compartment bulkheads

pl. Naut.: Most of the iron ships have adopted the Chinese plan of dividing the hold athwart-ship by strong watertight bulkheads into compartments, so that a leak in any one of them does not communi. cate with the others, thus strengthening a ve el, besides adding to its security. Compartment-bulkheads were first directed to be fitted, under the superintendence of Commander Belcher, in the English ships Erebus and Terror, at Chas am, for Arctic service, in 1835. Now all steamships are so constructed.