Plate vi.
Plate vi.
Plate vi.
The mast, which is placed at the middle of the ship’s length, is called the main-mast,grand-mât; that which is placed in the fore-part, the foremast,mât de misaine; and that which is towards the stern is termed the mizen-mast,mât d’artimon.
N. B.Mizenis applied to this mast by all the nations of Europe, except the French, who alone call the fore-mastmisaine.
MASTERof a ship of war,maitre, an officer appointed by the commissioners of the navy to take charge of the navigating and conducting a ship from port to port, under the direction of the captain. The management and disposition of the sails, the working of the ship into her station in the order of battle, and the direction of her movements in the time of action, and in the other circumstances of danger, are also more particularly under his inspection. It is likewise his duty to examine the provisions, and accordingly to admit none into the ship but such as are sound, sweet, and wholsome. He is moreover charged with thestowage, or disposition of these materials in the ship’s hold; and to enable him the better to perform these services, he is allowed several assistants, who are properly termed mates and quarter-masters. See those articles.
Masterof a merchant-ship, the commanding officer, who is appointed by the merchants to manage the navigation and every thing relating to her cargo, voyage, sailors, &c.
Masterat arms, an officer appointed to teach the officers and crew of a ship of war the exercise of small arms; to confine and plant centinels over the prisoners, and superintend whatever relates to them during their confinement. He is also to observe that the fire and lights are all extinguished as soon as the evening gun is fired, except those which are permitted by proper authority, or under the inspection of centinels. It is likewise his duty to attend thegangway, when any boats arrive aboard, and search them carefully, together with their rowers, that no spirituous liquors may be conveyed into the ship, unless by permission of the commanding officer. In these several duties he is assisted with proper attendants, called his corporals, who also relieve the centinels, and one another, at certain periods.
Master-attendant, an officer in the royal dock-yards, appointed to hasten, and assist at, the fitting-out or dismantling, removing or securing vessels of war, &c. at the port where he resides. He is particularly to observe, that his majesty’s ships are securely moored; and for this purpose he is expected frequently to review themooringswhich are sunk in the harbour, and observe that they are kept in proper repair to be always ready when occasion requires. It is also his duty to visit all the ships inordinary, and see that they are frequently cleaned and kept in order; and to attend at the general musters in the dock-yards, taking care that all the officers, artificers, and labourers, registered in the navy-books, are present at their duty.
MAT,coussin, a sort of thick web or texture, formed of spun-yarn, or of a variety ofstrands, or separate parts of a small rope; or of a number of rope-yarns twisted intofoxes. The foxes are therefore larger or smaller, as containing a greater or lesser number of rope-yarns, in proportion to the thickness of the mat intended to be woven.
Mats are commonly used to fasten upon the outside of such parts of the standing rigging as are exposed to the friction of other ropes, in extending, shifting, or trussing up the sails, particularly the lower ones. The largest and strongest sort of these mats are calledpanches.
MATEof a ship of war, an officer under the direction of the master, by whose choice he is generally appointed, to assist him in the several branches of his duty. Accordingly he is to be particularly attentive to the navigation in his watch, &c. to keep thelogregularly, and examine the line, and glasses by which the ship’s course is measured, and to adjust the sails to the wind in the fore-part of the ship. He is also to have a diligent attention to the cables, seeing that they are wellcoiledand kept clean when laid in thetier, and sufficientlyservedwhen employed to ride the ship. Finally, he is to superintend, and assist at the stowage of the hold, taking especial care that all the ballast and provisions are properly stowed therein.
Mateof a merchant-ship, the officer who commands in the absence of the master thereof, and shares the duty with him at sea; being charged with every thing that regards the internal management of the ship, the directing her course, and the government of her crew.
The number of mates allowed to ships of war and merchantmen is always in proportion to the size of the vessel. Thus a first-rate man of war has six mates, and an East-Indiaman the same number; a frigate of 20 guns, and a small merchant-ship, have only one mate in each: and the intermediate ships have a greater or smaller number, according to their several sizes, or to the services on which they are employed.
MESS, a particular company of the officers or crew of a ship, who eat, drink, and associate together.
MESS-MATE, a companion or associate of the above division. See the articleBirth.
MIDSHIP,maitre, a term of distinction, applied by shipwrights to several pieces of timber which lie in the broadest part of the vessel; as,
Midship-beam,maitre-bau, the beam upon which the extreme breadth of a ship is formed, and which is situated in themidship-frame, nearly in the middle of her length, serving as a standard from whence the dimensions and proportions of the masts and yards are to be taken.
Midship-frame,maitre-couple, a name given to that timber, or combination of pieces, formed into one timber, which determines the extreme breadth of the ship, as well as the figure and dimension of all the inferior timbers.
In the 8th page, from the beginning of the articleNavalArchitecture, the reader will find a full explanation of what is meant by a frame of timbers. He will also perceive the out-lines of all the principal frames, with their gradual dimensions, from the midship-frame delineated in the plane of projection annexed to that article. As the parts, of which the several frames are composed, have the same relation to each other throughout the vessel; and as all the corresponding pieces, without and within those frames, are also nearly alike, and fixed in the same manner, it will be sufficient for our purpose to represent the principal, or midship-frame, together with its corresponding parts, which are as follow:
Explanation of theMidship-frame, plateVII. which exhibits a transverse section of a 74 gun ship, at the broadest part, answering to the same scale by which are delineated the head, quarter, and stern of a ship, of the same size, in platesIV. VIII. and X. to which the reader is referred.
A the keel, withathe false keel beneath it.
B the chocks fixed upon the kelson, to retain the opposite pieces of theridersfirmly together.
C one of the beams of the orlop.
D one of the lower-deck beams; withdthe beams of the upper-deck.
E the hanging-knees, by which the beams are attached to the timbers.
F the standards, which are fixed above the decks to which they belong.
G the clamps, which sustain the extremities of the beams.
H the gun-ports of the lower-deck; withhthe ports of the upper-deck.
I, K, L different pieces ofthick-stuff, placed opposite to the several scarfs, or joinings, in the frame of timbers.
M the planks of the deck.
N the water-ways.
O the planks of the ceiling, between the several ranges of thick-stuff.
P the spirketting.
Q the mainwale, to fortify the ship’s side opposite to the lower-deck.
R the channel-wale, opposite to the upper-deck.
S the waist-rail.
T the string, with the moulding under the gunwale.
U the floor-timbers, which are laid across the keel, and bolted to it.
V the several futtocks; and W the top-timbers, which are all united into one frame.
X the kelson.
MIDSHIPMAN, a sort of naval cadet, appointed by the captain of a ship of war, to second the orders of the superior officers, and assist in the necessary business of the vessel, either aboard or ashore.
The number of midshipmen, like that of all other officers, is always in proportion to the size of the ship to which they belong. Thus a first-rate man of war has twenty-four, and the inferior rates a suitable number in proportion. No person can be appointed lieutenant, without having previously served two years in the royal navy in this capacity, or in that ofmate, besides having been at least four years in actual service at sea, either in merchant-ships, or in the royal navy.
Midshipman is accordingly the station in which a young volunteer is trained in the several exercises, necessary to attain a sufficient knowledge of the machinery, discipline, movements, and military operations of a ship, to qualify him for a sea-officer.
Plate vii.
Plate vii.
Plate vii.
As the chief object of our attention has been to facilitate the acquisition of this intelligence, we have endeavoured to treat those subjects at large, in the different parts of this work, according to their importance. We have also sketched the general outlines of the respective charges of all the superior officers, which, in conformity to the plan of this work, become previous to this article. Thus the duties of the admiral, the captain, the lieutenant, and the master, are already explained in their proper places; and whatever intelligence appears necessary to discharge those offices, is also, in a high degree, essential to the midshipman. Those officers indeed, as well as many others, are furnished with suitable instructions to regulate their conduct; but the midshipman, being invested with no particular charge from the government, is by consequence omitted in those official regulations. In a work of this kind, however, the importance of the subject is not always determined by the superiority of rank or station. If our province is to communicate instruction, those who are the least informed are certainly the principal objects thereof, and to them our attention is more peculiarly directed. Hence the extent of our design comprehends many circumstances which would be immaterial in general orders and regulations; and hence abundance of particular directions to respective officers, inserted in those general regulations, are rejected here as foreign to our purpose. Averse as we are, on other occasions, to offend the rigid nicety of a critic, by introducing moral reflections, in a performance dedicated to scientifical description, we must for once be indulged with a short deviation from the plan hitherto invariably followed. Happy! if our efforts may in any degree operate to produce the effects for which they were calculated.
On his first entrance in a ship of war, every midshipman has several disadvantageous circumstances to encounter. These are partly occasioned by the nature of the sea-service, and partly by the mistaken prejudices of people in general, respecting naval discipline, and the genius of sailors and their officers. No character, in their opinion, is more excellent than that of the common sailor, whom they generally suppose to be treated with great severity by his officers, drawing a comparison between them not very advantageous to the latter. The midshipman usually comes aboard tinctured with these prejudices, especially if his education has been amongst the higher rank of people; and if the officers happen to answer his opinion, he conceives an early disgust to the service, from a very partial and incompetent view of its operations. Blinded by these prepossessions, he is thrown off his guard, and very soon surprized to find, amongst those honest sailors, a crew of abandoned miscreants, ripe for any mischief or villainy. Perhaps, after a little observation, many of them will appear to him equally destitute of gratitude, shame, or justice, and only deterred from the commission of any crimes by the terror of severe punishment. He will discover, that the pernicious example of a few of the vilest in a ship of war are too often apt to poison the principles of the greatest number, especially if the reins of discipline are too much relaxed, so as to foster that idleness and dissipation, which engender sloth, diseases, and an utter profligacy of manners. If the midshipman, on many occasions, is obliged to mix with these, particularly in the exercises of extending or reducing the sails in the tops, he ought resolutely to guard against this contagion, with which the morals of his inferiors may be infected. He should however avail himself of their knowledge, and acquire their expertness in managing and fixing the sails and rigging, and never suffer himself to be excelled by an inferior. He will probably find a virtue in almost every private sailor, which is entirely unknown to many of his officers: that virtue is emulation, which is not indeed mentioned amongst their qualities by the gentleman ofterra firma, by whom their characters are often copiously described with very little judgment. There is hardly a common tar who is not envious of superior skill in his fellows, and jealous on all occasions to be out-done in what he considers as a branch of his duty! Nor is he more afraid of the dreadful consequences of whistling in a storm, than of being stigmatized with the opprobious epithet oflubber. Fortified against this scandal, by a thorough knowledge of his business, the sailor will sometimes sneer in private, at the execution of orders, which to him appear aukward, improper, or unlike a seaman. Nay, he will perhaps be malicious enough to suppress his own judgment, and by a punctual obedience to command, execute whatever is to be performed, in a manner which he knows to be improper, in order to expose the person commanding to disgrace and ridicule. Little skilled in the method of the schools, he considers the officer who cons his lesson by rote as very ill qualified for his station, because particular situations might render it necessary for the said officer to assist at putting his own orders in practice. An ignorance in this practical knowledge will therefore necessarily be thought an unpardonable deficiency by those who are to follow his directions. Hence the midshipman, who associates with these sailors in the tops, till he has acquired a competent skill in the service of extending or reducing the sails, &c. will be often entertained with a number of scurrilous jests, at the expence of his superiors. Hence also he will learn, that a timely application to those exercises can only prevent him from appearing in the same despicable point of view, which must certainly be a cruel mortification to a man of the smallest sensibility.
If the midshipman is not employed in these services, which are undoubtedly necessary to give him a clearer idea of the different parts of his occupation, a variety of other objects present themselves to his attention. Without presuming to dictate the studies which are most essential to his improvement, we could wish to recommend such as are most suitable to the bent of his inclination. Astronomy, geometry, and mechanics, which are in the first rank of science, are the materials which form the skilful pilot and the superior mariner. The theory of navigation is entirely derived from the two former, and all the machinery and movements of a ship are founded upon the latter. The action of the wind upon the sails, and the resistance of the water at the stem, naturally dictate an enquiry into the property of solids and fluids: and the state of the ship, floating on the water, seems to direct his application to the study of hydrostatics and the effects of gravity. A proficiency in these branches of science will equally enlarge his views, with regard to the operations of naval war, as directed by the efforts of powder, and the knowledge of projectiles. The most effectual method to excite his application to those studies is, perhaps, by looking round the navy, to observe the characters of individuals. By this enquiry he will probably discover, that the officer, who is eminently skilled in the sciences, will command universal respect and approbation; and that whoever is satisfied with the despicable ambition of shining the hero of an assembly, will be the object of universal contempt. The attention of the former will be engaged in those studies, which are highly useful to himself in particular, and to the service in general. The employment of the latter is to acquire those superficial accomplishments, that unbend the mind from every useful science, emasculate the judgment, and render the hero infinitely more dextrous at falling into his station in the dance, than in the line of battle.
Unless the midshipman has an unconquerable aversion to the acquisition of those qualifications, which are so essential to his improvement, he will very rarely want opportunities of making a progress therein. Every step he advances in those meritorious employments, will facilitate his accession to the next in order. If the dunces, who are his officers or mess-mates, are rattling the dice, roaring bad verses, hissing on the flute, or scraping discord from the fiddle, his attention to more noble studies will sweeten the hours of relaxation. He should recollect that no example from fools ought to influence his conduct, or seduce him from that laudable ambition which his honour and advantage are equally concerned to pursue.
MIZEN,artimon, (misana, Ital.) the aftermost or hindmost of the fixed sails of a ship, extended sometimes by agaff, and sometimes by ayardwhich crosses the mast obliquely; the fore-end reaching almost down to the deck, and the after-end being peeked up as high above the middle of the yard, where it is attached to the mast. The figure of the mizen is accordingly a trapezia, or a parallelogram, one of whose corners is cut off by a diagonal, extended from one of its sides to the opposite corner, which becomes thepeekof the mizen. See the articleSail.
MIZEN-MAST, the mast upon which the mizen and its top-sail and stay-sails are supported, besides other sails, which are set occasionally, as thedriver, ring-tail, &c. See the articleMast.
The shrouds, stays, and back-stays of this mast, as well as all the running-rigging, together with its several yards and sails, being described under the articlesShrowd,Stay,Yard, &c. the reader is referred thither for the explanations thereof, which are in general applicable also to the same furniture of both the other masts.
MOLE, a name given in the Mediterranean to a long pier, or artificial bulwark of masonry, extending obliquely across the entrance of a harbour, in order to break the force of the sea from the vessels which are anchored within.
Moleis also, although improperly, applied to the harbour or haven, which is formed by the bulwark above described, which is then denominated the mole-head.
MONSOON, a name given to the periodical or trade-winds, which blow regularly in certain latitudes of the Indian ocean. They continue five or six months invariably in one direction, and then alter their course, and blow, during an equal space of time, from a different point of the compass with the same uniformity.
MOORING, the act of confining and securing a ship in a particular station, by chains or cables, which are either fastened to the adjacent shore, or to anchors in the bottom.
A ship may be either moored by thehead, or by the head and stern; that is to say, she may be secured by anchors before her, without any behind: or she may have anchors out, both before and behind her; or her cables may be attached to posts, rings, ormoorings, which answer the same purpose.
When a ship is moored by the head with her own anchors, they are disposed according to the circumstances of the place where she lies, and the time she is to continue therein. Thus wherever a tide ebbs and flows, it is usual to carry one anchor out towards the flood, and another towards the ebb, particularly where there is little room to range about; and the anchors are laid in the same manner, if the vessel is moored head-and-stern in the same place. The situation of the anchors, in a road or bay, is usually opposed to the reigning winds, or those which are most dangerous; so that the ship rides therein with the effort of both her cables. Thus if she rides in a bay, or road, which is exposed to a northerly wind and heavy sea from the same quarter, the anchors passing from the oppositebowsought to lie east and west from each other: hence both the cables will retain the ship in her station with equal effort against the action of the wind and sea.
Mooringsare usually an assemblage of anchors, chains, andbridles, laid athwart the bottom of a river, or haven, to ride the shipping contained therein.
The anchors, employed on this occasion, have rarely more than one fluke, which is sunk in the river near low-water mark. Two anchors, being fixed in this manner, on the opposite sides of the river, are furnished with a chain, extending across from one to the other. In the middle of the chain is a large square link, whose lower end terminates in a swivel, which turns round in the chain as about an axis, whenever the ship veers about with the change of the tide. To this swivel-link are attached the bridles, which are short pieces of cable, well served, whose upper ends are drawn into the ship, at the mooring-ports, and afterwards fastened to the masts, or cable-bits.
A great number of moorings, of this sort, are fixed in the royal ports, or the harbours adjacent to the king’s dock-yards, as Deptford, Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth, &c.
MORTAR, a piece of artillery, shorter and wider than the cannon, and having a chamber different from the size of its bore.
Mortars are used in the attack of a fortified place, by sea, to discharge bombs or carcases amongst the buildings. The bomb is a great hollow ball, filled with powder, which, falling into the works of a fortification, &c. destroys the most substantial buildings by its weight; and, bursting asunder, creates the greatest disorder and mischief by its splinters.
The chambers of mortars are extremely different in their figures, and each of those figures is defended by better or worse arguments. Thus they are spherical, cylindrical, conical, bottled, or concave. In reality, nothing appears to be less determined upon true principles or experiments than the proportions of the several parts of a mortar[39].
As the sea-mortars, or those which are fixed in the bomb-vessels, are generally fixed at a much greater distance than is ever required ashore, they are made somewhat longer, and much heavier, than the land-mortars.
PlateVI. fig. 7. represents a sea-mortar, the principal parts of which are, A, the chace; B, the reinforce; C, the breech; and D, the trunnions. The interior part, comprehended between the dotted lines, is called the bore, wherein the bomb is lodged; and the inner part of the bore, which is diminished towards the breech, and contains the powder, is termed the chamber.
Mr. Muller, in his Treatise of Artillery, very justly observes, that the breech of our 13 inch sea-mortars is loaded with an unnecessary weight of metal. The chamber thereof contains 32 pounds of powder, and at the same time they are never charged with more than 12 or 15 pounds, by the most expert officers, because the bomb-vessel is unable to bear the violent shock of their full charge. Thus the action of the powder is diminished by the vacancy left in the chamber, which is never above half filled. As a charge of 12 or 15 pounds of powder at most is therefore sufficient, it is evidently proved, by the theory of powder, that this will produce the greatest effect when discharged from a mortar with a cylindrical chamber, represented by fig. 8. He also proves, by a variety of experiments made by Captain Desaguliers and himself, that the conical chamber, now used, is considerably inferior to the cylindrical one with the last charge of powder.
To facilitate the use of the mortar, it is placed in a solid carriage of timber, called the bed, whose different parts are strongly bolted together. By means of this it is firmly secured in its situation, so that the explosion of the powder may not alter its direction. In the middle of the upper-side of this carriage, plateVI. fig. 9. are two semi-circular notches, to receive the trunnions; over these are fixed two very strong bands of iron, called the cap-squares,a, the middle of which is bent into a semi-circle, to embrace the trunnions, and keep them fast in the mortar-bed. The cap-squares are confined to the timber-work by strong pins of iron, called the eye-bolts,b, into whose upper ends are driven the keys, chained beneath them. On the fore-part of the bed a piece of timber is placed transversely, upon which rests the belly of the mortar, or that part which contains the chamber. The elevation of this piece, which is called the bed-bolster, is represented by fig. 13. and the plan by fig. 12. it is used to elevate and support the mortar whilst firing.
These beds are placed upon very strong frames of timber, which are fixed in the bomb-ketch, and represented in fig. 14. plateVI. They are securely attached to the frames, by means of a strong bolt of iron, fig. 15. called the pintle, passing perpendicularly through both, and afterwards through one of the beams of the vessel. Thus the pintle, which passes through the hole in the centre of the plan, fig. 10. serves as an axis to the bed; so that the mortar may be turned about horizontally as occasion requires.
PlateVI. fig. 9. represents the elevation of the bed of a 10 inch sea-mortar; fig. 10 is the plan, and 11 the front view thereof; fig. 12 exhibits the plan, and fig. 13 the elevation of the bed-bolster.
We have already observed, that the bomb, which is usually called the shell by artillery-people, is a great hollow ball, charged with powder. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the bomb, and fig. 17 a section of it, whereby the thickness is exhibited. The partsaandbof the shell are its handles, by which it is lifted up or removed; andcis the fuse-hole, or aperture, through which the powder is poured in to charge it.
It appears, by fig. 17, that the lower part of the shell is thickest, by which it becomes heavier on that side, and accordingly falls thereon, and never on the fuse. It is also the better enabled thereby to resist the impression of the powder, by which it is discharged from the mortar. Both of these reasons, however, Mr. Muller conceives to be immaterial, because nothing but an absolute stoppage of the air can exhaust the fuses, as their composition enables them to burn in water, as well as air or earth; and the explosion of the mortar would not, in his opinion, be able to break them, if they are equally thick every where. The most proper quantity of powder to charge a bomb is probably two thirds of the weight which would fill the cavity.
The fuse of the bomb is represented byc d, fig. 17. It is generally a conical tube, formed of beech, willow, or some dry wood, and filled with a composition of sulphur, salt-petre, and mealed-powder. The bomb being charged, this fuse is inserted in the cavity through the fuse-hole; and when fired, communicates the fire to the powder in the shell.
The fuses for bombs are charged with great care, that nothing may prevent them from communicating the fire to the powder in the centre of the bomb. They are driven into the shell so as that only about an inch and a half comes out beyond the fuse-hole; and then the shell is said to be fixed.
These fuses are also charged long before there is occasion to use them; and that the composition with which they are filled may not fall out, or be damaged, by growing damp, the two ends are covered with a composition of tallow, mixed either with pitch or bees wax. When the fuse is to be put into the shell, the little end is opened or cut off; but the great end is never opened till the mortar is to be fired[40].
When the proper quantity of powder, necessary to charge the mortar, is put into the chamber, it is covered with a wad, well beat down with the rammer. After this the fixed shell is placed upon the wad, as near the middle of the mortar as possible, with the fuse-hole uppermost, and another wad pressed down close upon it, so as to keep the shell firm in its position. The officer then points the mortar, or gives it the inclination necessary to carry the bomb to the place designed. When the mortar is thus fixed, the fuse is opened; the priming-iron is also thrust into the touch-hole of the mortar to clear it, after which it is primed with the finest powder. This done, two of the matrosses, or sailors, taking each one of the matches, the first lights the fuse, and the other fires the mortar. The bomb, thrown out by the explosion of the powder, is carried to the place intended; and the fuse, which ought to be exhausted at the instant of the shell’s falling, inflames the powder contained therein, and bursts the shell into splinters; which, flying off circularly, occasion incredible mischief wheresoever they reach.
When any fixed shells are issued from the tenders, the artillery people on board are immediately to fix others in their room, and are always to keep in their tenders the same number they had at first.
The shells are to be fixed in the boat appointed to carry them, provided the weather permits; otherwise, in the safest place on deck, and to bekitted, or lowered down into a spare rack, which must be in each boat for that purpose. While the shells are fixing, the powder-room is to be shut, the hatches laid and well secured against fire, and the place where they are fixed is to be well watered.
The shells being carefully examined in order that no spike is left therein, by which the fuse may be split, the fuses are to be cut the full length, and to be set home into the shell very strongly.
No shells, fixed during the service, are to be kitted; but if any should be left, when the service is over, they are immediately to be kitted.
The powder in the bomb-vessels is to be used first; and none to be opened or measured out, except in the captain’s cabin, the door of which is to be kept shut during the whole time, and covered with tanned hides, to make it as secure as possible.
The fixed shells in the boats are to be likewise covered from fire or wet with hair-cloth and tanned hides, with the utmost care.
If the service is carried on at night, all the powder is to be ready measured out in cartridges, which may be kept in the powder-magazine and captain’s cabin, in the empty powder-barrels and powder-bags; and all the shells requisite are to be ready. The tin tubes, one powder-horn, and the port-fires; also the punches and bits for the vents, are to be kept in the captain’s cabin.
No fire or light, except match and port-fires, to be on board either bomb-vessel or tender during the service.
The captain’s cabin and the passage to it; also the way to the magazine and decks, are to be constantly watered.
The spunges for the mortars are to be all examined and tried, and if too large, they are to be cut so as to enter easily.
The vents of the mortars are to be examined, and the punches and tubes tried in them.
A laboratory-chest is to be on board each bomb-vessel, in the captain’s cabin, in which all the small stores are to be kept.
Two tubs of water are to be on deck, for the lightest port-fires and match, which must be constantly held in them till ordered to fire.
Two careful men are also to be appointed for this service, who are to do nothing else on any account.
Two careful men of the artillery are to be left on board each tender, for the filling and fixing of the shells.
Application must be made to the admiral for two men of war’s boats to attend on each bomb-ketch and tender, for carrying shells and stores. One of these is to be loaded with fixed shells, which, when sent to the bomb-vessel, must remain with her until they are all taken out, which should be only as they are wanted for loading the mortars; it is then to return to the tender. The other boat, mean while, will be receiving more fixed shells, and on the signal given from the bomb-ketch for more shells, must immediately repair to her with them.
A gang of warrant-officers, and eight seamen, are to be at each mortar, to give whatever assistance may be required.
A gang from the navy, with a careful warrant-officer, and a non-commissioned officer of the artillery, are to have the charge between decks on board each bomb and tender, to get up the fixed shells that are in the rack; and a careful person is to remain constantly at the powder-room door, which must be kept shut as much as possible.
When any powder is wanted from the tender for loading the mortar, it should be measured out in the tender, and the proper charge put into paper-cartridges, upon which should be written the quantity, and the mortar for which it is allotted.
If the service of mortars should render it necessary to use pound-shots, 200 of them, with a wooden bottom, are to be put into the 13 inch mortar, and a quantity of powder, not exceeding five pounds; and 100 of the above shot, with 2½ lb. of powder for the 10 inch mortar, or 3 lb. at most.
One inch of fuse burns 4 seconds and 48 parts.
The howitzer, fig. 18. is a sort of mortar, which is to be fixed horizontally like a cannon; and has, like the cannon, a wheel-carriage. These pieces, however, are very rarely used in the sea-service.
For an account of the elevation of the mortar, and flight of bombs according to the different charges of powder, the reader is referred to the articleRange.
MOULD,devers, a thin flexible piece of timber, used by shipwrights, as a pattern whereby to form the different curves of the timbers, and othercompassingpieces, in a ship’s frame. There are two sorts of these, namely, the bend-mould and hollow-mould: the former of these determines the convexity of the timbers, and the latter, their concavity on the outside, where they approach the keel, particularly towards the extremities of the vessel. The figure, given to the timbers by this pattern, is called theirbevelling. See that article.
MOUNTED,monté, the state of being armed or equipped with a certain number of cannon; expressed of a vessel of war.
MOUSE,fusée, a sort of knob, usually in the shape of a pear, wrought on the outside of a rope, by means of spun-yarn, parsling, &c. as described in the articlepuddening. It is used to confine some other securely to the former, and prevent it from sliding along its surface.
These mouses are particularly used on the stays of the lower-mast, to prevent theeyefrom slipping up to the mast; a circumstance which would render it extremely difficult to remove the stay from the mast-head, when necessary.
MOUSINGa hook, the operation of fastening a small cord, or line, across the upper-part, from the point to the back thereof, in order to prevent it from unhooking by the motion of the vessel, or otherwise.
MUSTERING, (mousteren, Dutch) the act of calling over a list of the whole ship’s company, or any particular detachment thereof, who are accordingly summoned to answer by their names on the occasion.
NAVAL, of or belonging to a ship, or to the royal navy. Hence we say, naval-stores, naval officers, &c.
NAVE-LINE, a sort of small tackle, depending from the head of the main-mast and foremast, and fastened to the middle of theparrelimmediately behind the mast, and communicating with the gears. It is used to keep the parrel directly opposite to the yard, and particularly whilst hoisting or lowering, as it would otherwise hang under the yard, and prevent it from being sufficientlybraced.
NAVIGATION, (navigation, Fr.) the art of directing the movements of a ship by the action of the wind upon the sails. See the articleSailing.
Navigation is then applied, with equal propriety, to the arrangement of the sails, according to the state of the wind; and to the directing and measuring a ship’s course by the laws of geometry; or it may comprehend both, being then considered as the theory and practice thereof.
Since every sea-officer is presumed to be furnished with books of navigation, in which that science is copiously described, it would be superfluous to enter into a particular detail of it in this place. As it would also be a fruitless task to those who are entirely ignorant of the rules of trigonometry, it appears not to come within the limits of our design: and those who are versed in that science generally understand the principles of navigation already. It suffices to say, that the course of a ship, and the distance she has run thereon, are measured by the angles and sides of a right-angled plain triangle, in which the hypothenuse is converted into the distance; the perpendicular, into the difference of latitude; the base, into the departure from the meridian; the angle, formed by the perpendicular and hypothenuse, into the course; and the opposite angle, contained between the hypothenuse and base, into its complement of the course.
The course of the ship is determined by thecompass; and thelog-line, or a solar observation, ascertains the distance. Hence the hypothenuse and angles are given, to find the base and perpendicular; a problem well known in trigonometry.
That part of navigation, which regards the piloting or conducting a ship along the sea-coast, can only be acquired by a thorough knowledge of that particular coast, after repeated voyages. The most necessary articles thereof are already described in the articleCoasting: it is sufficient to observe, that the bearings and distances from various parts of the shore are generally ascertained in the night, either bylight-houses, or by the different depths of the water, and the various sorts of ground at the bottom; as shells of different sizes and colours, sand, gravel, clay, stones, ooze, or shingle. In the day, the ship’s place is known by the appearance of the land, which is set by the compass, whilst the distance is estimated by the master or pilot.
NAVY (fromnavis, Lat.) implies, in general, any fleet or assembly of ships. It is, however, more particularly understood of the fleet of vessels of war, that belong to a kingdom or state, to be employed either in assaulting and destroying its enemies, or protecting its commerce, and defending its coasts against hostilities or invasion.
The navy of Great-Britain, together with its civil and military departments, is governed by the lord high-admiral, or the lords commissioners for executing this office. It is divided into several classes, or orders, in proportion to the size of the ships, &c. See the articleRate.
If the only objects to be considered in the distribution of the navy, into different rates, were to improve ship-building, and facilitate the operations of the marine, it might appear expedient to multiply the rates, much beyond their present number, which would oblige the shipwrights to study the principles of their art with more diligence and application. But the simplicity of the service in our dock-yards, and the views of œconomy, which ought never to be neglected when they regard important objects, has rendered it convenient to arrange the masts, the yards, the sails, the rigging, and artillery, into six rates; which, besides that of sloops of war, answers all the purposes of the navy. SeeDock-Yards.
Navyis also the collective body of officers employed in his majesty’s sea-service.
NEAPED, (fromnepflod, Sax.) the situation of a ship which is left aground on the height of a spring-tide, so that she cannot be floated off till the return of the next spring. SeeTide.
NEEDLE, See the articleCompass.
NETTING, a sort of fence, formed of an assemblage of ropes, fastened across each other, so as to leave uniform intervals between. These are usually stretched along the upper-part of a ship’s quarter, and secured in this position byrailsandstanchions. SeeQuarter.
NIPPERS,garcettes de tournevire, certain pieces of flat, braided cordage, used to fasten the cable to thevoyalin a ship of war, when the former is drawn into the ship by mechanical powers applied to the latter.
These nippers are usually six or eight feet in length, according to the size of the cable; and five or six of them are commonly fastened about the cable and voyal at once, in order to be heaved in by the capstern. Those which are farthest aft are always taken off, as the cable approaches the main hatchway; and others are at the same time fastened on, in the fore-part of the ship, to supply their places. The persons employed to bind the nippers about the cable and voyal, are called nipper-men: they are assisted in this office by the boys of the ship, who always supply them with nippers, and receive the ends of those which are fastened, to walk aft with them, and take them off at the proper place, in order to return them to the nipper-men.
NITTLES. SeeKnittles.
NO NEARER! (arrive!) the command given by the pilot, or quarter-master, to the helmsman, to steer the ship no higher to the direction of the wind than the sails will operate to advance the ship in her course. It is often abbreviated intono near, and sometimes intonear; and is generally applied when the sails shake in the wind. SeeShivering.
NO MAN’S LAND,St. Aubinet, a space between the after-part of the belfrey and the fore-part of a ship’s boat, when the said boat is stowed upon the booms, as in adeep-waistedvessel. These booms are laid from the forecastle nearly to the quarter-deck, where their after-ends are usually sustained by a frame called the gallows, which consists of two strong posts, about six feet high, with a cross piece, reaching from one to the other,athwart-ships, and serving to support the ends of those booms, masts, and yards, which lie in reserve to supply the place of others carried away, &c. The space calledNo man’s landis used to contain any blocks, ropes, tackles, &c. which may be necessary on the forecastle. It probably derives this name from its situation, as being neither on the starboard nor larboard side of the ship, nor on thewaisteorforecastle; but being situated in the middle, partakes equally of all those places.
NORMAN, a name given to a short wooden bar, thrust into one of the holes of the windlass in a merchant-ship, whereon to fasten the cable. It is only used when there is very little strain on the cable, as in a commodious harbour, when the ship is well sheltered from the wind and tide.
NUTSof the anchor, two little prominencies, appearing like short square bars of iron, fixed across the upper-part of the anchor-shank, to secure the stock thereof in its place; for which purpose there is a corresponding notch, or channel, cut in the opposite parts of the stock, of the same dimensions with the nuts. See the articleAnchor.
OAKHAM, or OAKUM, the substance into which old ropes are reduced, when they are untwisted, loosened, and drawn asunder. It is principally used to drive into the seams, or intervals, between the planks of a ship, to prevent the water from entering. See the articleCaulking.
WhiteOakum, is that which is formed of untarred ropes.
OAR,rame, (are, Sax.) a long piece of timber, flat at one end, and round or square at the other, and which being applied to the side of a floating-vessel, serves to make it advance upon the water.
That part of the oar which is out of the vessel, and which enters into the water, is called the blade, or wash,plat; and that which is within-board, is termed the loom, whose extremity,manche, being small enough to be grasped by therowers, or persons managing the oars, is called the handle.
To push the boat or vessel forwards, by means of this instrument, the rowers turn their backs forward, and, dipping the blade of the oar in the water, pull the handleforwardso that the blade at the same time may moveaftin the water: But since the blade cannot be so moved, without striking the water, this impulsion is the same, as if the water were to strike the blade from the stern towards the head: the vessel is therefore necessarily moved according to this direction. Hence it follows, that she will advance with the greater rapidity, by as much as the oar strikes the water more forcibly. Thus it is evident, that an oar acts upon the side of a boat or vessel like a lever of the second class, whose fulcrum is the station, upon which the oar rests on the boat’sgunnel. In large vessels, this station is usually called therow-port; but in lighters and boats it is always termed therow-lock.
To ship theOars,armer, is to fix them in the row-locks ready for rowing.
OBSERVATION, the art of measuring the altitude of the sun or a star, in order to determine the latitude, or the sun’s azimuth, &c.
OFF, an expression applied to the movement of a ship, when she sails out from the shore towards the distant sea. When a ship is beating to windward, so that by one board she approaches towards the shore, and by the other sails out to sea-ward, she is said to stand off and on shore, alternately. Hence,
Offing,largue,dehors, implies out at sea; or at a competent distance from the shore, and generally out of anchor-ground.
Offward, the situation of a ship which lies aground, and leans off from the shore.
OLERON, a name given to a code of general rules relating to naval affairs, and formed by Richard I. when he was at the island of Oleron. These have been frequently esteemed the most excellent sea-laws in the world; and are still preserved in the black book of the admiralty.
OPEN,debouclé, the situation of a place which is exposed to the wind and sea, with little or no shelter for shipping to anchor therein.
Open,ouvert, is also expressed of any distant object, to which the sight or passage is not intercepted by something lying, or coming between. Thus, to be open with any place, is to be opposite to it; as the entry of a port, road, or haven.
OPENING, a passage, or streight, between two adjacent coasts or islands.
ORDINARY,gardiens, the establishment of the persons employed by the government to take charge of the ships of war, which arelaid-upin the several harbours adjacent to the royal dock-yards. These are principally composed of the warrant-officers of the said ships, as the gunner, boatswain, carpenter, deputy-purser and cook, and their servants. There is besides a crew of labourers enrolled in the list of the ordinary, who pass from ship to ship occasionally to pump, moor, remove, or clean them, whenever it is necessary.
The termordinaryis also applied, sometimes, to the ships themselves; it is likewise used to distinguish the inferior sailors from the most expert and diligent. Thus the latter are ratedableon the navy-books, and have 1l.4s.per month whereas those who are ratedordinary, have only 19s.per month.
ORLOP, (over-loop, Dutch)faux-pont, a plat-form of planks laid over the beams, in the hold of a ship of war, whereon the cables are usually coiled, and the several officers store-rooms contained.
OVER-BOARD, the state of being thrown out of a ship, or boat, into the water whereon she swims: also the act of falling from such a vessel into the sea, &c. as, the ship sprung a leak, and obliged us to throw the guns over-board; a heavy sea broke over the deck, and carried two of our men over-board.
OVER-CAST-STAFF,trebuchet, a scale, or measure, employed by shipwrights to determine the difference between the curves of thosetimberswhich are placed near the greatest breadth, and those which are situated near the extremities of the keel, where the floor rises and grows narrower.
OVER-HAULING,parcourir, the act of opening and extending the several parts of atackle, or other assemblage of ropes, communicating with blocks ordead-eyes. It is used to remove those blocks to a sufficient distance from each other, that they may be again placed in a state of action, so as to produce the effect required. See the articleTackle.
Over-hauling, is also vulgarly expressed of an examination or inspection into the condition of a person or thing.
OVER-MASTED, the state of a ship, whose masts are too high, or too heavy, for the weight of her hull to counter-balance.
OVER-SETTING,chavirer, the act of turning any thing upside-down; also the movement of a ship when she over-turns,faire capot, so that the keel becomes above the water, and the masts under the surface.
OUT,dehors, an expression frequently used at sea, implying the situation of the sails when they areset, or extended, to assist the ship’s course; as opposed toin; which is also applied, in the contrary sense, to signify that such sails are furled.
OUT-FIT, is generally used to signify the expences of equipping a ship for a sea-voyage; or of arming her for war, or both together. SeeFitting-out.
OUT OF TRIM,endormi, the state of a ship when she is not properly balanced for the purposes of navigation; which is either occasioned by the size, or position of her masts and sails; or by the comparative quantity, or arrangement of her cargo and ballast in the hold.
OUT-RIGGER, a strong beam of timber, of which there are several fixed on the side of a ship, and projecting from it, in order to secure the masts in the act ofcareening. See that article.
The outer ends of these beams are firmly lashed to a bolt in the ship’s side beneath, by which they are enabled to support the mast, by counteracting the strain it suffers from the effort of the careening tackles; which being applied in the mast-head, draws it downwards, so as to act upon the vessel with the power of a lever, whose fulcrum is in her centre of gravity.
Out-riggeris also a small boom, occasionally used in thetopsto thrust out the breast-back-stays to windward, in order to increase their tension, and thereby give additional security to the top-mast.
This boom is usually furnished with a tackle at its inner-end, communicating with one of the topmast-shrouds; and has a notch on the outer end to contain the back-stay, and keep it steddy therein. As soon as the back-stay is drawn tight, by means of its tackle in thechains, the out-rigger is applied aloft, which forces it out to windward, beyond the circle of the top, so as to increase the angle which the mast makes with the back-stay, and accordingly enable the latter the better to support the former.
This machine is sometimes applied without any tackle; it is then thrust out to its usual distance beyond the top-rim, where it is securely fastened; after which the back-stay is placed in the notch, and extended below.
OWNER, the proprietor of a ship, by whom she is freighted to the merchant for a sea-voyage.
PACKET, or PACKET-BOAT, (paquet, Fr.) a vessel appointed by the government to carry the mail of letters, packets, and expresses from one kingdom to another by sea, in the most expeditious manner. Thus the packet-boats, under the direction of the post-master-general of Great-Britain, carry the mails from Dover to Calais, from Falmouth to Lisbon, from Harwich to Helvoetsluys, and from Parkgate to Dublin.
PADDLE,pagaie, (pattal, Welsh) a sort of oar used by the savages of Africa and America to navigate their canoes. It is much shorter and broader in the blade than the oars of a boat, and is equally employed in rowing and steering. See the articleCanoe.
PAINTER,cableau, (probably frombindar, Sax. to bind) a rope employed to fasten a boat either along-side of the ship to which she belongs, or to some wharf, key, &c. as occasion requires.
PALM,paumet, an implement used instead of a thimble in the exercise of making and mending sails. It is formed of a piece of leather or canvas, on the middle of which is fixed a round plate of iron, of an inch in diameter, whose surface is pierced with a number of small holes, to catch the head of the sail-needle. The leather is formed so as to encircle the hand, and button on the back thereof, while the iron remains in the palm; so that the whole strength of the hand may be exerted to thrust the needle through the canvas, when it is stiff and difficult to be penetrated in sewing.
PANCH, a sort of thick and strong mat, or texture, formed by interweaving twists of rope-yarn as close as possible. It is chiefly used to fasten on the outside of the yards, or rigging, to prevent their surfaces from being rubbed by the friction of some other contiguous object, particularly when the vessel is rocked by a tempestuous sea. See alsoMat.
PARBUCKLE, a contrivance used by sailors tolowera cask or bale from any height, as the top of a wharf or key, into a boat or lighter, which lies along-side, being chiefly employed where there is no crane or tackle.
It is formed by fastening thebightof a rope to a post, or ring, upon the wharf, and thence passing the two parts of the rope under the two quarters of the cask, and bringing them back again over it; so that when the two lower parts remain firmly attached to the post, the two upper parts are gradually slackened together, and the barrel, or bale, suffered to roll easily downward to that place where it is received below. This method is also frequently used by masons, in lifting up or letting down large stones, when they are employed in building; and from them it has probably been adopted by seamen.
PARCELLING, certain long narrow slips of canvas, daubed with tar, and frequently bound about a rope, in the same manner as bandages are applied to a broken limb in surgery.
This is chiefly practised when the said rope is intended to beserved, at which time the parcelling is laid in spiral turns, as smoothly upon the surface as possible, that the rope may not become uneven and full of ridges. It is also employed to raise themouses, which are formed on thestaysand on thevoyalbeing firmly fastened bymarlingit from one end to the other.
Parcellingaseam, is laying a shred of canvas upon it, and daubing it over with melted pitch, both above and below the canvas.
PARLIAMENT-HEEL, the situation of a ship, when she is made to stoop a little to one side, so as to clean the upper part of her bottom on the other side, and cover it with a new composition; and afterwards to perform the same office on that part of the bottom which was first immersed. The application of a new composition, orcoatof stuff, on this occasion, is calledboot-topping. See that article.
PARREL,racage, (probably fromparallel) a machine used to fasten the sail-yards of a ship to the masts, in such a manner as that they may be easily hoisted and lowered thereon, as occasion requires.
There are four different sorts of parrels, one of which is formed of a single rope; another, of a rope communicating with an assemblage ofribsand trucks; a third, of a rope passing through several trucks, without anyribs; and the fourth, of atruss, by which the yard may be at any time slackened from the mast, or confined thereto as close as possible.
The first of these, which is also the simplest, is formed of a piece of rope, well covered with leather, or spun-yarn, and furnished with an eye at each end. The middle of it being passed round the middle of the yard, both parts of it are fastened together on the after-side of the yard, and the two ends, which are equally long, are passed round the after-part of the mast; and one of them being brought under, and the other over the yard, the two eyes are lashed together with a piece of spun-yarn on the fore-side thereof, whilst another lashing is employed to bind them together, behind the mast, according to the manner described in the articleMarling.
The second and most complicated are composed of ribs and trucks, the former of which are long flat pieces of wood, having two holes near their ends,bigots, as represented by fig.a.plateVIII. the latter,pommes, are small globular pieces,b, with a hole through the middle, of the same size with those of the ribs. Between every two ribs are placed two trucks, of which one is opposite to the upper hole, and the other to the lower holes of both ribs; so that the parrel-rope,bâtard, which passes through the whole, unites them together like a string of beads.
In order to fasten this machinecmore conveniently about the mast and yard, so as to attach the latter to the former, the parrel-rope is formed of two pieces, each of which are furnished with an eye at one end, and both eyes lie on one side of the mast; that is to say, one piece of the rope passes through the lower part of the parrel, and thence under the yard, whilst the other comes through the upper part of the parrel and over the yard, till both eyes meet on the fore-side of the yard, where they arejoinedtogether. The other two ends of the parrel-rope are passed about the yard, and the hind part of the parrel alternately, till the latter is sufficiently secured to the former. The whole process is compleated bymarlingthe turns of the parrel-rope together, so as to confine them close in the cavity, formed on the back of the ribs, as expressed in the figure.
The third is nothing more than a single rope, with any number of trucks thereon, sufficient to embrace the mast. These are calculated for the cheeks of agaff. See that article.
The last, which are known by the name of truss-parrels, are somewhat resembling the first, only that instead of being fastened by lashings, the ropes, of which they are composed, communicate with tackles reaching to the deck, so that the parrel may be occasionally slackened or straitened, in order to let the yard move off from the mast, or confine it thereto as strictly as possible. The last of these are peculiar to the lower-yards, whereon they are extremely convenient. The second are always used for the top-sail yards, and frequently for the lower-yards, in merchant-ships; and the first are seldom employed but for the top-gallant-yards.
PARSLING. SeeParcelling.
PARTING,démarrer, the state of being driven from the anchors, expressed of a ship, when she has broke her cable by the violence of the wind, waves, or current, or all of them together.
PARTNERS,etambraies, certain pieces of plank nailed round the severalscuttles, or holes, in a ship’s deck, wherein are contained the masts and capsterns. They are used to strengthen the deck where it is weakened by those breaches, but particularly to support it when the mast leans against it; as impressed by a weight of sail, or when the capstern bears forcibly upon it whilst charged with a great effort.
Partnersis also a name given occasionally to the scuttles themselves, wherein the masts and capsterns are fixed.
PASS, or PASSPORT, a permission granted by any state to navigate in some particular sea, without hindrance or molestation from it. It contains the name of the vessel, and that of the master, together with her tonnage, and the number of her crew, certifying that she belongs to the subjects of a particular state, and requiring all persons, at peace with that state, to suffer her to proceed on her voyage without interruption.
PASSAGE,traversée, a voyage from one place to another by sea; an outward or homeward-bound voyage.
PASSAREE, a rope used to fasten the main-tack down to the ship’s side, a little behind thechesstree. This contrivance however is very rarely used, and never but in light breezes of wind.
PAUL,elinguet, (epaule, Fr.) a certain short bar of wood, or iron, fixed close to thecapstern, orwindlassof a ship, to prevent those engines from rolling back, or giving way, when they are employed to heave-in the cable, or otherwise charged with any great effort. SeeCapsternandWindlass.
PAUNCH. SeePanch.
ToPAY,espalmer, as a naval term, implies to daub or anoint the surface of any body, in order to preserve it from the injuries of the water, weather, &c.
Thus the bottom of a ship is paid with a composition of tallow, sulphur, resin, &c. as described in the articleBreaming.
The sides of a ship are usually paid with tar, turpentine, or resin; or by a composition of tar and oil, to which is sometimes added red oker, &c. to protect the planks thereof from being split by the sun or wind. The lower-masts are, for the same reasons, paid with materials of the same sort, if we except those, along which their respective sails are frequently hoisted and lowered; such are the masts ofsloopsandschooners, which are always paid with tallow for this purpose: for the same reason all top-masts and top-gallant-masts are also paid with hog’s lard, butter, or tallow. SeeCoatandStuff.
PAYING-OFF,abattée, the movement by which a ship’s head falls to leeward of the point whither it was previously directed: particularly when, by neglect of the helmsman, she had inclined to windward of her course, so as to make the head-sails shiver in the wind, and retard her velocity. See alsoFalling-off.
Paying-offis likewise used to signify the payment of the ship’s officers and crew, and the discharge of the ship from service, in order to be laid-up at the moorings.
Paying-out, orPaying-away, the act of slackening a cable, or other rope, so as to let it run out of the vessel for some particular purpose.
PEAK, or PEEK, a name given to the upper-corner of all those sails which are extended by agaff; or by a yard which crosses the mast obliquely, as the mizen-yard of a ship, the main-yard of abilander, &c. The upper extremity of those yards and gaffs are also denominated the peak. Hence
Peek-haliards, are the ropes, or tackles, by which the outer end of a gaff is hoisted, as opposed to thethroat-haliards, which are applied to the inner end. SeeHaliards.
PENDANT,flamme, a sort of long narrow banner, displayed from the mast-head of a ship of war, and usually terminating in two ends or points, as expressed bya, fig. 4. plateV. There are, besides others, pendants,cornets, of a larger kind, used to distinguish the chief of a squadron of ships. See the articleCommodore.
Pendant,pantoire, is also a short piece of rope, fixed under the shrouds, upon the head of the main-mast and fore-mast, from which it depends as low as thecat-harpings, having an eye in the lower-end, which is armed with an ironthimble, to prevent the eye from being fretted by the hooks of the main and fore-tackles, &c.
There are, besides, many other pendants of the latter kind, which are generally single or double ropes, to whose lower extremities is attached a block, or tackle: such are the fish-pendant, the yard-tackle-pendants, the reef-tackle-pendants, &c. all of which are employed to transmit the effort of their respective tackles to some distant object.