Naval Hammocks - Photo Diary and, First Bridge Design?

[VATriker]

You need to check out the Shorpy.com site.

Shorpy.com | History in HD
is a vintage photo blog featuring thousands of high-definition images from the 1850s to 1950s.

Below are some links to images on the Shorpy website that show shipboard hammocks from the 1890's to 1900's.

VATriker

Good Night: 1897
http://www.shorpy.com/node/12961

Sick Bay 1898
http://www.shorpy.com/node/8663

Uss Massachusetts Mess Deck: 1900
http://www.shorpy.com/node/12837

Motley Crew: 1897
http://www.shorpy.com/node/8056

Young Salts: 1896
http://www.shorpy.com/node/9282

[K0m4]

Thanks for the pics. I also am interested in these things, as I did my military service in the Royal Swedish Navy. Unfortunately, without hammocks, but maybe I should convert my own 28-footer!

[tweety]

This was so neat to read thanks for the information and a very interesting read.

My son is a Marine and is taking his hammock gear with him.

Tweety

[MedicineMan]

and from now on I'll call my suspension the clew! Perfect hammock history hunting.

[VATriker]

Interesting term Klew...

From the online FREE Dictionary:

clew 1 (kloo)
n.
1. A ball of yarn or thread.
2. Greek Mythology The ball of thread used by Theseus to find his way
out of the labyrinth.
3. clews The cords by which a hammock is suspended.
4. also clue Nautical
a. One of the two lower corners of a square sail.
b. The lower aft corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
c. A metal loop attached to the lower corner of a sail.
tr.v. clewed, clew·ing, clews
1. To roll or coil into a ball.
2. also clue Nautical To raise the lower corners of (a square sail) by means of clew lines. Used with up.

VATriker

[Fish<><]

All, one thing I noticed about the first pic in dejoha's post is that it's more of a bed hung from the ceiling than a hammock. One of the pictures vatriker posted shows a medical ward. If you look there is no bend at all on the bottom side almost as if it's rigid bottomed. Now while this may be a bed, it's kind of a hammock as well. The primary purpose of this type of hammock bed creation (my guess) is to get as close to being a rack as possible without the swaying motion of the seas to knock you out of it. Great idea but I'm not convinced its a bridge. One of the other pics in the op shows a bridge, which to me is pure awesomeness and hope and pray that I can get my hands on one of those old bridges someday.