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THOMPSON'S COAST PILOT. 187 VALUABLE MARITIME SUGGESTIONS. HOW TO STEER A VESSEL OR STEAMBOAT WHEN THE RUDDER IS LOST OR DISABLED. Take one of the cable chains and pass it out over the center of the stern, through the rudder port. If there is no port, make a hole through, large enough for the chain to pass. Take a short spar or heavy plank or two, and lash it twenty feet from the end of the chain; clap on guys fifteen feet from the inner end of the planks or spar, to each quarter, with tackles to them leading fore and aft. Keep paying out the guys and chain until the vessel answers to them, by steering, which she will do without .any difficulty. The end of the chain hanging down from the after part of the planks or spar will balance them and hold considerable strain in the water. The spar or planks must be heavier according to the size of the chain and vessel. Another plan is, in case of disabling the rudder going over a bar, or striking. rocks close in shore, to lower the-stern boat down with the plug-out, clapping on guys as above; but this method would have but little effect until the boat was full of water. TO TAKE IN A NEW MAST WITHOUT SHEERS. It often happens that a vessel may have to take in a new mast where there are no sheers to be got, or of sufficient size to do the work. In this case the following directions may be used successfully. Knock out the wedges; take a thick oak plank and lay it on the deck, forward of the mast, securing it to the deck by spiking. Then clap ona tackle to the stay to bowse the mast-head forward; clap on two after guys to the mast- head, and lead them well aft on each side, and make them fast, so that they can be eased away when the mast-head is hauled forward. Clap on tackles, forward and aft, to the lower part of the mast, two or three feet from the deck, and two guys, one on each side, to the stanchions of the bulwarks; make three or four small wedges of iron, sufficiently thick to relieve the saw . in passing through the mast. Cut the mast, just level with the oak plank, and when through, bowse the heel of the mast for- ward on to the plank, securing it well with the guys and