CAPSTERN, or CAPSTAN (continued)

The swifter is a rope passed horizontally through holes in the outer ends of the bars, and drawn very tight: the intent of this is to keep the men heady as they walk round, when the ship rolls, and to give room for a greater number to assist by pulling upon the swifter itself.

The most frequent use of the capstern is to heave in the cable, and thereby remove the ship, or draw up the anchor. It is also used to wind up any weighty body, as the masts, artillery, &c. In merchant-ships it is likewise frequently employed to discharge or take in the cargo, particularly when consisting of weighty materials that require a great exertion of mechanical powers to be removed.

There are commonly two capsterns in a ship of war, the main and the gear capstern; the former of which has two drum-heads, and may be called a double one. This is represented by fig. 12. of plate II. The latter is exhibited in fig. II.

Plate II

Formerly the bars of the capstern went intirely through the head of it, and consequently were more than twice the length of the present ones; the holes were therefore formed at different heighths, as represented in fig. 10. plate II. But this machine had several inconveniences, such as the persons who heaved at the higher bars incommoding those at the lower ones the bars being lifted or lowered by the persons who heaved at their opposite ends; some of the bars being too high, and others too low, &c. It has therefore been long intirely disused in the navy. Some of these sort of capsterns, however, are still retained in merchant-ships, and are usually denominated crabs. The situation of the bars in a crab, as ready for heaving, is represented in fig. 13. plate II.

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