1851 Great Exhibition: Official Catalogue: Class VIII.: George Hedley
307. HEDLEY, GEORGE, Yorke Street, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland — Manufacturer.
Model of a merchant-vessel of the first class, on the scale of a quarter of an inch to the foot. The dimensions are as follow:—
Extreme length, 172; length of keel, 161; breadth of beam, 35.5; depth of hold, 23; length of poop, 48; length of forecastle, 33 feet. The ship is framed all round, instead of having a separate stern-frame, and is built up in the usual manner. It has five keelsons, one at the bottom of the hold, two on the foothooks, and two on the second foothooks or bilge. It is stated that as jack-screws are used in the building of this ship, she will possess one great advantage over others, whose shores being made in the ordinary way, are liable, when loaded, in a storm, to be thrown out, and cannot be put in again. The screws adopted in this ship, if likely to be thrown out during the working of the vessel in a heavy sea, can be screwed up again from the deck by a brass plate let into a plank of the deck, and applying the key to tighten the screw, without the least injury to the vessel or cargo. The 'twixt-beam staple- knees are made half-circle, so that the two throat- holes go in the upper stroke or plank, and the other three holes in the stroke or plank below. In between decks and lower hold are diagonal straps, 78 feet long. The iron fastenings, hooks, riders, and crutches are all secured the same as forward, across the stern-post; diagonal straps are placed on the hold and deck beams, to prevent the vessel straining, when rolling and labouring athwart in a head sea. There are eight ventilators in the covering-boards, to ventilate the timbers, and she is fitted with Mr. Hughes's new windlass and steering apparatus, a larger model of the latter of which is in the Exhibition.