Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp1.djvu/146

 Unfortunately for Captain Ayscough, the Success shortly afterwards encountered a very heavy gale of wind, whilst on a cruise off Candia, and sustained so much damage that it became absolutely necessary for her to return home before the commander-in-chief could comply with Mr. Yorke’s wishes.

During the gale. Captain Ayscough was obliged to swifter the ship’s sides together, by means of cables passed under her bottom; and also to dismount all the after-guns, her stern having separated from the stern-post. The Success was paid off at Chatham, Aug. 12, 1811.

Since the peace, Captain Ayscough has held the chief-command of the Ordinary at Plymouth, during the established period of three years. Whilst there he observed, that when ships were taken from under his charge in order to be commissioned, their housings were nearly all destroyed; and to prevent a continuance of that very unnecessary and heavy expence, he suggested a plan for covering them in future, by the general adoption of which we have no doubt that many thousands of pounds will soon be saved to government. The following is a description of the housing recommended by Captain Ayscough, a model of which was most ably executed by Mr. Simmonds, carpenter of the Ocean.

The frame consist of a ridge piece, rafters, &c. secured with screw-bolts and nuts, so that it can be taken to pieces by a few men in a very short space of time. Instead of long planks, nailed to the rafters as heretofore, the frame is entirely covered with hatches, which, from their having ring-bolts at each end, can be lifted up with the greatest ease, either to admit air, get the gun-carriages in and out, or for any other purpose. Whenever a ship, thus covered, is ordered to be got ready for service, the whole of these materials can be stowed away in a small compass, the hatches being only 6 feet by 3; and in case another ship of the same class should then be coming out of dock, the housing removed from the one can be placed over the other in a few hours, thereby saving the newly built, or newly repaired, ship from the least exposure to wet weather. The hatches being all of the same size, may be used as covering for any ship or vessel from a first-rate to a gun-brig or cutter, and they will continue fit lor use until they are completely decayed. The advantages to be obtained by adopting this plan are too obvious to require any further remark; we shall therefore merely state, that the Navy Board readily attended to Captain Ayscough’s suggestion, and that he had the gratification of seeing a frigate