The picture shows cotton rope when an anchor cable would have been hemp at least 7 inches in diameter for a ship the size of the Victory. The cable would I think have been heavily seized to the ring on the anchor not just half hitched (though a half hitch may have been supported by the seizing). This is plainly decorative for the benefit of the public - the rope shown has no practical use on a warship like this.
Sweeney
Methinks there need be better vision here among the replies:
1) the rope IMO is nylon or polyester --note the end, the
seemingly melted strands (though chemical whipping can
look the same)--; I don't see reason to conclude "cotton",
anyway. And it IS cable-laid, and stouter than what can
be seen at the other end of the anchor.
(Finding historically authentic rope might've been both
hard to do and, hmmm, dubious re serving for use --does
this ship ever move about?)
2) And the knot is one of those "cinch"es shown in
ABOK which have long puzzled me, for the multiple seizings of
the turned end would come under force only in
sequence ("united we DON'T stand"), one taking
the load and only if it fails will another be loaded (much)!?
(Hmmm, well, maybe I'm off here : the S.Part's pull will
try to open the seized turn, and so all seizings will get
some load, but still it seems as though the one at the
entry to the turn will be most heavily loaded!?)
3) And it's interesting to see that the RING ITSELF
has a cordage covering --to what purpose, that?!
--dl*
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