Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/893

 snip 867 yard A B, the more acute becomes the angle A E, the effect of which is to augment H and diminish G. For as A E becomes more acute the angle D C H is lessened, so that C D perpendicular to the centre of the yard will approach more to H perpendicular to the keel E F. Hence a portion of the force is applied in the direction C G, the length of the ship. When braced sharp up, A C E = about 20. On the other hand, the larger the angle A E the more the effect C G will increase, in the same proportion as the increase of the sine of that angle when the impulse of the wind upon the sail is the same ; for the sines of the angle are in proportion to their oppo- site sides in the triangle D G, of which the angle D G is equal to the angle ACE. Though, when sailing thus partially toward the wind, but a small portion of its propelling effect is available, something is recovered by its greater force caused by running against it ; while in sailing in the opposite direction its effect is diminished by running away from it. If, after sailing for any time with the sails sharply braced, the head of the vessel can be brought round, so that the sails shall fill on the other side, the ship will proceed on the other tack on a line reaching further and further to the windward of that before passed over, and thus by a succession of zigzags progress is con- tinually made against the course of the wind. This is called beating to windward, and the turning of the ship toward the wind and thence around is tacking. This is done as follows : The helmsman, having carefully kept the head of the ship as near the wind as practicable with the sails remaining full, at the order puts the helm gradually down, and soon after, at another order, " hard a-lee." As the head of the vessel is thus brought up toward the wind, the head sails are let fly by casting off their sheets, so that they shall present the least im- pediment in the way of this movement. The spanker on the contrary is hauled more toward the centre, that the wind continuing to strike it may push the stern round the other way. Soon the square sails on the foremast catch aback, or receive the wind on their forward side. This, while it checks the headway, also tends to throw the bow still further round. The after yards are then swung for the wind to strike them on the other side, and the same is next done to the head yards. As the sails fill, the ship soon gathers headway on the new tack. Fore-and-aft rigged vessels are much better adapted for working to windward than those with square sails. Their sails keep full at a smaller angle with the wind, and in going about or tacking they do not lose headway, but even run some distance directly in the eye of the wind, which other vessels are prevented from doing by their great square sails catching aback. As a storm comes up at sea, the first precaution is to shorten sail. The lighter sails are taken in and furled, and the topsails are first single-reefed, and next double-reefed; mainsail is reefed ; mizzen topsail close-reefed ; next the fore and main topsail the same; main- sail is then furled, and the jib also. The fore- sail is then reefed and the mizzen topsail is furled. The main spencer may now be set, and the fore topsail furled unless the ship is too stiff. "With close-reefed main topsail and reefed foresail, with the main spencer and stay sails, the ship is now under good sail for either run- ning or lying to. With increasing wind and the ship lying to, the foresail may be taken in. When the main topsail is taken in, the last re- sort is setting tarpaulins in the weather mizzen rigging of the ship. The practice is somewhat varied with different ships according to their manner of working. In case the vessel does not lie to well, she may in a favorable lull of the storm be put before the wind, and run off under bare poles. An expedient sometimes resorted to with good effect is the drag. This may be made of spare spars with an anchor attached to give it a hold on the water. A long stout hawser secured to this and brought in over the weather bow will enable a ship to " cathead " the sea, and, with all sails snugly furled, ride out the heaviest gale. With such resources, ships at sea in good trim with plenty of room usually escape in the severest storms, sometimes indeed with the sails torn, the top- masts carried away, and occasionally with a mizzen mast cut away to ease the vessel, or otherwise dismasted. The great danger is in proximity to land, especially a lee shore. Cables are made of rope and of iron, the latter being used the most in recent times. They are worked by means of a capstan or kind of wind- lass which may have a vertical or horizontal axis, and may be turned by hand or by steam. The method of making the different kinds of chain cables is given in the article CABLE. A table showing the comparative sizes of chain cables and anchors which are used together according to the United States navy regula- tions will be found in the article ANCHOR. The following table gives the navy regulation for the number, size, and length of both hemp and chain cables for ships of the line, frigates, and sloops of the first class : 8I1IP8 OF THE LINK. NAMES OF TWO DECKS. THREE DECKS. FlntcbM. Second clan. No In. Fath. No. In. Km lh. No. In. Fatb. Sheets, hemp- Sheets, chain.. Bowers, chain. Stream, hemp. 2 1 2 1 25 2i 2i 16 120 180 180 120 2 1 2 1 24 2* 2* 15 120 180 180 120 2 1 2 1 X8 21 120 180 180 120 FBIGATE8. SLOOPS. CABLES. FInt clui. Second clau. FInt clan. No. In. Fath. No. In. Fath. No. In. Fatb. Sheets, hemp- Sheets, chain. Bowers, chain. Stream, hemp. 1 1 2 1 22 !ti 18* 120 165 165 120 1 1 2 1 21 !t! 12 120 165 165 120 1 1 2 1 17 ,! 120 150 1M 120