as may be proper for

better known in the Navy as Rear- Admiral Lord Harry Powlett.
 * Evidently called after the Duke of Bolton,

t This is a mistake of the diarist for " llth." See " Wednesday the 13th 'plater.

J The dimensions of the Royal Sovereign, 1C guns, were 175 feet in length by 50 feet 3 inchf in beam and 20 feet 1 inch in depth. She was bui in 1729. See the ' History of the Navy,' by Sir "N Laird Clowes, vol. iii. p. 12-