ry one has ere this become attached,
is so far advanced as to have all her spars on end, the artificers
will have completed their hammerings, sawings, and nailings, and the
main-hold will have been stowed with water-tanks. It is then time to
draw the heavy stores from the dockyard, such as anchors, cables,
spare anchor-stocks, fishes for the lower masts, and other spars,
forming, when packed together in two lines, one on each side of the
upper deck, what are called "the booms." Great care must be taken in
stowing these clusters of spars so as to leave room enough between
them, and just room enough, for stowing the launch or largest boat.
This is managed by the carpenter taking what is called her midship
section, and making a slight framework model to guide the stowage of
the booms.

It may be useful to remark, that, although the operations in fitting
out a ship are multifarious, and often apparently much confused, it is
of great consequence to carry into them as much routine method as
possible. For example, in spite of the frequent interruptions to which
the seamen are exposed by the arrival of dockyard and
victualling-office vessels, which must be cleared, it will be found
very advantageous to adopt a uniform plan by which one set of men
shall begin, carry on, and complete the same jobs. In this way the
several working parties will come to take an interest and pride in
executing their tasks well and quickly, which they never could feel if
the responsibility and credit were divided or dissipated by their
being sent backwards and forwards from one operation to another. For
the purpose of such arrangements, as well as to assist his memory, the
first lieutenant may find it useful to write out in the evening a
programme of the next day's intended operations, and commencing every
morning by this, adhere to it throughout the day as strictly as
circumstances will permit. A character of consistency will thus be
given to a vast crowd of operations which otherwise become confused
and desultory. The people employed to execute these tasks will soon
insensibly discover that their labours are guided by substantial
method, and they will work all the more cheerfully and effectively,
from a conviction that no time is lost, and that their services are
duly appreciated.

The main hold being now stowed, the cables, anchors, and spare spars,
all on board, the quantity of provisions required to complete for the
service appointed may be ap