But it can readily be imagined that such a ponderous weight as this carries a good deal of impetus with it, and since in most cases the width of the water is confined, precautions have to be taken to prevent the ship running ashore the other side and doing damage to herself--perhaps smashing her rudder and propellers, or worse. Therefore, heavy anchors have been buried deep into the ground, and cables or hawsers are led from the bows and quarters and attached thereto, or else to heavy-weights composed of coils of chain, whose friction over the ground gradually stops the vessel. Not infrequently the cables break through the sudden jerk which the great ship puts on them, and the anchors tear up the slip-way. Perhaps as many as eight cables may be thus employed, each being made fast to two or three separate masses of about five to fifteen tons, but with slack chain between so that only one at a time is started. As soon as the ship has left the ways, all the cables become taut, and they put in motion the first lot of drags. Further on, the next lot of drags receive their strain, then the third, so that no serious jerk may have been given, and the ship gradually brings up owing to the powerful friction. Lest the force of the ship going into the water should damage the rudder or the propeller, these, if they have been placed in position, are locked so as to prevent free play. After this the ship is towed round to another part of the yard where her engines are slung into her by means of powerful cranes. The upper structures are completed, masts stepped and an army of men work away to get her ready for her builders’ trials. Carpenters are busy erecting her cabins, painters and decorators enliven her internal appearance, and upholsterers add the final touches of luxury to her saloons and lounges. [Illustration: STERN FRAME OF THE “TITANIC,” FEB. 9, 1910. _From a Photograph. By permission of Messrs. Ismay, Imrie & Co._] Turning now to the illustration facing page 290, we see the Norddeutscher Lloyd _Berlin_ just before she was launched. The anchors and cables which will be dropped as soon as she has floated will be seen along her port side, and the platform for her christening is already in place. In the illustration facing page 294, which shows the launch of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company’s _Araguaya_, we have a good view afforded of the ship as she is just leaving the ways and becoming water-borne. The other illustration on the same page shows the launch of one of those turret-ships to which reference was made in an earlier chapter. In the picture of the _Berlin_ will be seen the system of arranging the steel plates in the construction of the ship, and the rivets which hold them in place. [Illustration: THE SHELTER DECK OF THE “ORSOVA” IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION. _From a Photograph. By permission of Messrs. Anderson, Anderson & Co._] [Illustration: ONE OF THE DECKS OF THE “LUSITANIA” IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION.