The launch of a “first-rate” man-of-war is one of the finest sights in the world, as it exhibits the triumph of mechanical genius, and the wonderful perseverance of man. The building of such a ship is a work of great skill, labour, and assiduity, and no country possesses these qualities in greater proportion than Englishmen. It may be interesting to my young friends, were I to explain, in brief, the methods used in the construction of a ship, that when they see a mighty castle floating on the seas, such as the Duke of Wellington, carrying one hundred and thirty-one guns, they may know something about the means taken to produce such gigantic effects. In building large ships, a good ship-yard is essential. It must be a place to which the tide flows daily, and containing a good depth of water, with plenty of room, so that the ship, when launched, may not run a-ground. The most celebrated ship-yards for the building of men-of-war in England, are those of Chatham, Plymouth, Pembroke, and Portsmouth, and in these places the building of ships is performed on a very grand scale, and very large numbers of workmen are employed. [Illustration] The first thing done in ship-building, is, what is called “laying down the stocks.” The stocks are large masses of timber, higher at one end than at the other, forming what is called an inclined plane, which is carried out into the water some distance, to allow the vessel to be so far immersed, before she leaves their support, as nearly to float her. The ship is supported in an upright position on the stocks or ways by strong pieces of timber, called the cradle, which can be just seen in the picture of the launch, jutting out under the stern of the ship. The cradle is not fixed to the stocks, but moves loosely upon them, and when the ship is to be launched, slides down the ways with the ship, and falls to pieces when she reaches the water. The first thing done when the stocks are built, is the laying down of that part of the ship called the keel. This is laid down in the middle of the stocks, and is supported by pieces of wood placed across the said stocks. On the top of the keel branch out, on each side, long, bent, square timbers, called the ribs, which, at the lower poop in the middle of the ship, form nearly a quarter of a circle on each side, and are afterwards carried nearly upright. Upon these timbers, when they cross the keel, is laid, in the same direction as the keel, another long square timber, called the kelson. The keel and kelson are fastened together, at every place where the floor timbers cross them, by iron bolts passed through all. That portion of the ribs which touches and crosses the keel is called the “floor timbers;” upon the kelson are the steps of the masts.