Fincham: An Introductory Outline of the Practice of Shipbuilding, 1825.

While the angular form of the parts is preserved, and there is an extension about the neutral axis, the trusses, with their position will not be brought into action; but when the stiffness is overcome, and the different parts yield to the forces impressed, the extremities will have a tendency to drop which will then be resisted by the abutment of the trusses; for if the parts of the extremities were only subject to the influence of compression and extension, and not to drop vertically, it would be difficult to account for the angles formed by the edges of the quick-work and port timbers being altered so much in ships that have broken their sheer to a considerable extent.

… as a deformation takes place and the resistance of the body is overcome, there will be a movement amongst the parts,a nd working will take place, and, as the different forces operate, will be continually increasing and producing effetcts more and more disasterous to the system.

… It is difficult to give to the body of ships sufficient stiffness to overcome the tendency they have to arching, or sinking at the extremities.

John Fincham: An Introductory Outline of the Practice of Shipbuilding, etc. etc.
William Woodward, Portsea, 1825 (2nd). 8vo, 15.5x8.5 cm, xxii, 254 pp, 1 errata page, 5 tables, 9 fold. plates.

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius

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