LEECHES,bords, the borders or edges of a sail, which are either sloping or perpendicular. SeeGoring.
The leeches of all sails, whose tops and bottoms are parallel to the deck, or at right angles with the mast, are denominated from the ship’s side, and the sail to which they belong; as thestarboardleech of the main-sail, theleeleech of the fore-top-sail, &c. but the sails which are fixed obliquely upon the masts, have their leeches named from their situation with respect to the ship’s length; as the fore-leech of the mizen, the after-leech of the jib, or fore-stay-sail, &c.
Leech-Lines,cargues-bouline, certain ropes fastened to the middle of the leeches of the main-sail and fore-sail, and communicating with blocks under the opposite sides of the top, whence they pass downwards to the deck, serving to truss up those sails to the yard, as occasion requires. SeeBrails.
Leech-rope,ralingue, a name given to that part of the bolt-rope, to which the border, or skirt of a sail is sewed. In all sails, whose opposite leeches are of the same length, it is terminated above by the earing, and below by the clue. SeeBolt-rope,Clue, andEaring.
LENGTHENING, the operation of cutting a ship down across the middle, and adding a certain portion to her length. It is performed by sawing her planks asunder, in different places of her length, on each side of the midship frame, to prevent her from being weakened too much in one place. The two ends are then drawn apart, to a limited distance, which must be equal to the proposed addition of length. An intermediate piece of timber is next added to the keel, upon which a sufficient number of timbers are erected, to fill up the vacancy produced by the separation. The two parts of the kelson are afterwards united, by an additional piece which is scored down upon the floor-timbers; and as many beams as may be necessary, are fixed across the ship in the new interval. Finally, the planks of the side are prolonged, so as to unite with each other, and those of the ceiling refitted in the same manner; by which the whole process is completed.
ToLetin,enclaver, amongst shipwrights, is to fix a diminished part of one plank or piece of timber into a vacancy, formed in another for this purpose. SeeRabbit.
LETTER OF MART, a commission granted by the lords of the admiralty, or by the vice-admiral of any distant province, to the commander of a merchant-ship, or privateer, to cruize against, and make prizes of, the enemy’s ships and vessels, either at sea, or in their harbours.
ToLIEalong, or LIEover. See the articleAlong.
ToLie-to. SeeLying-to, &c.
LIEUTENANTof a ship of war, the officer next in rank and power to the captain, in whose absence he is accordingly charged with the command of the ship; as also the execution of whatever orders he may have received from the commander relating to the king’s service.
The lieutenant, who commands the watch at sea, keeps a list of all the officers and men thereto belonging, in order to muster them, when he judges it expedient, and report to the captain the names of those who are absent from their duty. During the night-watch, he occasionally visits the lower decks, or sends thither a careful officer, to see that the proper centinels are at their duty, and that there is no disorder amongst the men; no tobacco smoaked between decks, nor any fire or candles burning there, except the lights which are in lanthorns, under the care of a proper watch, on particular occasions. He is expected to be always upon deck in his watch, as well to give the necessary orders, with regard totrimmingthe sails and superintending the navigation, as to prevent any noise or confusion; but he is never to change the ship’s course without the captain’s directions, unless to avoid an immediate danger.
The lieutenant, in time of battle, is particularly to see that all the men are present at their quarters, where they have been previously stationed according to the regulations made by the captain. He orders and exhorts them every where to perform their duty, and acquaints the captain at all other times of the misbehaviour of any persons in the ship, and of whatever else concerns the service or discipline.
The youngest lieutenant of the ship, who is also stiled lieutenant at arms, besides his common duty, is particularly ordered, by his instructions, to train the seamen to the use of small arms, and frequently to exercise and discipline them therein. Accordingly his office, in time of battle, is chiefly to direct and attend them, and at all other times to have a due regard to the preservation of the small arms, that they be not lost or embezzled, and that they are kept clean and in good condition for service.
LIFTS,balanciers, certain ropes, descending from the cap and mast-head, to the opposite extremities of the yard immediately under; where, passing through a block or pulley, they become double. They are used to keep the yard in equilibrio; or to pull one of its extremities higher than the other, as occasion requires; but particularly to support the weight of it, when a number of seamen are employed thereon, to furl orreefthe sail.
The lifts of the top-sail-yards, called the top-sail-lifts, are also used assheetsto extend the bottom of the top-gallant-sail above.
The yards are said to be squared by the lifts, when they hang at right angles with the mast; that is to say, parallel to the horizon, when the vessel is upright upon the water.
Topping-Lift. SeeTopping-Lift.
LIGHT,lege, in the sea-language is used in contradistinction to laden. A ship is accordingly called light, either when she has no cargo, or when she is not sufficiently ballasted.
LIGHTER,allege, a large, open, flat-bottomed vessel, generally managed with oars, and employed to carry goods to or from a ship when she is to be laden or delivered. See the articleVessel.
There are also some lighters furnished with a deck throughout their whole length, in order to contain those merchandizes, which would be damaged by rainy weather: these are usually called close-lighters.
LIGHT-HOUSE,phare,tour à feu, a sort of tower erected upon a cape or promontory on the sea-coast, or upon some rock in the sea, and having a great fire, or light formed by candles, upon its top, in the night time, which is constantly attended by some careful person, so as to be seen at a great distance from the land. It is used to direct the shipping on the coast, that might otherwise run ashore, or steer an improper course, when the darkness of the night, and the uncertainty of currents, &c. might render their situation, with regard to the shore, extremely doubtful.
LIGHT-ROOM,fanal de soute, a small apartment, inclosed with glass windows, near the magazine of a ship of war. It is used to contain the lights by which the gunner, and his assistants, are enabled to fill the cartridges with powder, to be ready for action.
LIMBERS, or LIMBER-HOLES,parclosses, certain square holes cut through the lower parts of a ship’s floor-timbers, very near the keel. Being disposed in a line, parallel to the keel, they form a channel, which communicates with the pumps throughout the whole length of the floor, so that the water which enters by a leak, and would otherwise be intercepted by the timbers, is easily conveyed to the well-room, where the pumps are fixed. Every floor-timber has two limber-holes cut through it, viz. one on each side of thekelson.
Limber-Boards, short pieces of plank, which form a part of the ceiling, or lining of a ship’s floor, close to the kelson, and immediately above the limbers. They are occasionally removed, when it becomes necessary, to examine, or clear the limber-holes of any filth, sand, chips, or gravel, by which they may be clogged, so as to interrupt the passage of the water, in the ship’s floor, to the pump-well.
Limber-Rope, a long rope, frequently retained in the limber-holes of a ship, and communicating from one to another, in order to clear them by pulling the rope backwards and forwards, so as to loosen the sand or dirt by which they may occasionally be choaked.
LINE,ligne, a general name given to the arrangement or order in which a fleet of ships of war are disposed to engage an enemy.
This disposition, which is the best calculated for the operations of naval war, is formed by drawing up the ships in a long file, or right line, prolonged from the keel of the hindmost to that of the foremost, and passing longitudinally through the keels of all the others, from the van to the rear; so that they are, according to the sea-phrase, in thewakeof each other.
In the line, or order of battle, all the ships of which it is composed areclose-hauled, upon the starboard or larboard-tack, about 50 fathoms distant from each other. See plateV. fig. 5. wherea brepresents the elevation, and A B the plan of this order, upon the starboard-tack; the direction of the wind in both being expressed by the arrow in the latter.
A fleet is more particularly drawn up in the line when in presence of an enemy. It ought to be formed in such a manner as that the ships should mutually sustain and reinforce each other, and yet preserve a sufficient space in their stations, toworkor direct their movements with facility during the action. Thus they will be enabled effectually to cannonade the enemy, without incommoding the ships of their own squadron.
The line close-hauled is peculiarly chosen as the order of battle, because if the fleet, which is to windward, were arranged in any other line, the enemy might soon gain theweather-gageof it; and even if he thinks it expedient to decline that advantage, it will yet be in his power to determine the distance between the adverse fleets, in an engagement, and to compel the other to action. The fleet to leeward, being in a line close-hauled, parallel to the enemy, can more readily avail itself of a change of the wind, or of the neglect of its adversary, by which it may, by a dextrous management, get to windward of him: or, should it fail in this attempt, it will nevertheless be enabled, by the favourable state of the wind, to avoid coming to action, if the enemy is greatly superior; or to prevent him from escaping, if he should attempt it.
Besides these advantages, this order of battle is singularly convenient and proper in other respects. The sails of each ship are disposed in such a manner as to counter-act each other, so that the ships in general neither advance or retreat during the action. By this circumstance they are enabled to retain their stations with greater stability, and to prosecute the battle with vigour and resolution, yet without perplexity and disorder. The uniformity of the line will be preserved, so that the admiral’s orders may be readily communicated by signals from the van to the rear. The distress of any particular ship, that is disabled and rendered incapable to continue the action, will be presently discovered, and her place accordingly supplied by one of the ships in reserve. The circumstances and situation of the enemy’s line will be ever open to the view of the commander in chief, so that he may be enabled to convert any disaster that may happen therein to his own advantage.
It may be alledged indeed, that the same reasons hold good with regard to the enemy, to whom this arrangement will be equally beneficial. It may also be observed, that particular occasions have rendered it necessary to break the order of the line; and that sometimes this expedient has been practised with equal judgment and success. To the first of these allegations it may be answered, that in war as well as politics, there are certain general rules absolutely necessary to be observed by the hostile powers: rules which are founded on mutual convenience, and authorised by the invariable example of all ages! Whatever tends to facilitate the designs of the adverse parties on each other, or whatever operates to shorten the period of war, and render it less destructive and fatal, are objects which ought never to be disregarded. Disorder has not only a tendency to protract the war, but to make it more bloody and ruinous, and to aggravate all the calamities with which it is inseparably attended. Perhaps this observation is particularly applicable to our present purpose, unless the consequences of disorder in a sea-fight, as related below, should rather be considered as the creation of fancy, than a recital of facts, naturally resulting from known causes. Although peculiar circumstances have sometimes, by their success, justified the measure of engaging an enemy’s fleet, without forming the line; or after the line has been separated; there is nevertheless very few operations in war that require greater delicacy and vigilance, if the hostile fleets are very near to each other. Perhaps no military enterprize can be attended with greater hazard, or with fewer hopes of success. The incessant fire of so large an assembly of ships in a very short time covers the scene of action with a cloud of smoke, which is constantly accumulating. The winds that enabled the two fleets to approach each other are soon become extremely feeble, or perhaps perfectly lulled, by the explosions of a vigorous cannonade: they are of course incapable any longer to dissipate the smoke, which then darkens the air, and is almost impenetrable to the eye. If in this situation the hostile ships are promiscuously scattered amongst each other, it is easy to foretel the mischief, perplexity, and distraction, to which the whole will be inevitably exposed. Not only is the most comprehensive skill of the commander in chief rendered useless; the smaller ships, abandoned to their ill fortune, may be torn to pieces by superior force, without relief or succour: and, what is infinitely worse than all, the ships of the same fleet may cannonade each other, with all the resolution and spirit which they exert against their enemies! If the design of war is conquest, and not massacre, it is thus totally perverted! The battle, instead of being brought to a speedy issue, and decided by a victory and defeat, is unhappily protracted into a scene of slaughter and ruin, equally fatal and undecisive to both parties.
If then disorder and confusion are fraught with such dangerous consequences in a naval armament, it is no less certain that the principal sinews of its strength are discipline, regularity, vigilance, and activity. It has been already remarked, that the ships of the line should be sufficiently close, to sustain each other; for if they are farther apart than those of the enemy’s line, many single ships will suffer the fire of two at once. Hence the fleet is rendered inferior to that of the enemy, at the onset of battle; a circumstance which evinces the superiority of larger ships, accompanied with weightier metal! the enemy is defeated by the efforts of a more numerous and more powerful artillery.
Besides these advantages, the larger ships are in other respects highly preferable in a line of battle. They overlook those of an inferior rate, which are accordingly laid open to the fire of their musquetry. In a high sea they can more safely employ the artillery of their lower deck than a smaller ship; and if both are obliged to shut their lower deck ports, the advantage of the three-decked ships, with regard to their cannon, will yet be considerable: they have three tier against two, and two against one. The same superiority subsists, in case they are dismasted, when the upper-deck is encumbered with the ruins.
The large ships, being higherbetween-decks, are less incommoded with the smoke; and their cannon is managed with greater facility.
The large ships, having greater solidity of frame, are better calculated to resist the effects of battle and tempest. In general also, they sail better than the small ones, except in fine weather; for in a fresh wind, when the sea becomes agitated, they have always the superiority.
The fire-ships do not succeed so well against large ships as the smaller ones: the artillery will sink them, or oblige them sooner to relinquish their design; and they are easilytowedaway by the great long boats.
The line of a fleet, which has abundance of capital ships, need not be so much enclosed as that of an enemy who has fewer. The former may be also less numerous, without being weaker.
An open line will, on many occasions, work more easily than one which is more enclosed; and if it is less numerous, the movements thereof are more expeditious; the signals better attended; the general order more exactly preserved; and the ships less liable to be separated. Hence it will be less embarrassed by a change of wind, and the order will be sooner re-established.
A less numerous line will more readily approach or escape from an enemy, or a hostile shore; and, finally, when cruizing in a smaller space, it will not be so much contracted.
From the preceding reflections it results, that the line, which contains more capital ships, will be stronger than one more numerous, if composed of smaller ships. This reflection however does not exclude a certain number of the third and fourthrates, which are necessary in all naval armaments[38].
As the hostile fleets are drawn up in two opposite lines, with their sides to the wind, it is evident that one must be to the leeward of the other, as appears in fig. 8. plateV. Both situations however have their defects as well as advantages.
The advantages of a weather-line are generally, that it may approach the enemy so as to determine the time and distance of action. If it is more numerous than the lee-line, it may easily appoint a detachment to fall upon the van and rear of the latter, and enclose it between two fires. It is little incommoded by the fire or smoke of the cannon, and may dispatch the fire-ships, under cover of the smoke, upon the disabled ships of the lee-line; or wheresoever they may occasion perplexity and disorder, by obliging the enemy to break the line andbear away.
The weather-line has nevertheless its defects, which sometimes counterbalance the advantages above recited. If the sea is rough, and the wind boisterous, it cannot readily fight with the lower-deck battery. It cannot decline the action without the dangerous expedient of forcing through the enemy’s line: and if itkeeps the wind, the lee-line may enclose, and totally destroy it, especially if it is inferior in number to the latter; or if the ships thereof are in bad condition; for it then can find no other resource but in the dexterity of its manœuvres, unless it is favoured by the wind, or any oversight of the enemy. The disabled ships of the weather-line must tack, to avoid falling into the enemy’s fleet; and if they are much shattered, they may be altogether separated from their own fleet, particularly if they are in the rear of the line.
The line to leeward has also its advantages, which have occasionally been preferred to those of the weather-line. The ships of the former may use the guns of their lower decks, without the hazard of taking in much water at the ports in stormy weather; whereas the line to windward dare not open them, without the greatest danger. If the lee-line, although more numerous, cannot so easilydoubleupon the van and rear of the enemy, and inclose them between two fires, it may nevertheless have opportunities of tacking, and cutting off a part of the enemy’s rear, by obliging them to bear away, or separate from the rest. The disabled ships to leeward are much more readily removed from the line than those to windward, without being obliged to tack and continue exposed to the enemy’s fire: they bear away, and remain at a competent distance from the fleet in a state of safety. Finally, the lee-line can with more facility avoid the action than its adversary; a circumstance which is extremely favourable to an inferior squadron.
The defects of the lee-line, on the contrary, are, that it cannot decide the time and distance of the battle, which may commence before it is sufficiently formed; and it will perhaps be attacked by an enemy, who bears away upon it in regular order. The fire and smoke of the weather-line are a great inconvenience to it; and it cannot easily break the enemy’s line with its fire-ships, which are very slowly and with great difficulty conveyed to windward.
It must be remarked, that the admiral’s ship attentively preserves her station in the centre of the line; for if the commander in chief should give way to the caprice or inattention of any of those under his direction, it would introduce an endless disorder into the squadron.
To illustrate this article, and enable the reader to form a clearer idea of the line, we have, in plateV. represented several distinct views, according to the different situations which it occasionally assumes.
Fig. 7. exhibits a perspective view of the line of battle on the starboard-tack, A B being the plan thereof.
Fig. 8.a, represents the profile of the same line on the starboard-tack, as brought to action by the opposite lineb. The plan of these squadrons, A B, appears immediately below.
It is necessary to remark here, that a fleet frequently retains the order of the same tack, occasionally, when the whole fleet goes about at once, as expressed bya, fig. 9. of which A is the plan. Or it goes about gradually, the headmost ship havingtackedfirst, and the next tacked as soon as she arrived in her wake; the rest following the same example. Seec, fig. 7. and C in the plan of the same figure.
It also frequently preserves the order of the line close-hauled, although steering with a large wind, either in pursuit of a flying enemy, or proceeding in a particular course. Thus the fleetb, fig. 10. although ranged so as to be in a line upon the larboard-tack, if close to the wind, is chacing the fleetato leeward, which is either parallel to the former and preserving the same order, or sails on a line abreast, as expressed by the plan C. See also the articleAbreast.
Fig. 11 exhibits a fleet formed into a line, on the starboard-tack, bearing away upon the continuation of the same line astern. Thus supposing them to be formed on the starboard-tack, and sailing due north, in a line ahead; it is evident that if every ship, at one and the same time, bears away and steers south, the whole fleet will again be upon a line ahead, with the wind upon the larboard-quarter, as expressed in this figure, and in the plan under it.
Fig. 12 represents a fleet bearing away, and having half of its ships ranged on the starboard-tack, and the other half on the larboard-tack, so as to form the two sides of the angleb c a, of which the commander in chiefamakes the central point. This disposition is sometimes used to force through a passage which is guarded by an enemy. See also the plan thereof, A B C below, where it is evident that the admiral is the foremost ship, whilst bearing away, although she would be the last in both lines, if they were close-hauled.
Fig. 13 expresses the order of retreat, which is frequently practised by the French, and is directly the reverse of this; because the angular point is farthest to leeward in the former, whereas it is to windward of both lines in the latter; being also the headmost of both, when close-hauled, although the sternmost ship while they are bearing away.
In an engagement, the ships are generallybrought-to, with the main-top-sails laid aback, and their fore-top-sails full, for the purpose of bearing away more readily, when occasion requires. This disposition of the sails is represented in fig. 13. plateIII. See alsoLying-to.
The line is said to be formed abreast, when the ships sides are all parallel to each other, on a line which crosses their keels at right angles. This is more frequently used in pursuing or retreating, with the wind right aft, so that the line forms a perpendicular with the direction of the wind, as exhibited by the ships C, in the plan annexed to fig. 10.
Lineis also a name given to several small cords, of different sizes, and used for various purposes at sea; as house-line, marline, rattling-line, &c. See those articles.
LINTSTOCK,baton à feu, a staff about three feet long, having a sharp point at one end, and a sort of fork or crotch in the other; the latter of which serves to contain a lighted match, and by the former the lintstock is occasionally stuck in the deck, in an upright position. It is frequently used in small vessels, in an engagement, where there is commonly one fixed between every two guns, by which the match is always kept dry and ready for firing.
LOADING. See the articlesCargoandLading.
Shot-LOCKER. SeeGarland.
LOG, a machine used to measure the ship’s head-way, or the rate of her velocity as she advances through the sea. It is composed of a reel and line, to which is fixed a small piece of wood, forming the quadrant of a circle. The term log however is more particularly applied to the latter.
The log, fig. 14, plateV. is generally about a quarter of an inch thick, and five or six inches from the angular pointato the circumferenceb. It is balanced by a thin plate of lead, nailed upon the arch, so as to swim perpendicularly in the water, with about ⅔ immersed under the surface. The line is fastened to the log by means of two legsaandb, fig. 15, one of which passes through a holeaat the corner, and is knotted on the opposite side; whilst the other leg is attached to the arch by a pinb, fixed in another hole, so as to draw out occasionally. By these legs the log is hung in equilibrio, and the line, which, is united to it, is divided into certain spaces, which are in proportion to an equal number of geographical miles, as a half minute or quarter minute is to an hour of time.
This instrument is employed to measure the ship’s course in the following manner: The reel, fig. 16, about which the log-line is wound, being held by one man, and the half-minute glass by another, the mate of the watch at the same time fixes the pin, and throws the log over the stern, which, swimming perpendicularly in the sea, feels an immediate resistance as the ship advances. To prevent the pin from being drawn by the effort of this resistance, the person who heaves the log continually slackens the line over the stern, or quarter, so that it becomes almost straight on the water, and the log continues nearly in the same place where it first alighted, and is considered as fixed therein. The knots are measured from a mark fastened at the distance of 12 or 15 fathoms from the log; the glass is therefore turned at the instant when this mark passes over the stern, and as soon as the glass runs out, the line is accordingly stopped; when the water, acting forcibly on the surface of the log, immediately dislodges the pin, so that the log, no longer resisting the effort of the water, is easily drawn aboard. The degree of the ship’s velocity is then readily determined, by examining the number of knots nearest to that part of the line, where it was stopped at the expiration of the glass, as the knots increase in their natural order from the mark above mentioned. The space comprehended between that mark and the log is used to let the latter be far enough astern, to be out of the eddy of the ship’swakewhen the glass is turned.
If the glass runs thirty seconds, the distance between the knots should be fifty feet. When it runs more or less, it should therefore be corrected by the following analogy: As 30 is to 50, so is the number of seconds of the glass to the distance between the knots upon the line. As the heat or moisture of the weather has often a considerable effect on the glass, so as to make it run slower or faster, it should be frequently tried by the vibrations of a pendulum. The line, being also liable to relax or shrink from the same cause, ought likewise to be measured, as occasion requires.
It is usual to heave the log once every hour in ships of war and East-India men; and in all other vessels, once in two hours; and if at any time of the watch, the wind has increased or abated in the intervals, so as to affect the ship’s velocity, the officer generally makes a suitable allowance for it, at the close of the watch.
LOG-BOARD, a sort of table, divided into several columns, containing the hours of the day and night, the direction of the winds, the course of the ship, and all the material occurrences that happen during the twenty-four hours, or from noon to noon; together with the latitude by observation. From this table the different officers of the ship are furnished with materials to compile their journals, wherein they likewise insert whatever may have been omitted; or reject what may appear superfluous in the log-board. See the articleJournal.
Log-Book, a book into which the contents of the log-board is daily copied at noon, together with every circumstance deserving notice, that may happen to the ship, or within her cognizance, either at sea or in a harbour, &c. The intermediate divisions or watches of the log-book, containing four hours each, are usually signed by the commanding officer thereof, in ships of war or East-Indiamen.
LONG-BOAT,chaloupe, the largest and strongest boat belonging to any ship. It is principally employed to carry great burthens, as anchors, cables, ballast, &c. See the articleBoat.
LOOF, the after-part of a ship’s bow; or that part of her side forward where the planks begin to be incurvated into an arch, as they approach thestem.
LOOK-OUT,découverte, a watchful attention to some important object, or event, which is expected to arise from the present situation of a ship, &c. It is principally used in navigation, when there is a probability of danger from the real or supposed proximity of land, rocks, enemies, and, in short, whatever peril she may encounter, through inattention, which might otherwise have been avoided by a prudent and necessary vigilance.
There is always a look-out kept on a ship’s forecastle at sea, to watch for any dangerous objects lying near her track, and to which she makes a gradual approach as she advances: the mate of the watch accordingly calls often from the quarter-deck, “Look out afore there!” to the persons appointed to this service.
LOOMING, an indistinct appearance of any distant object, as the sea-coast, ships, mountains, &c. as, “she looms large afore the wind; the looming of the land is high above the water,” &c.
LOOP-HOLES,meurtrieres, certain small apertures, formed in thebulk-headsand other parts of a merchant-ship, through which the small arms are fired on an enemy who boards her.
ToLOOSE,deferler, to unfurl or call loose any sail, in order to beset, or dried, after rainy weather.
LOST,passé, the state of being foundered or cast away; expressed of a ship when she has either sunk at sea, or struck upon a rock, shelf, or lee-shore, where she has beat to pieces by the violence of the sea.
LOW-WATER, that state of the tide, in which the reflux has fallen to its greatest depression from the sea-coasts, or rivers of any country. See the articleTide.
ToLOWER,amener, to ease down gradually, expressed of some weighty body, which is suspended by tackles, or other ropes, which, being slackened, suffer the said body to descend as slowly or expeditiously as the occasion requires. Hence
Lowerhandsomely! andlower cheerly!are opposed to each other, the former being the order to lower gradually, and the latter to lower expeditiously.
LUFF,lof, the order from the pilot to the steersman to put the helm towards thelee-side of the ship, in order to make the ship sail nearer the direction of the wind. Hence, luff round, or luff alee,envoie, lof tout, is the excess of this movement, by which it is intended to throw the ship’s head up in the wind, in order to tack her, &c.
A ship is accordingly said to spring her luff,faire une olofée, when she yields to the effort of the helm, by sailing nearer to the line of the wind than she had done before. See alsoHaulingthe wind, andSteering.
Luff-Tackle, a name given by sailors to any large tackle that is not destined for a particular place, but may be variously employed as occasion requires. It is generally somewhat larger than thejigger-tackle, although smaller than those which serve to hoist the heavier materials into and out of the vessel; which latter are the main and fore-tackles, the stay and quarter-tackles, &c.
LUG-SAIL,treou, a square sail, hoisted occasionally on the mast of a boat, or small vessel, upon a yard which hangs nearly at right angles with the mast. These are more particularly in the barca longas, navigated by the Spaniards in the Mediterranean.
LYING-TO, orLying-by,en panne, the situation of a ship when she is retarded in her course, by arranging the sails in such a manner as to counteract each other with nearly an equal effort, and render the ship almost immoveable, with respect to her progressive motion, orhead-way. A ship is usuallybrought-toby the main and fore-top-sails, one of which is laidaback, whilst the other is full; so that the latter pushes the ship forward, whilst the former resists this impulse, by forcing her astern. This is particularly practised in a general engagement, when the hostile fleets are drawn up in two lines of battle opposite each other. It is also used to wait for some other ship, either approaching or expected; or to avoid pursuing a dangerous course, especially in dark or foggy weather, &c.
Lying-toin a storm. See the articleTrying.
MAGAZINE,soute au poudres, a close room or store-house, built in the fore, or after-part of a ship’s hold, to contain the gun-powder used in battle, &c. This apartment is strongly secured against fire, and no person is suffered to enter it with a lamp or candle: it is therefore lighted, as occasion requires, by means of the candles or lamps which are fixed in thelight-roomcontiguous to it. See that article.
MAGNET. See the articleCompass.
MAIN, an epithet usually applied by sailors to whatever is principal, as opposed to what is inferior or secondary. Thus the main land is used in contradistinction to an island or peninsula; and the main-mast, the main-wale, the main-keel, and the main-hatchway, are in like manner distinguished from the fore and mizen-masts, the channel-wales, the false-keel, and the fore and after-hatchways, &c.
As the sails, yards, and rigging of the main-mast, are all described in their proper places, namely, under those particular articles, to which the reader is referred, it will be unnecessary to say any thing farther of them here.
ToMAKE, is variously applied, in the sea-language, to the land, to the sails, to the ship’s course, &c.
ToMakea good board. See the articleBoard.
ToMakethe land,decouvrir, is to discover it from a distant situation, in consequence of approaching it after a sea-voyage: as, “In your passage to cape Tiburon, it will be necessary to make Turk’s Island.”
ToMakesail,faire plus de voiles, is to increase the quantity of sail already extended, either by letting out thereefs, and by hoisting an additional number of small sails, or by performing either of those exercises separately.
ToMakesternway,aller en arriere, is to retreat or move with the stern foremost.
ToMakewater,faire eau, usually signifies to leak, unless when the epithetfoulis added thereto. A ship is said to make foul water, when running in shallow water, her keel disturbs and loosens the mud or ooze, lying at the bottom thereof.
MALLET, a sort of wooden hammer, of which there are several sorts used for different purposes on ship-board, as the
Calking-Mallet, an implement chiefly employed to drive the oakum into theseamsof a ship, where the edges of the planks are joined to each other in the sides, decks, or bottom.
The head of this mallet is long and cylindrical, being hooped with iron to prevent it from splitting in the exercise of calking.
Serving-Mallet, a mallet used inservingthe rigging, by binding the spun-yarn more firmly about it, than could possibly be done by hand; which is performed in the following manner: the spun-yarn being previously rolled up in a large ball, or clue, two or three turns of it are passed about the rope and about the body of the mallet, which for this purpose is furnished with a round channel in its surface, that conforms to the convexity of the rope intended to be served. The turns of the spun-yarn being strained round the mallet, so as to confine it firmly to the rope, which is extended above the deck, one man passes the ball continually about the rope, whilst the other, at the same time, winds on the spun-yarn by means of the mallet, whose handle acting as a lever, strains every turn about the rope as firm as possible.
MANGER,gatte, a small apartment, extending athwart the lower-deck of a ship of war, immediately within the hause-holes, and fenced on the afterpart by a partition, which separates it from the other part of the deck behind it.
This partition serves as a fence to interrupt the passage of the water, which occasionally gushes in at the hause-holes, or falls from the wet cable whilst it is heaved in by the capstern. The water, thus prevented from running aft, is immediately returned into the sea, by several small channels, calledscuppers, cut through the ship’s side within the manger.
The manger is therefore particularly useful in giving a contrary direction to the water that enters at the hause-holes, which would otherwise run aft in great streams upon the lower deck, and render it extremely wet and uncomfortable, particularly in tempestuous weather, to the men who mess and sleep in different parts thereof.
MARINE, a general name for the navy of a kingdom or state; as also the whole œconomy of naval affairs; or whatever respects the building, rigging, arming, equipping, navigating, and fighting ships. It comprehends also the government of naval armaments, and the state of all the persons employed therein, whether civil or military.
Marines, orMarine-Forces, a body of troops employed in the sea-service, under the direction of the lords of the admiralty.
MARLINE, (merlin, Fr.) a small line, somewhat less than house-line, and used for the same purposes. SeeHouse-Line.
MARLING, the act of winding any small line, as marline, spun-yarn, packthread, &c. about a rope, so that every turn is secured by a sort of knot, so as to remain fixed in case all the rest should be cut through by friction, &c. This expedient is much preferable to the winding a line spirally about a rope for the same purpose, because as the turns are at some distance from each other, the same quantity of line will serve for the one method as the other; with this difference, that if one of the spiral turns are cut through, the whole will be rendered useless, whereas by marling, this is entirely prevented.
Marling is commonly used to fasten slips of canvas, calledparsling, upon the surface of a rope, to prevent it from being galled by another rope that rubs against it, to attach the foot of a sail to its bolt-rope, &c.
Marling-Spike,epissoir, an iron pin, tapering to a point, and furnished with a large round head. It is principally used to penetrate the twists, or strands of a rope, in order to introduce the ends of some other through the intervals, in the act ofknottingorsplicing.
It is also used as a lever, on many other occasions, about the rigging, particularly in fixing the seizings upon theshrouds,block-strops,cluesof the sails, &c.
ToMAROON,deserter, to put one or more sailors ashore upon a desolate island, under pretence of their having committed some great crime. This detestable expedient has been repeatedly practised by some inhuman commanders of merchant-ships, particularly in the West-Indies.
MAST,mât, a long round piece of timber, elevated perpendicularly upon the keel of a ship, to which are attached the yards, the sails, and the rigging.
A mast, with regard to its length, is either formed of one single piece, which is called apole-mast, or composed of several pieces joined together, each of which retains the name of mast separately. The lowest of these is accordingly named the lower-mast,a, fig. 1. plateVI. the next in height is the top-mast,b, which is erected at the head of the former; and the highest is the top-gallant-mast,c, which is prolonged from the upper end of the top-mast. Thus the two last are no other than a continuation of the first upwards.
The lower-mast is fixed in the ship by an apparatus, described in the articleshulkandsheers: the foot, or heel of it, rests in a block of timber called the step, which is fixed upon thekelson; and the top-mast is attached to the head of it by thecapand thetressel-trees. The latter of these are two strong bars of timber, supported by two prominencies, which are as shoulders on the opposite sides of the mast, a little under its upper end: athwart these bars are fixed thecross-trees, upon which the frame of the top is supported. Between the lower mast-head, and the foremost of the cross-trees, a square space remains vacant, the sides of which are bounded by the two tressel-trees. Perpendicularly above this is the foremost hole in the cap, whose after-hole is solidly fixed on the head of the lower-mast. The top-mast is erected by a tackle, whose effort is communicated from the head of the lower mast to the foot of the top-mast; and the upper end of the latter is accordingly guided into, and conveyed up through, the holes between the tressel-trees and the cap, as above mentioned. The machinery by which it is elevated, or, according to the sea-phrase,swayed-up, is fixed in the following manner: the top roped, fig. 2. passing through a blocke, which is hooked on one side of the cap, and afterwards through a hole, furnished with a sheave or pulleyf, in the lower end of the top-mast, is again brought upwards on the other side of the mast, where it is at length fastened to an eye-bolt in the capg, which is always on the side opposite to the top-blocke. To the lower end of the top-rope is fixed the top-tackleh, the effort of which being transmitted to the top-roped, and thence to the heel of the top-mastf, necessarily lifts the latter upwards, parallel to the lower-mast. When the top-mast is raised to its proper height, fig. 3. the lower end of it becomes firmly wedged in the square hole, above described, between the tressel-trees. A bar of wood, or iron, called thefid, is then thrust through a holeiin the heel of it, across the tressel-trees, by which the whole weight of the top-mast is supported.
In the same manner as the top-mast is retained at the head of the lower-mast, the top-gallant-mast is erected, and fixed at the head of the top-mast.
Besides the parts already mentioned in the construction of masts, with respect to their length, the lower-masts of the largest ships are composed of several pieces united into one body. As these are generally the most substantial parts of various trees, a mast, formed by this assemblage, is justly esteemed much stronger than one consisting of any single trunk, whose internal solidity may be very uncertain. The several pieces are formed and joined together, as represented in the section of a lower-mast of this sort, fig. 4. plateVI. whereais the shaft, or principal piece into which the rest are fixed, with their sides or faces close to each other. The whole is secured by several strong hoops of iron, driven on the outside of the mast,a, fig. 1. where they remain at proper distances.
The principal articles to be considered in equipping a ship with masts are, 1st, the number; 2d, their situation in the vessel; and 3d, their height above the water.
The masts being used to extend the sails by means of their yards, it is evident that if their number were multiplied beyond what is necessary, the yards must be extremely short, that they may not entangle each other inworkingthe ship, and by consequence their sails will be very narrow, and receive a small portion of wind. If, on the contrary, there is not a sufficient number of masts in the vessel, the yards will be too large and heavy, so as not to be managed without difficulty. There is a mean between these extremes, which experience and the general practice of the sea have determined; by which it appears, that in large ships, every advantage of sailing is retained by three masts and a bowsprit.
The most advantageous position of the masts is undoubtedly that from whence there results an equilibrio between the resistance of the water, on the body of the ship, on one part, and of the direction of their effort on the other. By every other position this equilibrio is destroyed, and the greatest effort of the masts will operate to turn the ship horizontally about its direction; a circumstance which retards her velocity. It is counterbalanced indeed by the helm; but the same inconvenience still continues; for the force of the wind, having the resistance of the helm to overcome, is not intirely employed to push the vessel forward. The axis of the resistance of the water should then be previously determined, to discover the place of the main-mast, in order to suspend the efforts of the water equally, and place the other masts so as that their particular direction will coincide with that of themain-mast. The whole of this would be capable of a solution, if the figure of the vessel were regular, because the point, about which the resistance of the water would be in equilibrio, might be discovered by calculation.
But when the real figure of the ship is considered, these flattering ideas will instantly vanish. This observation induced M. Saverien to employ a mechanical method to discover the axis of resistance of the water, which he apprehended might be used with success in the manner following:
When the vessel is lanched, before the places of the masts are determined, extend a rope A B, fig. 6. plateVI. from the head to the stern. To the extremities A and B attach two other ropes A D, B C, and apply to the other ends of these ropes two mechanical powers, to draw the ship according to the direction B C, parallel to itself. The whole being thus disposed, let a moveable tube Z, fixed upon the rope A B, have another rope Z R attached to it, whose other end communicates with a mechanical power R, equal to the two powers D and C. This last being applied to the same vessel, in such manner as to take off the effects of the two others by sliding upon the rope A B, so as to discover some point Z, by the parallelism of the ropes A D B C feebly extended with the rope Z R; the line Z R will be the axis of the equilibrium of the water´s resistance, and by consequence the main-mast should be planted in the point Z.
The figures E, E, E, are three windlasses on the shore, by which this experiment is applied.
With regard to the situation of the other masts, it is necessary, in the same manner, to discover two points; so that the direction of the two mechanical powers operating, will be parallel to the axis of resistance R Z already found.
The exact height of the masts, in proportion to the form and size of the ship, remains yet a problem to be determined. The more the masts are elevated above the centre of gravity, the greater will be the surface of sail, which they are enabled to present to the wind; so far an additional height seems to be advantageous. But this advantage is diminished by the circular movement of the mast, which operates to make the vessel stoop to its effort; and this inclination is increased, in proportion to the additional height of the mast; an inconvenience which it is necessary to guard against. Thus what is gained upon one hand is lost upon the other. To reconcile these differences, it is certain, that the height of the mast ought to be determined by the inclination of the vessel, and that the point of her greatest inclination should be the term of this height, above the centre of gravity. See the articleTrim.
With regard to the general practice of determining the height of the masts, according to the different rates of the ships in the royal navy, the reader is referred to the articleSail.
In order to secure the masts, and counterbalance the strain they receive from the effort of the sails impressed by the wind, and the agitation of the ship at sea, they are sustained by several strong ropes, extended from their upper-ends to the outside of the vessel, calledshrouds, see fig. 5. plateVI.
They are further supported by other ropes, stretched from their heads towards the fore-part of the vessel. SeeRigging.