KNOTS and SPLICES include all the various methods of tying, fastening, and joining ropes or cords. From 150 to 200 different kinds of knots may be enumer ated, mostly used on shipboard, though almost all occupations using ropes or cordage have special kinds of knots adapted to their different requirements.
"Splicing" is the process employed to join two ropes when it is not advisable to use a knot. The three chief varieties of the splice are the short splice, the long splice, and the eye splice. The short splice is made by unlaying the ends of two ropes for a short distance and fitting them closely together; then, by the help of a marlinspike, the ends are laced over and under the strands of the opposite rope. When each strand has been passed through once, half of it is cut away and the remainder passed through again; half of the remainder being also cut away, it is passed a third time, and, when all the strands are so treated, they are hauled taut and cut close. This reduc ing the thickness of the strands tapers off the splice. The long splice is em ployed when the rope is used to run through a block, as it does not thicken it.
The ends of the two ropes are unlaid for a much longer distance than for the short splice, and similarly placed together. Then one strand is taken and further un wound for a considerable distance, and its vacant place filled up with the cor responding strand of the other rope, and the ends fastened as in the short splice. Other two of the strands are similarly spliced in the opposite direction, and the remaining two fastened at the original joining place. The eye splice is, as the term implies, used to form an eye, or round a dead eye.
To prevent a rope fraying at the ends a variety of methods are employed, the simplest being to serve or whip the end with small cord.
others than native Americans to hold office. It started in 1853, and lasted two or three years. A society was formed in 1855 in opposition to the above, called Knowsomethings. Both bodies were ab sorbed into the two parties, Democrats