after the ship is equipped and
painted, and the guns mounted; off comes a noisy gang of caulkers, who
daub her all over with pitch, the removal of which is a troublesome,
and always a dirty operation.

Old hammocks are generally supplied for the men to sleep in while the
ship is fitting, and returned when she goes out of harbour. But two
sets of new hammocks ought to be got on board the hulk, ready to be
numbered as soon as a neat-handed man of letters can be enlisted for
that purpose; and as every hammock requires to have a legible number
marked on it, this occupies some time, and should be set about as
early as possible, that all may be dry and ready against going to sea.

If the ship be new, it will be of great advantage that the captain or
first lieutenant should point out to the dockyard officers what he
considers the best place for the bulk-heads, or partitions separating
the different holds from one another. The main hold, for example, if
fitted strictly according to rule, or if it be left to the general
guess of the superintending shipwright, may chance to be long enough
to stow a certain number of water-tanks, together with a foot or two
over and above; now this lost space, if thrown into the after-hold,
might prove sufficient to gain another entire "longer," or range of
provision-casks. In the same way, the bulkhead which is common to
the spirit-room and after-hold may, by timely adjustment, be so placed
as to gain much useful space. These things are now much better
attended to than formerly in the original fitting of the ship; but I
mention them to prevent, as far as may be, the dangerous practice of
taking that for granted which admits of further examination. Moreover,
as no two vessels are exactly alike in all their dimensions, and
correct seamanship is guided by principles, which an officer ought to
understand, it will not do to rely upon things being done properly
when they are done by rule-of-thumb. Thus the position of the
main-tack block, and those of the fore and main sheets, the main-brace
blocks, topsail sheet and brace bitts, with the number of sheeves in
each, and twenty other things relating to kevils, cleats, and belaying
pins, will be dependent for much of their eventual efficiency on the
length of the yards, the size of the sails, and other circumstances
which it is quite in vain, and quite unreasonable to expect the
dockyard workmen to take into account.

By the time the ship, to which eve