The kedge-anchor

"The kedge-anchor" by William N. Brady is a nautical manual written in the mid-19th century. Aimed at young sailors and junior officers, it teaches practical seamanship for naval and merchant service, covering ropework, rigging, sails, anchors, ship-handling, emergencies, and onboard routines. Illustrated plates and extensive tables support its step-by-step, hands-on instruction. The opening of this manual sets its purpose and audience with a concise preface, a dedication to the U.S. Navy and Merchant Service, and pages of endorsements from naval officers, followed by an exhaustive table of contents. It then launches Part I with tightly sequenced, illustrated directions for fundamental ropework: knots (overhand, figure-eight, bowline, bends), hitches, splices (short, long, eye, cut), seizings, worming and serving, mats, gaskets, and specialty eyes, plus identification and use of blocks, deadeyes, hearts, straps, purchases, and buoy gear. Part II begins with procedures for launching a ship and immediate post-launch control (hawsers, anchors, veering), then moves into measuring, serving, and cutting standing rigging and shrouds in the loft, and proceeds to topmast and topgallant rigging—always in numbered, practical steps with notes on best practice.

The kedge-anchor, by William N. Brady. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #77729.