sired) the port anchor is dropped, and the chains are adjusted to forty-five fathoms on deck. Two stoppers are now put on each chain, the cables are unshackled, and the two forward lengths shackled to the forward links of the mooring swivel. The after-length of the starboard chain is shackled to one of the after-links and the mooring swivel is veered outside.

If, instead of making a flying moor, the ship is to back away from the first anchor dropped, the port anchor must be let go first, the rule being that the anchor let go "on the bight" should always be the one to tend ahead.

The convenience of the method above described is even greater in cases where the two anchors to be used are on the same side of the bow, than in the case above described where they are on opposite sides, for the reason that in this case there need not be any large bight of chain hanging over the bow while the ship is approaching her anchorage and while she runs out the first chain. Plate 107.

A trifling inconvenience connected with the Eldridge method is the fact that the port chain lies in the starboard hawse-pipe, alongside the starboard chain, during the time that the starboard chain is running out. This is not at all a serious matter, but a hawse-pipe has been designed and is under consideration for installation in future ships, which includes a lip on the inside of the hawse-pipe by which the chains can be held clear of each other. The details of this design are shown on Plate 107.

If the swivel cannot be put on either cable inside, it must be put on the lee cable first, the shackle being veered outside, the cable secured by the clear hawse-pendant and a hawser, and the swivel lowered over the bow and put on by men working in a boat or on a stage. When the ship has swung, bringing the other cable to leeward, this is handled exactly as has been described for connecting the lee cable in the case where the swivel was put on the riding cable inside and veered outside.

TAKING OFF THE SWIVEL INSIDE.—This is practically the reverse of putting on. In most cases the operation is simplified by first unshackling the inner part of the lee cable from the swivel, outside, and heaving the end inside its own hawse-pipe. The riding cable is then hove in, bringing the swivel and the outer parts of both chains inside the hawse, where both chains are well stoppered. The clear-hawse pendant is bent to the lee cable, outside,

and hauled taut, and a preventer hawser used as in putting the swivel on. (Plate 103.)

The two parts of the riding cable are unshackled from the swivel and shackled together. The dip-rope is rove out through the lee hawse-pipe, in through the riding hawse-pipe and bent to the end of the lee cable just forward of the swivel, ready to haul the end around. The easing-out rope is bent to the same end, hauled taut and belayed. The lee cable is then unshackled from the swivel and the end hauled around and in through its own hawse-pipe (being eased away to avoid surging), and shackled up to its own part.

TAKING OFF THE SWIVEL OUTSIDE (Plate 104).-Secure the lee chain as for clearing hawse; that is to say, put the clearhawse pendant and preventer hawser on that part of the lee chain. leading from the anchor and heave in on the clear-hawse pendant until there is slack enough between it and the swivel for unshackling. If the inboard end of the lee chain is shackled to the swivel, stick out slack enough for unshackling it also. If this end is not attached to the swivel, haul it out by the dip-rope leading from the weather sheet pipe. Hang both parts of the lee chain by good lines from the forecastle. Unshackle both ends from the swivel and shackle them together. Heave the lee chain taut, take off the hawser and slip the clear-hawse pendant. Heave in on the riding chain until the swivel is abaft the controller. Secure the chain by stoppers, unshackle the ends from the swivel and shackle them together.

If the swivel will not go through the hawse, it is desirable to wait for the ship to swing before taking it off the second chain. Thus each chain is a lee chain when it is disconnected.

If it is impracticable to wait for this, handle the riding cable as already described for the lee one, but with extra precautions. The clear-hawse pendant may still be used, but the preventer hawser must be a good one and must be hove taut. The ship in fact rides by this hawser and not by the clear-hawse pendant, while the chain is slacked for unshackling. Steam should be ready, and an officer should be on the bridge ready to work the engines. By giving a turn ahead from time to time the tension on the hawser can be relieved and there should be no danger in the operation.

All working of chain where unshackling is necessary should be done at slack water or as near it as possible.

TENDING SHIP.

When the swivel is not used, it is very important to "tend ship"; that is, to watch the swinging at each turn of the tide, note the direction in which the stern swings, always recording this in the log, and, taking advantage of any conditions which may be helpful, try to make the ship swing to that side which will keep the hawse clear, or clear it if it has already fouled. It is well to give some attention to "tending ship" even when the swivel is in use. The purpose of the swivel is to prevent the hawse from fouling, but unfortunately it does not always work. It is especially likely to fail if the moor is slack, and in this case the chains may foul so far below water that it will not be known that they are foul until the ship starts to get underway. It is not unusual to find cables very badly fouled when every confidence is felt that they are perfectly clear. It is very important to watch the swivel while the ship is swinging and to note whether it works or not. If it does not, it may be practicable to heave it around by a purchase hooked to that part of the chain which should be lifted. To assist in keeping track of the working of the chains, it is a good plan to paint a few shackles of each chain just outside the swivel, using red for the port and white for the starboard cable.

If there is any room for doubt as to the cables being clear, it is a good plan to underrun the riding cable for some distance ahead of the swivel with the bight of a boat chain.

§ I.

CHAPTER XII.

CARRYING OUT ANCHORS.

Important changes have been introduced into all problems connected with the handling of anchors, by changes within recent years in the character of the anchors themselves and in the methods of stowing and handling them.

All ships of recent design carry double-fluked anchors, and the bowers and sheets of this type are, in a great majority of cases, housed in the hawse-pipes, although on older ships one sheet anchor is still carried on an anchor-shelf. Plate (83.) Where this last arrangement exists, an anchor-davit is necessarily provided; and even where all of the anchors house in the pipes, a davit is sometimes fitted, for general convenience in the handling of ground-tackle.

Anchors which stow in the hawse-pipes are not fitted with balancing-links and must be handled by straps. These may be placed at the balancing point, thus serving the same purpose as the usual link, or they may be passed around the crown, where they allow the anchor to hang more or less "ring-heavy." The last arrangement has some advantages, as will be explained hereafter.

Most men-of-war carry "stream" and "stern" anchors, of from one-fourth to one-third the weight of the bowers. These are not too heavy to be carried out by a single boat, and the problem of handling them presents no great difficulty, provided the method to be used has been thought out beforehand and all the fittings prepared.

It is quite a different proposition to deal with a bower anchor, weighing from fifteen to twenty-four thousand pounds, and stowed without any thought of the possible necessity for carrying it out by boats.

It is held by some seamen that the necessity for carrying out a bower is so unlikely to arise under modern conditions that it is not worth while to prepare for it. In support of this view, it is pointed out that the engines of modern ships are so powerful in comparison with any pull which could be put upon a line for haul