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 may be moored by the stern. With these advantages the consumption of compass timber is decreased. The general introduction of this plan was directed by order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated 13th June, 1817.

“That your Royal Highncss’s memorialist, on the 17th July, 1816, proposed a new method of raising the lower masts of ships out of their steps, by means of a simple and portable apparatus of his invention, which requires only four men to raise a first rate’s main-mast, instead of about ninety. The adoption of this method has rendered two sheer-hulks unnecessary, one at Portsmouth, and one at Plymouth, which had been kept up at an annual expence of nearly 2,000l. It has also, by the removal of the hulk lying at Plymouth to Sheerness, where one was required, caused an immediate saving of 14,000l., the expence incurred in fitting the Sampson sheer-hulk at Woolwich; and a similar sum would have been required to fit a sheer-hulk for Portsmouth, in lieu of the Neptune, which had been found so defective as to render it necessary to take her to pieces. In a series of years, this expence must again have been incurred (when from age or accident the hulks required replacing), which is now prevented. The risk and expence of moving either ship or hulk, which was before necessary, is avoided by this apparatus. The heels of the mast (resting on a pig of ballast) can thus at all times be examined (instead of being lifted as heretofore trlennially, at a very considerable expence), and the decay occasioned by their being stepped in the mortices prevented. This causes a saving beyond calculation. This proposition was approved of by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 2d September, 1816.

“That your Royal Highness’s memorialist, on the 8th October, 1816, proposed a plan for mooring ships in Ordinary with chain slip bridles, which affords a more easy way of extricating the ships from their moorings in case of fire, or the necessity of moving them, from any other cause, as well as removing a most injurious weight from their bows. It will also cause a saving in mooring ships in Ordinary of nearly one half of the quantity of chain, amounting in value to not less than 10,000l.; and, from the frequent necessity of changing the hempen bridles (where used) by their rapid deterioration to prevent accidents to the ships, will occasion an annual saving of some thousands of pounds.

“That your Royal Highness’s memorialist, on the 27th January, 1817, presented a plan for substituting iron chain or rods for harbour rigging, in lieu of cordage, which on adoption has caused a very considerable saving of expence; and a still further saving will be produced annually, by the durability of iron compared with that of rope. It also tends much to put a stop to extensive embezzlements. Its introduction was directed by the Navy Board’s warrant, dated 5th February, 1817.

“That your Royal Highness’s memorialist, on the 5th September, 1817, proposed a plan for reducing the length of the timbers of a ship’s frame, and doing away the chocks at their heads and heels, which chocks