SHROUDS

The shrouds are always divided into pairs or couples: that is to say, one piece of rope is doubled, fig. 7. plate IX. and the two parts fastened together at a small distance from the middle a, so as to leave a sort of noose or collar a b to fix upon the mast-head. This collar being fixed in its place, viz. close down upon the trestle-trees k, fig. 2. plate VI. a pair of shrouds depend from it, whose lower ends ought to reach down to the deck. The lower ends of these shrouds are set up or extended to the channel I. fig. 2. plate VI. on the outside of the ship, by the application of mechanical powers, as explained in the articles dead-eye and laniard.

Plates VI and IX

The shrouds as well as the sails are denominated from the masts to which they belong. Thus they are the main, fore, and mizen shrouds, the main top-mast, fore-top-mast, or mizen top-mast shrouds, and the main topgallant, fore top-gallant, or mizen top-gallant shrouds.

The number of shrouds by which a mast is sustained, as well as the size of rope of which they are formed, is always in proportion to the size of the mast, and the weight of sail it is intended to carry.

The two foremost shrouds on the starboard and larboard side of the ship are always fitted first upon the mast-head and then the second on the starboard and the second on the larboard, and so on till the whole number is fixed. The intention of this arrangement is to brace the yards with greater facility when the sails are close-hauled, which could not be performed without great difficulty if the foremost shrouds were last fitted on the mast-head, because the angle which they would make with the mast would then be greatly increased. See also SWIFTER.

The topmast-shrouds are extended from the topmast heads to the edges of the tops, as expressed by fig. 3. pl. VI. and fig. I. pl. IX. The lower dead-eye q, employed for this purpose, is fitted with an iron band, called the foot-hook-plate, which passes thro' a hole in the edge of the top, and communicates with a rope called the foot-hook shroud, whose lower end is attached to the shrouds of the lower mast, in the station l. The upper ends of the foot-hook shrouds are furnished with an iron hook n, which enters a hole in the lower end of the foot-hook plate, so that when the top-mast shrouds are extended to secure the mast, the foot-hook shrouds necessarily acquire an equal tension by means of the foot-hook plate, which, passing through the top, transmits the effort of the mechanical powers to the foot-hook shrouds below.

The shrouds of the top-gallant masts are extended to the cross-trees, as represented by m, fig. I. plate IX. See also fig. 5. plate VI.

Reference Works