MUSSELS ON SHIPS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 291, 2 November 1875, Page 2

MUSSELS ON SHIPS.

Mr Henry Lee eontaibutes an interesting paper to 'Land and W t aUr oaa visit lUtly made to the Gieat Eastern, which ia at present ia dock at Milfard.Havm The visit was made with a View of favorably inspectlog •« an enormous quantity of barnacles end other marine animals," whLh it was rumored had been found attached to her bo ! t->rn. So ise as barnacles were concerned, there were only traces of a few here and there ; but almost the whole of the huge hull was dad with an eaortno'.)B multitude of mussels, clustered; together in • one dtnse and continuous dep.aic, extending over a surface of 62006 square feet of iro i plates.. and ia some part* the uiuaaela were six inches thick. •• it wiis found by care ul txperiment thtt the a7er>»ga weight of those oa each square fdot was i'rdm 12lbs to nib*, therefore the Tfgsel was encumbered with not less than 300 tons of living marine animals adhering tofher^musjels enough; in tact, to load with full cargoes two ordinary collier brigs ! AUhough^.tha mere, weight of this m*s woald apt, perhaps, much affect tha buoyaocy of » vessel of ?5,000 tons burthen, it •will be readily understood that the Motion of such a rough jagged incrustation passing through the water would materially diminish her tpasd. As tnesa troubleaome adherents were scraped off with shovels by workmen employe 1 undar contract to remove them, they wam»rrie:i.away by cantoid* and baattoads, and buried along the shore of the haven. Ihi mussel* had taken possession of every inca of pUte-surf ace, to the exclus on of almost every oth it liriag thing "