EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 
479 
ner to meet the sheer strake from inside; felt is placed between the joint vertically, 
the whole bolted together with bolts driven horizontally and well clenched on a ring 
at each end; the under side of the water-way is scored dovetail about one inch and a 
half over the beam; on the upper part of the sheer strake and water-way, felt is laid, 
and on that a plan sheer or gunwale placed, which is bolted through the water-way 
and plan sheer in a vertical direction and clenched with a ring on each end of the 
bolt to keep it down and make it firm. The sponcing timbers run up to the rough 
tree rail, their heels stepping on a thick strake worked in the side of the vessel 
and well bolted, forming a rabbet which receives the planking, making a secure 
artificial topside in addition to the common topside of the ship. Vide section, 
Plate CII. 
The engine bearers are dowelled and bolted firmly through the bottom, scored on 
the under part to receive the nuts for securing the hold down bolts which prevent 
their passing through the outside plank and creating danger. 
Plate CL shews the plans of the upper and lower decks, under which there is a 
fore and after platform, exclusive of her store-rooms and magazine ; on these platforms 
there is provision made for berthing in hammocks 145 men in addition to her ship’s 
company, which are berthed in like manner on the lower deck, the fore side of the 
engine-room; on the aft side the officers’ cabins are shewn; the planks of the lower 
decks, both afore and abaft, are laid athwartships, rabbeted into the sides of the 
beams, which are considerably less in number than if the deck were laid in a fore 
and aft direction on beams as usually done; the beams are secured to the side by iron 
knees. 
The upper deck is laid in a fore and aft direction on substantial beams, made par 
ticularly strong on the fore and aft parts with carlings well pillared under the deck 
in wake of the great guns, which are both of ten inches calibre, and worked on a 
carriage and slide with pivots, which admits of their being turned in any direction 
that may be required; the bulwarks above the plan sheer are light, the fore and aft 
parts fitted to drop in several pieces by iron stanchions, forming a hinge, so that the 
whole or any part required can be let down clear to admit of the guns being 
run well out, that their muzzles may not interfere with the side of the ship when 
firing. 
Her tiller is under the upper deck that it may not obstruct the working of the guns; 
an iron plate is attached to the head of the rudder, with three holes, one in the centre 
and one on each quarter; an iron plate is fitted on the head of the stern-post, and 
when the rudder is required to be secured in midships, a pin is dropped into the 
centre hole of the plate on the rudder, which passing through this and the plate on 
the post, fixes the rudder immediately in midships; the same may be done by re-