SHIP CARPENTERS' SURVEYS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3901, 4 September 1873, Page 2

SHIP CARPENTERS' SURVEYS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE INDEPENDENT. Sir, — As Mr Meech in his letter of the 2nd instant asserts that "Carpenter's" statements are untrue and quite erroneous, I trust you will allow me space for a few words in reply. Mi* Meech says the assertion of "Carpenter," that the old oakum is driven through the seams when a ship is recaulked, is quite Tintrue, vide evidence of the caulker of H.M.S. Rosario. This gentleman stated in evidence that one and a-half inches of sound oakum in the mouth of the seam would make the ship safe at sea ; therefore it is evident that the rotten oakum obtained by Mr Meech from the inside of the seam, whether driven through or not, could not in any way affect the seaworthiness of the William Tapscott. He also states that when a vessel ia fresh caulked it is usual to clear out the old rotten oakum. It is not right to leave any of the old oakum in the seam, ' ' unless it was thoroughly dry at the time." Again, when a vessel is re-caulked, the old oakum, which is "protected" from the outside by pitch, not " saturated" as " Carpenter" states, is forced in by a flarsing iron with a square front (not an iron wedge), held by one man and driven by another, who takes a swinging blow with a bittle and drives in the whole of the (< thoroughly dry old oakum left in the seam." This ia exactly the operation I described. I may explain s that a flarsing iron is a wedge-shaped piece of iron with a blunt edge (square front) and a handle attached, and a bittle is a heavy mallet as stated. • I used the words wedge and mallet, fearing that there would be a difßcxilty in ascertaining the meaning of the words flarsing and bittle. It will be observed that Mr Meech firafc states, that it is not right to leave any of the old oakum in the seams, and then describes the method by which' the old

■dry • oiakum is forced into, and in some bases through, the inner edge of the /seams. Mr Meech also draws a distinction, between the oakum being protected and saturated with pitch — if the pitch used for paying the seam is as hot as it ought to be, it will saturate or penetrate the oakum to a certain extent ; if it does not do* so, "the oakum is hot "properly pro-' tected. Again, Mr Meech saya the state T ment that merchant ships require caulking every three years is quite erroneous. I beg to assure Mr Meech that the statement is quite correct, and he can convince himself of the fact on board any of the vessels arriving in this port from England. It is well known that' British foreign going ships are sheathed with muntz metal, whicn is not calculated to wear more than three years, and must be very good to wear that time. Indeed, it rarely happens that a ship is allowed to make more than two voyages to the East Indies without being stripped, re-caulked, and re-metalled. I believe that Mr Meech stated in evidence that he was a boat builder by trade, and that he had resided in Wellington thirty-three years. This may probably in some degree account for the positive statements made by him, that merchant ships do not require caulking below the water line more than once in seven years, as there is any amount of evidence at hand to prove that liis statement is not correct. ■ I will conclude, trusting that Mr Msech will pardon the gross ignorance displayed by yours, &c, ,- . ' Carpenter.