Set up from the upper edge of the keel, or rabbit, the height of the under side of the gun-deck, at the middle line, or middle of the ship, which is 24 feet 5 inches at the foremost perpendicular, 22 feet at ®. and 25 feet 4 inches up the after perpendicu lar; having these three heights, the hang, or sheer of the deck, may be obtained, all fore and aft, by a drawing-bow, the lath of which is pressed by its screws, until it intersects the said heights set up, as this is supposed to produce the arch of a circle equal to the sheer of the deck ; the upper side of the deck is then shown, by a line drawn 4 inches above, and parallel to its under side. Then, when the under side of the gun-deck intersects the foremost perpendicular, set forward 4 inches for the rabbit of the stem, and 7 inchea afore the rabbit, for the fore-side of the stem, and 7 inches abaft the aft-side of the rabbit, for the aft-side of the stem, the whole making 18 inches, the moulding of the stem ; then with a radius equal to 24 feet, half the moulded breadth, sweep an arch which will form the aft-side of the stem below the gun-deck, intersecting the line drawn for the upper edge of the rabbit of the keel ; then lengthen the radius to the fore-side of the stem, and sweep a circle parallel to the aft-side ; then sweep in the aft-side of the rabbit, by the radius 24 feet, keeping the centre the same height above the upper edge of the rabbit on the keel ; as there the aft side of the rabbit on the stem at the gun deck, and the rabbit of the keel, intersect each other, by carrying the centre 7 inches before the first ; then describe the aft-side of the rabbit, and by opening the radius 4 inches more, the fore-side of the rabbit will be parallel to the aft-side, and the stem and rabbit shown below the lower deck, except the boxing, or keel, which will be determined on hereafter ; then set up from the upper edge of the rabbit of the keel, on the foremost perpendicular, 36 feet, the height of the upper part of the stern, and draw a horizontal line upon this line before the perpendicular; set ofF 15 inches, which is what the stem rakes forward at the bead ; thence draw a straight line, or one a little curving, to break in fair with the back of the foremost sweep, at gun.decks, and the fore-side of the stem is complete ; then draw another, 18 inches frOm, and parallel to, the fore side, and the aft-side will he drawn ; then by the same curve the rabbit may be con tinued up on the fore-side, to the head of the stem, as the aft-side of the rabbit may not be drawn higher than the under side of the wall.
Proceed to draw in the stern-post thus: before the after perpendicular on the tip per edge of the keel, set 7 inches; then set up the after perpendicular 27 feet from the upper edge of the keel, and draw a horizontal line, which is the tipper side of the wing transom on that line abaft the perpendicular, set off 23 inches; then a straight line drawn through those two spots will represent the aft-side of the stern-post ; then from the aft-side of the stern-post, set forward on the upper aide of the keel 2 feet 1 inch, and at the up per side of the wing transom 13 inches: a straight line drawn through these two spots, will be the aft-side of the rabbit, and another line 4 inches parallel before it, will be the fore-side of the rabbit, which will intersect the perpendicular at the gun-deck. The stern-post, thus far de
scribed, would be sufficient at present ; but to complete it, set up 2 feet 8 inches above the upperside of the wing transom, and continue upwards the aft-side ; then, on a line parallel to the under side of the deck, at that height set forward 20 inches, and from the aft-side 3 feet upon the up per side of the keel, a line, drawn through those spots and the stern-post, will be re presented from the head downwards. Draw another line before the fore-side of the post, on the keel, 16 inches, and at the under side of the deck transom 13 inches, and the fore-side of ths inner post, will be likewise represented. Thus we have the extremities of the ship below the main-breadth.
The height of breadth-lines are next to be drawn on the sheer plan, and there they determine the height of the broadest part of the ship, at each transverse sec tion or timber; that nearest the keel is called the lower height of breadth, and the one above the upper height of breadth. The lower height of breadth in the midships generally is placed midway be tween the ports and the load-water line in naval ships, and rather above the load water line in merchant-ships ; its quick rise forward and aft is highly requisite for preserving a greater breadth above the load-water line, to assist and relieve the ship in her pitching and rolling motions in a heavy sea, lifting her forward, and mak ing her lively, as the seamen call it. In order to set up the height of breadth lines, it is necessary that the stations of several•of the timbers should be set off between the perpendicular at ®, and the stem forward, and the stern-post abaft : here the timber and room, or room and space, must be determined, which is the diameter between the moulding edges, or joints of every two timbers, and an in terval of two or more inches between them ; for here it may be observed? that in moulding the timbers, either before'or abaft this joint or station, the moulds are made to the same line, as they are sup posed to adjoin each other ; but this me thod could not be true, supposing the timbers to be separated some distance apart ; and it must be here also further observed, it being of the utmost conse quence to the strength of the ship, that all the frame timbers should be preserv ed whole, and not cut or wounded by the ports, as the timbers appointed to make the sides of ports should run up to the top of the side, and are to be united or framed together into bends, before they are gotten up into their places in the ship : thus, those intended to make the sides of ports are called frame-timbers ; and those cut off under the ports, or be tween the frames, are called filling tim bers, the third futtocks of which, to in crease the strength, should run up to the undersides of the ports, if possible. The room and space of this ship is 2 feet 9 inches, consequently the distance of every frame joint is 5 feet 6 inches ; and it is at each of these stations that per pendiculars from the keel are drawn in the sheer plan ; the timbers before (Dare alphabetically named A, 13, C, Ike.; and those abaft ®, or dead flat, numerally 1, 2, 3, &c. The timbers adjOining ®, which have no rising, are distinguished thus (A) (B), or (1) (2), and are likewise called flats.