Around 1690 the bobstay began to appear, the purpose of which w to absorb the tension of the fore stay and the fore topmast stay. The bobstay was a French invention. A block was stropped to the knee c the head and a second one to the bowsprit, which was prevented from sliding by several thumb cleats. The blocks were linked by a tackle, which belayed to a cleat on the bowsprit, on the stem, or on the forecastle. As early as 1695 the British followed the French example. In this case the bobstay was doubled over its fulllength, reeved at its lower end through the hole in the knee of the head, was spliced together at its upper end, and a deadeye was seized into it. The two parts wer, seized together in several places. A second deadeye was stropped to the bowsprit, and the bobstay was set up with a deadeye lanyard exactly as described for setting up the shrouds. This form was adopted by the French and the rest of the Continental shipbuilders by the beginning of the 18th century. Until about 1850 the bob stay remained very largely unchanged, only th: number of them being increased: around 1700 there were two, arouru 1740 three, and around 1770 a cap bobstay was fitted to the bowsprit cap. The bobstays were tensioned with deadeyes, although from 1750 on hearts were used more arid more on the Continent. After 1850 the bobstays - now usually fitted singly again - were made from chains, and set up with hearts or rigging screws (see also JIB RIGGING).