DECK of a Ship (from decken, Dan. to cover); the planked floors of a ship, which connect the sides together, and serve as different platforms to support the artillery and lodge the men, as also to preserve the cargo from the sea in merchant vessels. As all ships are broader on the lower deck than on the next above it, and as the cannon thereof are always heaviest, it is necessary that the frame of it should be much stronger than that of the others; and for the same reason the second or middle deck ought to be stronger than the upper deck or forecastle.
Ships of the first and second rates are furnished with three whole decks, reaching from the stem to the stern, besides a forecastle and a quarter-deck, which extends from the stern to the mainmast; between which and the forecastle a vacancy is left in the middle, opening to the upper deck, and forming what is called the waist. There is yet another deck above the hinder or aftmost part of the quarter-deck, called the poop, which also serves as a roof for the captain's cabin or couch.
The inferior ships of the line of battle are equipped with two decks and a half; and frigates, sloops, &c., with one gun-deck and a half, with a spar-deck below to lodge the crew.
The decks are formed and sustained by the beams, the clamps, the water-ways, the carlings, the ledges, the knees, and two rows of small pillars called stanchions, &c. See those articles.
That the figure of the deck, with its corresponding parts, may be more clearly understood, we have exhibited a plan of the lower-deck of a 74 gun ship in Plate CLXIX. And as both sides of the deck are exactly similar, the pieces by which it is supported appear on one side, and on the other side the planks of the floor of which it is composed, as laid upon those upper pieces.
A, the principal or main hatch-way. B, the stern-post. C, the stern. D, the beams, composed of three pieces, as exhibited by D, in one of which the dotted lines show the arrangement of one of the beams under the other side of the deck. E, part of the vertical or hanging knees. F, the horizontal or lodging knees, which fasten the beams to the sides. G, the carlings, ranging fore and aft from one beam to another. H, the gun-ports. I, the pump-dales, being large wooden tubes, which return the water from the pumps into the sea. K, the spurs of the beams, being curved pieces of timber serving as half-beams to support the decks, where a whole beam cannot be placed on account of the hatchways. L, the wing-transom, which is bolted by the middle to the stern-post, and whose ends rest upon the fashion-pieces. M, the bulk-head or partition which incloses the manger, and prevents the water which enters at the hawse-holes from running aft between decks. NN, the fore hatchway. OO, the after hatchway. P, the drum-head of the great capstern. PP, the drum-head of the main capstern. Q, the wing-transom knee. R, one of the breast-hooks under the gun-deck. S, the breast-hook of the gun-deck. TT, the station of the chain-pumps. V, the breadth and thickness of the timbers at the height of the gun-deck. UU, scuttles leading to the gunner's store-room, and the bread-room. W, the station of the fore-mast. X, the station of the main-mast. Y, the station of the mizen-mast. Z, the ring-bolts of the decks, used to retain the cannon whilst charging. aa, The ring-bolts of the sides whereon the tackles are hooked that secure the cannon at sea. The water-ways, through which the scupper holes are pierced, to carry the water off from the deck into the sea.
Plan of the foremost and aftmost cable bits, with their cross-pieces g g, and their standards c c.
Thus we have represented on one side all the pieces which sustain the deck with its cannon; and on the other side the deck itself, with a tier of 32 pounders planted in battery thereon. In order also to show the use of the breeching and train-tackle, one of the guns is drawn in as ready for charging.
The number of beams by which the decks of ships are supported, is often very different, according to the practice of different countries, the strength of the timber of which the beams are framed, and the services for which the ship is calculated.
As the deck which contains the train of a fire-ship is furnished with an equipage peculiar to itself, the whole apparatus is particularly described in the article Fire-Ship.
Flush-Deck, implies a continued floor laid from stem to stern, upon one line, without any stops or intervals.
Half-Deck, a space under the quarter-deck of a ship of war, contained between the foremost bulk-head of the steerage and the fore-part of the quarter-deck. In the colliers of Northumberland the steerage itself is called the half deck, and is usually the habitation of the crew.