Lead The

Lead, The, the simplest form of sounding apparatus, whereby a ship discovers the depth of watt beneath her. It is composed of a long block of lead of from 7 lbs. to 14 lbs. weight, attached by means of a thong to a long line called the lead-line. The lower end of the lead is hollowed to receive talloi to which, in sounding, some specimen of the bottom may adhere. The line, about 20 fathoms long, thus marked: 2 fathoms, a piece of leather withtv strips; 3 fathoms, a piece of leather with thrt strips; 5 fathoms, white rag; 7 fathoms, red ra} 10 fathoms, a piece of leather with a hole in i 13 fathoms, blue rag; 15 fathoms, white rag; ' fathoms, red rag; 20"fathoms, two knots. For dee sea work, leads weigh as much as 30 lbs.