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Chapter 4 - There Go the Ships -
From There Go the Ships by George Shirley

Page 59
construction; and so thought Dr. Watts when he wrote,

Strange that a harp of a thousand strings
Should keel in tune so long."


When a ship is launched upon the ocean it is for a voyage, and when we are launched forth on the ocean of life it is for a voyage. We will therefore learn some of the lessons taught.
 
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Sociology

Poverty - by James Platt

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I was born on the sea, on board the San Domingo, a Spanish 74-gun ship that was captured at Nelson's last grand victory at Trafalgar, where his last memorable signal was hoisted, " England expects every man to do his duty." And they did it, as you have read in this book. Not only in Trafalgar but in every quarter of the world. The first eight years of my life were spent on board a man-of-war. I did not. know so much about houses as ships, or rooms as cabins, or windows as ports. The deck was my playground. Here I trolled my hoop or spun my top.


When a ship is finished on the slip where she has been built, preparations are made for a launch, which is quite a festive occasion. The ship is decked with flags, as many as can get. on board do so, and then the ceremony of christening, or giving her a name, is performed by some lady breaking a bottle of wine on the head of the figure-head, and pronouncing her name, the best use they could make of the wine, far better than drinking it., for the figure-head has no brains to be affected by it.. The signal given, the men knock away what are called the dog-shores, and then she quietly glides down the slip, increasing her speed as she goes, and amidst hearty cheering, the

© Peter Smith 2009