Storage

The late-eighteenth century had seen construction at Chatham of a number of either new or replacement storehouses, allowing the yard to enter the period under review with sufficient storage of a better quality than that available in the other yards. Thus, on only a few occasions after 1815 was administrative attention directed to the construction or repair of storage facilities, it being necessary to carry out repairs to the rigging house [216], the lower mast house [221] and the roof of the hemp house [214], and to increase the number of linseed oil storage cisterns in the painter's shop [217].

Of equal importance to the possession of adequate storage was its efficient use, so that materials were stored under ideal conditions. The over-ordering of stores had to be avoided, as material would perish if kept for too long. This was the first economy attended to at the end of the french Wars [203], but no consequent reduction in storehouse labourers was achieved immediately [204]. As for the means of storage, because of the great quantities held, that for timber and hemp was subject to much scrutiny. In november 1823, the entire rope-making process was reviewed, with the first half of the subsequent report directed to the best method of storing hemp [212]. Criticisms made in this report resulted in a strong written defence by Commissioner Cunningham [213]. A particular problem with the storage of hemp was its liability to overheat [206, 208], made worse if excessive amounts of train oil were applied during hatchelling [209]. The challenge was not simply in the preservation of the original raw material but in keeping that which was partly manufactured. Having been spun into yarn, it was first stored in the white yarn house before being immersed in a kettle of heated tar and transferred to the black yarn house [208]. To aid the preservation of the finished product, thought was given to the possibility of replacing tar with a mineral composition applied by a painting process [205].

The most advantageous means of storing and preserving timber were also frequently reviewed, for large amounts could be lost as a result of decay [255]. In 1815, the Navy Board issued instructions to each of the dockyard Commissioners that outlined the best methods of preserving timber, with a summary of these instructions being sent to the Admiralty [255].