Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/229

 12 s. ill. MARCH 24, 1917.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

that Service as there is fine Water there and the said work appears to be attended with no great expences and will be an Improvement to the Yard therefore desire Mr. Allen would prepare a Plan of such part thereof to be done the next Year as shall be sufficient for the slip and room round it for Framing the Ship which may come up above the length of the Forge Stacks.

In the Afternoon of Monday took a View of the Outstores which in general lay pretty well most of the Rough Timbers run between 100 and 60 feet meetings but little above a want of 4 tos planks English, of 3 iM and under a pretty good stock.

Tuesday in the Morning went to take a View of Hospital at Hasler, found the Cesteren try'd to form the Necessarys into kind of Water Closets, pretty sweet tho' am of Opinion this Method will not Intirely cure y e Nuisance complain'd of, as many persons may use it and if the Water is not let out very Often, the filth swiming about in the water will still be Offensive, and indeed I con- ceited the whole Building has an Odd kind of a smell very disagreeable, and from the appearance of this place am of Opinion no building should be larger than would contain 500 sick in one Range, but even less than that would certainly be better, and if small low buildings of but one story and to contain two Wards, and a little way detach'd from one another, so that any Infectious distemper would be sooner stop'd, the patients have a better air for their recovery and might with equal con- venecy [sic} be attended if the Offices were properly disposed for them.

The Surgeons houses were all most up to the Height, and the ground Open'd for y e foundations and Cellars, allmost y e whole length of the South-east wing in discoursing M r Turner the Surveyour over these works he is of Opinion, that as there is no manner of Occasion for springing Arches over the Cellars that plain floors form'd of Beam and Joysts will be sufficient and make a great Saveing on the expence am of his Opinion and Desired that he would propose the Same.

On the whole I think this Building very ex- [ pensive and not so well adapted to the conveniency I of recovering sick seamen brought on shoar from ships as a less would be.

From the Hospital I went on Board the Alcide


 * a French ship of warr of 64 Guns taken before the

feWarr* and found her with all the Guns onboard,

she appears to be [sic] have been almost a New

Ship when taken but lays in a bad condition, very

[ dirty, Hold in a sad condition, Sides and Decks


 * very bare of stuff, and by the neglect of proper

management by laying as she has done since


 * taken have received a good deal of damage her

\ low deck Guns seems rather larger than the

English 24 pounders and upper rather larger than

the 12 pounders. She has Lodgeing and Hanging

knees of Iron and I think had no thick waterways

bolted through the Side as in general the French

Ships have, has Iron Standards between every

two Ports with Bolts wrought with Collar heads

and fay'd on shoals, all her quick work spirtsitting

are fasten'd with nails only Quarter Deck and

Pore Castle is knee'd with wooden knees very large

Louisbourg by the Dunkirk, 60 guns, and the Torbay, 74, after a brisk action isee Clowes). War was declared' between England and France on May 18, 1756.
 * The Alcide was captured June 8, 1755, off

and badly wrought and as fan* as I can Judge- from her appearance and Manner that French ships are in general built, she will not be worth more to the Government than about five Guineas a Ton for Hull Masts and Yards.

However as we want Ships of her Class, tia pity she should lay as she does.

The Boyn of 80 Guns seems to be the only ship- by her appearance that any use can be made of, and if her Repair when Opened does not turn out too expensive, am of Opinion it will be most for the advantage of the service to cutt her down and (make) a Seventy four Gun Ship of her.

The Hind a 24 Gun Ship lately paid off will I hope be put into condition for the Sea by a small' Repair, and according thereto desired M r Allen would propose to the Board the takeing her into- the South Dock the next Ship and the Boyn into 1 the South Dock when the Royal Will goes out.

Came on shoare at the Yard about One O clock had a State of the Labourers deliverd to me as disposed of to carry on y several works of the Yard amongst which found a great waste of men station'd on places where the Service could not want them, appointed to meet y Officers thereon, and to take a View of y e Store House for Cordage; Sails & Hemp in the Afternoon.

Dined at the Fountain Tavern and about three O Clock went again into the Yard, took a View of the upper Story in the long Store house for an appartment for the Riggers as the Master atten- dants complaind their present Rigging House did not afford sufficient room to work, and the place- the(y) had below, was wholy fill'd (with) Hemp,- found the said upper Story would do very well and accordingly desired that half in length might be appropriated to that Service whilst the Warr- continued.

The Middle loft of this Building is filled in a very good manner of stowing sails, but as the lower part is wholy fill'd with Hemp and there was room wanted to put the Dutch cargo in, the North End was taken for that use the 1st Floor I mention'd before was fill'd with Hemp from the Contractor and held about 900 Tons there is now in store about 2000 exclusive of the 80 unloading from the Dutch Hoy, the Hemp houses when quite fill'd will show about 2100. The Dutch. Hemp is Petersburgh and very good of its kind as are all the Mast [? Masts], which have yet been deliverd.

There is in Store about 600 Tons of Cordage Cables & and by what may be collected from former expence, there will be wanted for a Supply of Store above what can be made in their own Rope house at least 1100 Tons.

Of which between 80 and 100 Tons may be made at Pool which the Officers think to be very good such of it as they have rec d.

The remainder must be sent from the Con- tractors in y River.

The Inn Stores [? "in" stores as opposed to> " out " stores ; but the word has three letters] at Portsmouth lay in good Order, the(y) have upwfc of 200 spare sails, but very few of them Corses [?] and Topsails, of which some should be sent them as soon as those providing for exporta- tion are finish'd.

On viewing the sail loft the Master sailmaker Observed how much the work of the loft was increased by continually altering ships sails, that the Method the Captains were now got into of Cutting the Leeches of their Topsails very hollow