Researching with the Dorset Archive - Jottings Issue 2004/1

Gordon LePard kindly put us on to a very interesting ‘Advert’ in this archive; Dorchester & Sherborne Journal (and Taunton & Somerset Herald) - 14^th July 1809.  This was contributed to the archive by the  Dorchester Museum. The Auction of goods was held in the “Abergavenny Stores, Hope Street”.

Most of these items are self explanatory; a chest of 'LISBON' we assume is PORT.  What is very surprising is the VITRIOLIC ETHER which, if my research is correct, appears to have been Diethyl Ether, quite a hazardous cargo item!

PS; David also found an Auction Notice in the Archive for goods from the ‘Alexander’, this time they were being sold at “Mr Weston’s Stores, near the Bridge”.

PPS; David and my experience of this website have not been easy, do try it – www. dcda.org.uk, perhaps it’s us, if not perhaps we should give some constructive feedback, as we understand the development costs were in excess of £250,000.

Anchors, Chains and Cables
by Selwyn Williams

There are several anchors in the Weymouth area that provide information for the nautical archaeologist /wreck detective. My photo of this one in Victoria Square at Portland is a good example of stud link chain, which first came into use in 1812, so if you find a wreck with stud link chain you know it has to be after 1812. I noticed that the fluke on one side was bent up and according to Colin Graham of Weymouth Council, and a keen diver himself, this anchor and the ones at the Pavilion in Weymouth and at Castletown, Portland, were cleared from Portland Harbour and displayed at his suggestion. Apparently the bending back of the fluke was common practice in harbours such as Portland where such anchors were used as an anchor for mooring whereby the one fluke was bent back, so as not to foul a chain or pierce the hull of a vessel. The mushroom anchor, which came in early in the 1860s probably superseded this type of altered anchor as a mooring anchor. The one at the Pavilion is possibly a long shank Admiralty pattern anchor with a reproduction wooden stock, but all these anchors need to be measured and evaluated as to type and possible date. Admiralty owned anchors should all have the broad arrow somewhere on them. One of my diving partners, Tom Treloar found this stone anchor on the reef at Burton Bradstock and we carefully retrieved it. The size can be judged from the six-inch rule. A round hole can be seen at the top where the rope would tie on and the squarish holes at the bottom where pieces of wood would be wedged in to provide something to grip the bottom, acting as flukes. These stone anchors were used over a number of years.

Off Chesil Beach we also came across several large blocks of stone about a foot square and two feet in length, which had been waisted to take a rope and obviously used as anchors and this was in various locations along the beach so a fairly common occurrence there. When we were diving off Chesil in an inflatable, we used to use a bag of pebbles, which spread itself enough to provide resistance, rather than using a traditional fisherman's anchor, which just bounced along the pebble bottom.

 I always thought the anchor on the wreck of the Royal Adelaide to be a Trotman, the same as used on the SS Great Britain, both built at Bristol by the same shipbuilder, and if it is a Trotman then the theory that this was an experimental anchor is hardly justified and see later where the Trotman wins “best” anchor. In any case the anchor on the Royal Adelaide was one of several on board but the others, as well as a lot of other iron, were salvaged a year after the wreck in 1873. I believe she foundered because she had too much sail to take in to allow the anchors any chance of holding and the iron masts could not be cut away. 

In the late 1990s we hired out an underwater video camera to the RNLI as they were testing various types of anchor on all types of bottom, the best was a new one based on a CQR.

 The other local interest in anchors was the anchor-testing site at Ferrybridge in the 50s and 60s when we used to clamber over all sorts of anchors at low tide and swim amongst them at high tide in the area from the Chesil Beach Centre, curtailed by the Chesil Beach and the sandy beach of Ferrybridge south of the old iron bridge as far as the channel going up the Fleet.

Here are some pointers I found which might aid wreck identification but are no means the last word although the Lloyds historical data is very interesting.

Anchors:

The "Sovereign of the Seas," 1600 tons, in 1637 carried 12 anchors of 4000 pounds each. In 1690 Sir Wm. Phipps in his attack on Quebec lost a thirteen-foot anchor, (recovered in modern times]. Anchors of about 1700 had long shanks, straight arms at 50 degrees, sharp points at the crown, large diameter rings, and wooden stocks the length of the shank or longer. An anchor of this style marked "1703" was reclaimed from the wreck of a 100gun ship sunk at Sheerness, England.

 In 1723 Reaumur issued in France the first public exposition of the science and art of anchor construction. In 1780 iron stocks began to emerge from the experimental stage, but the popular anchors of the period still had wooden stocks and relatively long shanks and straight arms. In 1801 and succeeding years Richard Pering of England greatly improved the quality of welds in anchors, shortened the shanks and put more curvature into the arms.

 In 1804 Captain Hawke of the Royal Navy applied for an iron stocked anchor for his ship and was derided, but 1807 permitted the use of iron stocks in anchors of not over 1500 pounds. In 1818 Lieutenant Belcher of the Royal Navy introduced the tumbling fluke, later improved by Honibal and Porter. With cantpalms added by Trotman, the anchor became quite popular. From 1820 onward some hundred different types of "improved" anchors were patented in rapid succession practically all regarded today as "freaks." 

In 1822 and 1823 Lowen and Lawkins experimented with tripping anchor-palms and stockless shanks, some 40 years before these features won general acceptance. In 1830 Pering adapted steam power to the operation of the heavy falling weights used in the welding of anchors. Rodgers introduced his "Patent Small-Palm Anchor and won considerable public favour. The Royal Navy now began to concede the superiority of iron stocks. By 1840 the Hawkins patent tumbling fluke stockless anchor and developed to a form approximating that of most stockless anchors of today.

By 1846 the Royal Navy completely surrendered to the iron stock and gave full sanction to the type of anchors now known as the "Admiralty" anchor. This type of anchor, also known, as "Old Style" or "Kedge" is no longer used for large ships but continues in use for small boats and for moorings. Although it has great holding power in a penetrable bottom it is extremely awkward and the long stock is vulnerable to mechanical damage. When in position the upstanding arm may foul a chain or pierce the hull of a vessel. The "one" arm version is popular for moorings and is equipped with a second shackle for easier placement.

In 1852 a British Commission declared the Trotman anchor "Best". By 1859 the Mushroom type of anchor appeared as an instrument especially suited for permanent moorings. With the removal of the stock, from Mertom's anchor of 1861 and the advent of Lathem's anchor in 1886 the use of stockless tumbling-fluke anchors increased rapidly. In 1866 the ball-and-socket type of stockless anchor first appeared in England.

In 1870 A. F. White stowed the stocks of "old style" anchors by sliding them down a shank designed with a quarter-twist. In 1873 C. F. Herreshoff constructed a four-piece de mountable old-style anchor for a time widely acclaimed by yachtsmen. "Freak" anchors continuously appeared; for example the Tyzack single fluke anchor of 1877.

 By 1885 Baxter was stowing his Stockless Anchors in a hawse pipe. This innovation proved of utmost importance, for from that day forward, the Stockless Anchor increased in popularity until today it is virtually the only type of anchor used on large ships.

American styles incline to be chunky, with comparatively broad and blunt flukes. The U.S. Navy's version has flukes somewhat longer and of greater area. European anchors, in general, tend to more curvature and to smaller and sharper flukes. The stockless anchor used today, on ships of size that are likely to encounter any and all types of sea bottom, reflect the experience of mariners for the past twenty five hundred years in compromising between pure dead weight for very hard bottoms and on the other hand ability to bite and to hold well in soft bottoms. The stockless anchor is ruggedly built, will handle and stow easily and readily disengage from sea-bottoms and submerged wreckage.

 In the attempt to successfully stow stocked anchors in hawse pipe, in 1885 Tyzack revived and ancient practice of placing a stock through or near the head of the anchor, instead of at the shackle end, as in Western custom. Examples of this type are the Tyzack anchor, the Hartness anchor 1886, the Brown anchor 1894, the Hein anchor 1916, the Croseck anchor 1935 and the Danforth anchor 1943. This particular type of anchor is somewhat modified by Mr. H. P. Shipley of the U.S. Navy.

These "head stocked" anchors have the advantage of high holding power, in proportion to weight, in soft bottoms of suitable penetrability; but are difficult to "break out" if fouled in rocks or wreckage. Like the "old style" anchor, the protruding stocks are exceedingly vulnerable. About the time of the first World War, the Eels Stockless Anchor was developed and has been used extensively for salvage and mooring purposes.

Recognizing the fundamental superiority of the stockless tumbling fluke anchor that first appeared in England in 1866 Frederick Baldt developed and improved it in 1897. This wrought iron anchor had the head and shank connected with a ball and socket joint, the shank being round and resolvable to act as a built-in swivel. Baldt strengthened the shank by making it rectangular in lieu of round and produced it in cast steel. He took out patents for further modifications and his patent of 1901 was of such superior design and quality that the words "Baldt" and "Stockless Anchor" have become practically synonymous.

In 1949 Baldt Anchor, Chain & Forge announced the development of the "Baldt Lightweight Stockless Anchor" A modification of the stockless principle.
This anchor develops the greatest holding power known today and is the choice of experienced offshore drilling companies to moor oil-drilling rigs in oceans throughout the world.

Messrs. Linnenbank, Money, and Noel patented the “Snug Stowing Stockless Anchor” August 24, 1954. This anchor was developed to house freely on shipboard with minimum protrusion and maximum bearing on shell of ship. It facilitates fabrication of simplified hawse pipes and its design helps prevent the rush of water inboard through the hawse pipe during high seas.

Chains and Cables.

In 1783 George Matthews, of England, 150 years ahead of his time made cast malleable chains for ships. It was not until World War I that cast steel chains were fully developed. The year 1808 is the most notable date in chain making history, for in that year an Englishman Robert Flinn of Bell St. North Shields became the first man to make improved iron anchor chains which won wide recognition as an outstanding success. Justly knows as "The Father of Anchor Chain Industry", Flinn made and constructed his own weight and lever proofing machine for his chain.

In the same year Samuel Brown, a British Naval Officer, took out Patents for twisted open chain links, joining shackles and swivels. The twisted link patent was soon abandoned but Brown's shackle and swivel designs were scarcely improved on for the next 100 years. The conversion from hemp to chain now proceeded quickly. Studs to stiffen the links and to keep the chains from tangling first appeared in 1812, and in 1813 Thomas Brunton of London patented the broad inserted stud popular for more than a hundred years to follow.

In 1836 the use of iron chains had become so general in the English Merchant Service and their superiority so well recognized that the that underwriters ceased to charge a higher insurance rate for vessels using iron chain. In 1840 side welding of chain was introduced in England and from that time English chains of 1 7/8 inch and larger have been side welded.

Lloyds Register of Shipping augmented their rules in 1846 so that thereafter all chains for classed vessels were proof tested and stamped on each end to indicate load applied. In 1853 Lloyds' Rules made it mandatory that, before a vessel could be classed, a certificate should be produced as to the test of the chain cable, and in 1858 issued rules as to length and size of chain cable. Lloyds progressively stiffened their rules regarding method of manufacture and testing, resulting in the "Anchors and Chain Cables Act of 1899", which with few amendments is still the basis of present day testing procedure.

In 1902 rolled Anchor chain was experimentally made in England. A 60 to 70 foot bar of cruciform section is heated and passed through vertical and horizontal rollers which cut the bar into a continuous chain with links shorter and wider than standard and which are subsequently trimmed and pressed to size. In 1905 a spirally welded chain was patented. The patent covers successive chain links formed by coiling long iron or steel bars at welding heat to form a square sectioned ring with a spiral weld. The ring is rounded, trimmed and flattened onto the stud.

Lloyds Register Chronology of Anchor Chain

1808: Wrought iron cables were first recorded as having been made by Robert Flinn, a blacksmith, and used for the ship ANN & ISABELLA

1813: Iron cables were recorded with other particulars of the ship.

1834: Lloyd's Register Rules stated the length of cable to be supplied, but did not mention sizes or tests but gave a reduced length for iron cables as compared with hempen cables in the ratio 6/7.

1846: Rules specified that cable must have been tested and have the test load stamped on them. The Surveyors were to see the certificates.

1853: The certificates of test of chain cables were required to be produced prior to classification.

1856: The Rules stated that the length and condition of chain cables were to be ascertained by removal from the locker at each special survey.

1857: Suggested standard for length and size of chain cables issued, reduction allowed on sizes of chain cables, which had withstood Admiralty test at a Public Roving Machine.

1862: Lloyd's Register instituted a Rule requiring anchors and chain cables to be tested at Public Machines. In this year the Society established a Proving House on river frontage at Poplar. This Proving House was closed by the Committee in 1873, but was leased by Trinity House until 1875, when it was finally closed.

1865: Joint Stock Companies opened Licensed Proving Houses at Tipton and Neterton.

1872: Test to Breaking strain introduced into Lloyd's Register Rules.

1888: Testing machines in other countries recognised by Lloyd's Register after inspection by surveyors provided cables intended for vessels of other than British registry.

 (1889 Lloyds Register: - ‘Vera’, (later wrecked at Langton Herring), “proved anchor and chain”).

1890: Lloyd's Register Rules gave a Table of Minimum weights for cables.

1913: Steel shackles and anchors generally accepted by Lloyd's Register.

1936: Flas welded "Ego" cables approved.

Source: Lloyd's Register

Rules of Thumb for Anchors:
Hand forged before 1510, Cast in one piece after 1510, Iron stock after 1820. If a rectangular hole penetrates the shank near the top, at right angles to the arms and flukes, the anchor dates before 1820, and had a wooden cross bar. Flukes with heart or cloverleaf shape were usually before 1700. Size: If shank is no longer than 9 feet, the ship was small. Larger galleons, frigates and warships all had anchors about 15ft long and 12 feet - fluke to fluke. Rope cables used into the 1800s if iron chain found, the wreck is after 1815.

Source: The Treasure Divers Guide – John S Potter