Calculations Relating to the Equipment, Displacement, Etc. of Ships and Vessels of War, 1832: Finding Aid

Biography of John Edye

John Edye, born on August 7, 1789, was an assistant surveyor for the Royal Navy, known, at least in part, for his association with and work on the ship designs of Sir William Symonds. Edye was named a Fellow of the Royal Society on February 5, 1835 and died on March 1, 1873.

Description of Contents

John Edye's Calculations Relating to the Equipment, Displacement, Etc. of Ships and Vessels of War comprising 0.1 linear feet of documentation in a single volume, consists of an undated manuscript copy of Edye's 1832 treatise on the dimensions, weight, and displacement of various classes of British warships and their equipment.

Spread throughout the volume are 31 hand-drawn plates denoting scale of capacity and center of effort.

Consisting primarily of tables of data, Edye's work is divided into eight sections, the first two of which comprise roughly half of the volume. The first section, "Dimensions of Ships and their Light and Load," includes subsections on ships' drafts, the weight of various materials and gear, specifications of the various sails, weight of ships' stores, specifications for ships' boats, labor rates, and total expenses. The second section, "Rates, with their Complements of Men and Guns," commencing on page 23, consists of subsections for each rate of ship, including ships rated for 120, 80, 74, 52, 50, 46, 28, 26, 18, and 10 guns, as well as schooners and cutters. For each rate, Edye lists the weight of all equipment aboard and the ship's displacement. Each rate also includes a plate on the scale of capacity.

The second half of the volume consists of relatively shorter sections, beginning with the third section, "Description and Weight of Ordnance, Etc." Commencing on page 79, the section consists of tables dealing with the weight of guns, specifications for ordnance for steam vessels, and gunpowder and gunpowder cartridges. The fourth section, "The Number of Yards of Canvas in the Sails, Etc.," commencing on page 83, consists of a table noting the amount of canvas required for each class of vessel, as well as tables covering specifications for iron chains, hempen cables, provisions, and weights and measures. The fifth section, "The Dimensions and Weight of Masts, Yards, Etc.," commencing on page 91, consists of tables of dimensions and weights for masts and yards for each class of ship. The sixth section, "The Dimensions and Area of the Principal Sails, Etc.," commences on page 115.

The seventh section, "Area and Center of Effort of the Sails," commences on page 123. Following the section's last table on page 136 commences a series of plates entitled "Plates of the Several Classes of Ships and Vessels, showing the Center of Effort of their Sails, Etc.," consisting of thirteen hand-drawn plates of each class of ships' rigging and center of effort.

The volume closes with a final section entitled "Particulars of the Displacement and Dimensions, Etc. of Several New Classes of Ships of War, commencing on page 140. Included are specifications for the guns, masts, and displacement for H.M.S. London (92 guns), H.M.S. Castor (36 guns), H.M.S. Vernon (50 guns), H.M.S. Rover (Corvette), and H.M.S. Snake (Brig).

Arrangement

Calculations Relating to the Equipment, Displacement, Etc. of Ships and Vessels of War comprises a single volume.

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

Calculations Relating to the Equipment, Displacement, Etc. of Ships and Vessels of War is the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Provenance and Acquisition

Gift of Commodore Robert H. Wyman in March 1878. Accession No. 19344.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

Additional material in this repository pertaining to early 19th Century naval construction can be found in Samuel Humphreys' "Directions for cutting Timber for a Frigate of the first Class," 1835, MS 194.

Materials Cataloged Separately

Additional manuscripts from the collections of Commodore Robert H. Wyman in this repository include the Thomas W. and Robert H. Wyman Naval Papers, 1817-1855, MS 5; the William de Koven Seamanship Notes, 1845, MS 42; and J. G. Casy's "Concise System of Naval Tactics," 1828, MS 44.

Processing and Other Information

Calculations Relating to the Equipment, Displacement, Etc. of Ships and Vessels of War was originally cataloged as VM151.E2 1832b.

Preferred Citation

Calculations Relating to the Equipment, Displacement, Etc. of Ships and Vessels of War, MS 546

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Selected Bibliography

The following sources were consulted during preparation of the biographical note:

Lambert, Andrew. "Symonds, Sir William." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.

The Royal Society. List of Fellows of the Royal Society 1660-2007. London: The Royal Society Library and Information Services, 2007.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by David D'Onofrio in December 2019. Finding aid written by David D'Onofrio in December 2019.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Naval architecture -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
• Shipbuilding -- Great Britain
• Shipbuilding -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Genre Terms

• Manuscripts