"If I had in my country staid,I then had learnt some useful trade,And scorned the white lapelle."
LAPPING. The undulations occasioned in the waves by the paddle-wheels of a steam-boat. In the polar seas, lapping applies to the young or thin ice, one plate overlapping another, so dangerous to boats and their crews. Also, the overlaying of plank edges in working.
LAPS. The remaining part of the ends of carlings, &c., which are to bear a great weight or pressure; such, for instance, as the capstan-step.
LAP'S COURSE. One of the oldest and most savoury of the regular forecastle dishes. (SeeLobscouse.)
LARBOARD. The left side of a ship, when the spectator's face is towards the bow. The Italians derive starboard fromquesta borda, "this side," and larboard from,quella borda, "that side;" abbreviated intosta bordaandla borda. Their resemblance caused so many mistakes that, by order of the admiralty, larboard is now thrown overboard, andportsubstituted. "Port the helm" is even mentioned in Arthur Pit's voyage in 1580.
LARBOARD-WATCH. The old term for port-watch. The division of a ship's company called for duty, while the other, the starboard, is relieved from it. (SeeWatch.)
LARBOLINS,or Larbolians. A cant term implying the larboard-watch, the opposite of starboard:—
"Larbolins stout, you must turn out,And sleep no more within;For if you do, we'll cut your clue,And let starbolins in."
LARGE. Sailing large: going with the wind free when studding-sails will draw.
LARK. A small boat. Also, frolicsome merriment. (SeeSky-larking.)
LARRUP,To. An old word meaning to beat with a rope's-end, strap, or colt.
LASCAR. A native sailor in the East Indies; also, in a military sense, natives of India employed in pitching tents, or dragging artillery, as gun-lascars.
LASH. A string, or small cord, forming the boatswain's cat.—To lashorlace. To bind anything with a rope or line.
LASH AND CARRY. The order given by the boatswain and his mates on piping up the hammocks, to accelerate the duty.
LASH AWAY. A phrase to hasten the lashing of hammocks.
LASHER.SeeFather-lasher.
LASHER BULL-HEAD. A name for the fishCottus scorpius.
LASHING. A rope used to fasten any movable body in a ship, or about her masts, sails, and rigging.
LASHING-EYES. Fittings for lower stays, block-strops, &c., by loops made in the ends of ropes, for a lashing to be rove through to secure them.
LASK,To. To go large.—Lasking along.Sailing away with a quartering wind.
LASKETS. Small lines like hoops, sewed to the bonnets and drablers of a sail, to secure the bonnets to the courses, or the drablers to the bonnets.
LAST. A dry measure containing 80 bushels of corn. A cargo. A weight of 4000 lbs. A last of cod or white herrings is 12 barrels. Last, or ship-last, a Swedish weight of 2 tons.
LASTAGE. This is a commercial term for the general lading of a ship. It is also applied to that custom which is paid for wares sold by the last, as herrings, pitch, &c.
LASTER. The coming in of the tide.
LAST QUARTER.SeeQuarter, Last.
LATCH. An old term for a cross-bow;temp.Henry VII.—Lee-latch.Dropping to leeward of the course.
LATCHES. The same aslaskets(which see; alsokeys).
LATCHINGS KEYS. Loops on the head-rope of a bonnet, by which it is laced to the foot of the sail.
LATEEN SAIL AND YARD. A long triangular sail, bent by its foremost leech to a lateen yard, which hoists obliquely to the mast; it is mostly used by xebecs, feluccas, &c., in the Mediterranean. A gaff-topsail, if triangular and set on a yard, is lateen. The termlateen-rigged, where sails have short tacks, is wrong. These latter are nothing more or less than clumsy lugs or quadrilaterals. The lateen tack is the yard-arm bowsed amidships.
LATHE. A term for a sort of a cross-bow once used in the fleet.
LATHER,To. To beat or drub soundly.
LATITUDE. In wide terms, the extent of the earth from one pole to the other; but strictly it is the distance of any place from the equator in degrees and their parts; or an arc of the meridian intercepted between the zenith of the place and the equinoctial. Geographical latitude is either northern or southern, according as the place spoken of is on this or that side of the equator. Geocentric latitude is the angular distance of a place from the equator, as corrected for the oblateness of the earth's form; in other words, it is the geographical latitude diminished by the angle of the vertical.
LATITUDE BY ACCOUNT. That estimated by the log-board, and the last determined by observation.
LATITUDE BY OBSERVATION. The latitude determined by observations of the sun, star, or moon, by meridional, as also by double altitudes.
LATITUDE OF A CELESTIAL OBJECT. An arc of a circle of longitude between the centre of that object and the ecliptic, and is north or south according to its position.
LAUNCE. A term when the pump sucks—from the Danishlœns, exhausted. Also, a west-country term for the sand-eel, a capital bait for mackerel.
LAUNCE-GAY. An offensive weapon used of old, but prohibited by statute so far back as 7 Richard II. c. 13.
LAUNCH. The largest or long boat of a ship of war. Others of greater size for gunboats are used by the French, Spaniards, Italians, &c., in the Mediterranean. A launch being proportionably longer, lower, and more flat-bottomed than the merchantman's long-boat, is in consequence less fit for sailing, but better calculated for rowing and approaching a flat shore. Its principal superiority consists in being much fitter to under-run the cable, lay out anchors, &c., which is a very necessary employment in the harbours of the Levant, where the cables of different ships are fastened across each other, and frequently render such operations necessary.
LAUNCH,To. To send a ship, craft, or boat off the slip on shore into the water, "her native element," as newspapers say. Also, to move things; as,launch forward, orlaunch aft.Launchis also the movement by which the ship or boat descends into the water.
LAUNCH-HO! The order to let go the top-rope after the top-mast has been swayed up and fidded. It is literally "high enough." So in pumping, when the spear sucks, this term is "Cease."
LAUNCHING-WAYS. In ship-building, the bed of timber placed on the incline under the bottom of a ship; otherwise calledbilge-ways. On this the cradles, which are movable vertical shores, to keep the ship upright, slide. Sometimes also termedbilge-ways.
LAVEER,To. An old sea-term for beating a ship to windward; to tack.
LAVER. An edible sea-weed—theUlva lactuca, ancientlylhavan. From this a food is made, calledlaver-bread, on the shores of S. Wales.
LAVY. A sea-bird nearly as large as a duck, held by the people of the Hebrides as a prognosticator of weather.
LAW OF NATIONS. It was originally merely the necessary law of nature applied to nations, as in the instance of receiving distressed ships with humanity. By various conventional compacts, the Law of Nations became positive; thus flags of truce are respected, and prisoners are not put to death. One independent state is declared incompetent to prescribe to another, so long as that state is innoxious to its neighbours. The Law of Nations consists of those principles and regulations, founded in reason and general convenience, by which the mutual intercourse between independent states is everywhere conducted.
LAX. A term for salmon when ascending a river, on the north coast of Scotland.
LAX-FISHER. A taker of salmon in their passage from the sea.
LAY,By the. When a man is paid in proportion to the success of the voyage, instead of by the month. This is common in whalers.
LAY,To. To come or go; as,lay aloft,lay forward,lay aft,lay out. This is not the neuter verbliemispronounced, but the active verblay. (SeeLie Out!)
LAY A GUN,To. So to direct it as that its shot may be expected to strike a given object; for which purpose its axis must be pointed above the latter, at an angle of elevation increasing according to its distance.
LAY-DAYS. The time allowed for shipping or discharging a cargo; and if not done within the term, fair weather permitting, the vessel comes on demurrage. Thus Captain Cuttle—
"A rough hardy seaman, unus'd to shore ways,Knew little of ladies, but much of lay-days."
LAY HER COURSE,To. To be able to sail in the direction wished for, however barely the wind permits it.
LAY IN. The opposite oflay out. The order for men to come in from the yards after reefing or furling. It also applies to manning, orlaying in, to the capstan-bars.
LAYINGor Lying out on a yard. To go out towards the yard-arms.
LAYINGORLYING ALONG. Pressed down sideways by a stiff gale.
LAYING A ROPE. Arranging the yarns for the strands, and then the strands for making a rope, or cable.
LAYING DOWN,or Laying off. The act of delineating the various lines of a ship to the full size on the mould-loft floor, from the draught given.
LAYINGS. A sort of pavement of culch, on the mud of estuaries, for forming a bed for oysters.
LAYING-TOP. A conical piece of wood, having three or four scores or notches on its surface, used in rope-making to guide the lay.
LAY IN SEA-STOCK,To. To make provision for the voyage.
LAY IN THE OARS. Unship them from the rowlocks, and place them fore and aft in the boat.
LAY LORDS. The civil members of the admiralty board.
LAY OF A ROPE. The direction in which its strands are twisted; hawser is right-handed; cablet left-handed.
LAYORLIE ON YOUR OARS! The order to desist rowing, without laying the oars in.—Lay out on your oars!is the order to give way, or pull with greater force.
LAY OUT.SeeLie Out!
LAY THE LAND,To. Barely to lose sight of it.
LAY-TO. To bring the weather-bow to the sea, with one sail set, and the helm lashed a-lee. (SeeLie-to.)
LAY UP A SHIP,To. To dismantle her.
LAZARETTO. A building or vessel appointed for the performance of quarantine, in which all persons are confined coming from places infected with the plague or other infectious diseases. Also, a place parted off atthe fore part of the 'tween decks, in some merchantmen, for stowing provisions and stores in.
LAZARUS. The game at cards, called alsoblind-hookeyandsnogo.
LAZY GUY. A small tackle or rope to prevent the spanker-boom from swaying about in fine weather.
LAZY PAINTER. A small temporary rope to hold a boat in fine weather.
LEAD,Sounding. An instrument for discovering the depth of water; it is a tapered cylinder of lead, of 7, 14, or 28 lbs. weight, and attached, by means of a strop, to the lead-line, which is marked at certain distances to ascertain the fathoms. (SeeHand-line.)—Deep-sea lead.A lead of a larger size, being from 28 to 56 lbs. in weight, and attached to a much longer line. (SeeDeep-sea Line.)—To heave the lead.To throw it into the sea as far ahead as possible, if the ship is under way.
LEAD. The direction in which running ropes lead fair, and come down to the deck. Also, in Arctic seas, a channel through the ice; synonymous withlane. To lead into battle, or into harbour.
LEADER. A chief. Also, the conducting ship, boat, or man in an enterprise. Also, the guide in firing rockets.
LEADING-BLOCKS. The several blocks used for guiding the direction of any purchase, as hook, snatch, or tail blocks.
LEADING-MARKS. Those objects which, kept in line or in transit, guide the pilot while working into port, as trees, spires, buoys, &c.
LEADING-PART. The rope of a tackle which runs between the fall and the standing part. Generally confused with the fall. It is that part of the fall which is to be hauled on, or overhauled, to ease the purchase.
LEADING-STRINGS. The yoke-lines for steering a boat.
LEADING-WIND. Wind abeam or quartering; more particularly a free or fair wind, and is used in contradistinction to a scant wind. (SeeWind.)
LEAD-LINE. A line attached to the upper end of the sounding-lead. (SeeHand-lineandDeep-sea Line.)
LEAD-NAILS. Small round-headed composition nails for nailing lead.
LEADSMAN. The man who heaves the hand-lead in the channels. In Calcutta the young gentlemen learning to be pilots are called leadsmen.
LEAF. The side of a lock-gate.
LEAGUE. A confederacy; an alliance. Also, a measure of length consisting of three nautical miles, much used in estimating sea-distances; = 3041 fathoms.
LEAGUER. An old term for a camp. Also,leaguers, the longest water-casks, stowed next the kelson, of 159 English imperial gallons each. Before the invention of water-tanks, leaguers composed the whole ground tier of casks in men-of-war.
LEAK [Anglo-Saxonleccinc]. A chink in the deck, sides, or bottom of a ship, through which the water gets into her hull. When a leak begins, a vessel is said to havesprunga leak.
LEAKAGE. Loss by the act of leaking out of a cask. Also, an allowance of 12 per cent., to merchants importing wine, by the customs.
LEAKIES. Certain irregularities of tide in the Firth of Forth.
LEAKY. The state of a ship admitting water, and a cask or other vessel letting out its contents.
LEAN. Used in the same sense ascleanor sharp; the reverse offullor bluff in the form of a ship.
LEAN-BOW. Having a sharp entrance; a thin narrow bow being opposed to bold bow.Fine forward, very fine islean as a lizard.
LEAP. The sudden fall of a river in one sheet. Also, a weel, made of twigs, to catch fish in.
LEAPER.SeeLipper.
LEAT. A canal leading from a pool to a mill-course.
LEATHAG. A Celtic name for the plaice or flounder.
LEATHER.SeeLather.
LEATHER-JACKET. A tropical fish with a very thick skin.
LEAVE. Permission to be absent from the ship for the day. (SeeAbsence,Liberty.)—French leave.Going on shore without permission.—Long leave.Permission to be absent for a number of days.
LEAVE-BREAKING. A liberty man not being back to his time.
LEAVE-TICKET.SeeLiberty-ticket.
LEAX.SeeLex.
LEDGE. A compact line of rocks running parallel to the coast, and which is not unfrequent opposite sandy beaches. The north coast of Africa, between the Nile and the Lesser Syrtis, is replete with them.
LEDGES. The 'thwart-ship pieces from the waste-trees to the roof-trees in the framing of the decks, let into the carlings, to bear gratings, &c. Any cross-pieces of fir or scantling.
LEDO. A barbarous Latin law-term (ledo -onis) for the rising water, or increase of the sea.
LEE. From the Scandinavian wordlœorlaa, the sea; it is the side opposite to that from which the wind is blowing; as, if a vessel has the wind on her port side, that side will be the weather, and the starboard will be the lee side.—Under the lee, expresses the situation of a vessel anchored or sailing near the weather-shore, where there is always smoother water than at a great distance from it.—To lay a ship by the lee, orto come up by the lee, is to let her run off until the wind is brought on the lee-quarter, so that all her sails lie flat against the masts and shrouds.
LEE-ANCHOR. The leeward one, if under weigh; or that to leeward to which a ship, when moored, is riding.
LEE-BEAM. On the lee-side of the ship, at right angles with the keel.
LEE-BOARDS. Wooden wings or strong frames of plank affixed to the sides of flat-bottomed vessels, such as Dutch schuyts, &c.; these traversing on a stout bolt, by being let down into the water, when the vessel is close-hauled, decrease her drifting to leeward.
LEECHES. The borders or edges of a sail, which are either sloping or perpendicular; those of the square sails are denominated from the ship's side, as the starboard-leech of the main-sail, &c.; but the sails which arefixed obliquely on the masts have their leeches named from their situation with regard to the ship's length, as the hoist or luff, or fore-leech of the mizen, the after-leech of the jib, &c.
LEECH-LINES. Ropes fastened to the leeches of the main-sail, fore-sail, and cross-jack, communicating with blocks under the tops, and serving to truss those sails up to the yards. (SeeBrails.)—Harbour leech-lines.Ropes made fast at the middle of the topsail-yards, then passing round the leeches of the top-sails, and through blocks upon the topsail-tye, serving to truss the sails very close up to the yard, previous to their being furled in a body.
LEECH-ROPE. A name given to that vertical part of the bolt-rope to which the border or edge 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, andEarings.)
LEE-FANG. A rope rove through the cringle of a sail, for hauling in, so as to lace on a bonnet.
LEE-FANGE. The iron bar upon which the sheets of fore-and-aft sails traverse, in small vessels. (SeeHorse.)
LEE-GAUGE. Implies being farther from the point whence the wind blows, than another vessel in company.
LEE-GUNWALE UNDER. A colloquial phrase for being sorely over-pressed, by canvas or other cause.
LEE-HATCH,Take care of the!A word of caution to the helmsman, not to let the ship fall to leeward of her course.
LEE-HITCH. The helmsman getting to leeward of the course.
LEE-LURCHES. The sudden and violent rolls which a ship often takes to leeward when a large wave strikes her on the weather-side.
LEE-SHORE. A ship is said to be on a lee-shore, when she is near it, with the wind blowing right on to it.
LEE-SIDE. All that part of a ship or boat which lies between the mast and the side farthest from the wind, the other half being the weather-side.
LEE-SIDEof the Quarter-deck. Colloquially called the midshipman's parade.
LEE-TIDE. A tide running in the same direction as the wind, and forcing a ship to leeward of the line upon which she appears to sail.
LEEWARD. The lee-side. (SeeLee.) The opposite ofleeisweather, and ofleeward,windward.
LEEWARDLY. Said of a ship or vessel which presents so little resistance to the water, when on a wind, as to bag away to leeward. It is the contrary toweatherly.
LEE-WAY. What a vessel loses by drifting to leeward in her course. When she is sailing close-hauled in a smooth sea with all sail set, she should make little or no lee-way; but a proportionate allowance must be made under every reduction of sail or increase of sea, the amount depending on the seaman's skill, and his knowledge of the vessel's qualities.
LEE-WHEEL. The assistant to the helmsman.
LEG. The run made on a single tack. Long and short legs (seeTack and Half-tack).
LEG ALONG. Ropes laid on end, ready for manning.
LEG-BAIL. Dishonest desertion from duty. The phrase is not confined to its nautical bearing.
LEGGERS.SeeLeaguer.
LEGS. (SeeAngle.) A fast-sailing vessel is said to have legs.—Legsare used in cutters, yachts, &c., to shore them up in dry harbours when the tide leaves them. The leech-line cringles have also been called legs. Also, the parts of a point which hang on each side of the sail.
LEGSof the Martinets. Small lines through the bolt-ropes of the courses, above a foot in length, and spliced at either end into themselves, making a small eye into which the martinets are hitched.
LEGS AND WINGS.SeeOver-masted.
LEISTER. A three-pronged dart for striking fish, used in the north of England.
LEIT. A northern term for a snood or link of horse-hair for a fishing-line.
LEITH. A channel on the coast of Sweden, like that round the point of Landfoort to Stockholm.
LEMBUS. A light undecked vessel, used by ancient pirates.
LEMING-STAR. An old name for a comet.
LEMON-ROB. The inspissated juice of limes or lemons, a powerful anti-scorbutic.
LEND A FISTor a Hand. A request to another to help.
LEND US YOUR POUND HERE! A phrase demanding assistance in man-weight; alluding to the daily allowance of beef.
LENGTHENING. The operation of cutting a ship down across the middle, and adding a certain portion to her length. This is done by sawing her planks asunder in different parts of her length, on each side of the midship-frame, to prevent her from being weakened too much in one place. One end is then drawn apart to the required distance. An intermediate piece of timber is next added to the keel, and the vacancy filled up. The two parts of the keelson are afterwards united. Finally, the planks of the side are prolonged, so as to unite with each other, and those of the ceiling refitted.
LENGTHENING-PIECE. The same asshort top-timber(which see).
LENS. The glass of a telescope, or of a microscope, with curved surfaces like a lentil, whence the name.
LENT. The spring fast, during which butchers were prohibited to kill flesh unless for victualling ships, except by special license.
LENTRIÆ. Ancient small vessels, used on rivers.
LENUNCULI. Ancient fishing-boats.
LEO. The fifth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about the 22d of July. It is one of the ancient constellations.
LEPPO. A sort of chunam, used on the China station, for paying vessels.
LERRICK. A name of the water-bird also called sand-lark or sand-piper.
LESSER CIRCLE. One whose plane does not pass through the centre of the sphere, and therefore divides it unequally. (SeeGreat Circle.)
LET DRAW! The order to let the wind take the after-leeches of the jibs, &c., over to the lee-side, while tacking.
LET DRIVE,To. To slip or let fly. To discharge, as a shot from a gun.
LET FALL! The order to drop a sail loosed from its gaskets, in order to set it.
LET FLY,To. To let go a rope at once, suddenly.
LET GO AND HAUL!or Afore haul!The order to haul the head-yards round by the braces when the ship casts on the other tack. "Let go," alluding to the fore-bowline and lee head-braces.
LET GO UNDER FOOT.SeeUnder Foot.
LET IN,To. To fix or fit a diminished part of one plank or piece of timber into a score formed in another to receive it, as the ends of the carlings into the beams.
LET OUT,or Shake out, a Reef, To. To increase the dimensions of a sail, by untying the points confining a reef in it.
LET-PASS. Permission given by superior authority to a vessel, to be shown to ships of war, to allow it to proceed on its voyage.
LET RUN,or let go by the Run. Cast off at once.
LETTER-BOARD. Another term forname-board(which see).
LETTER-BOOK. A book wherein is preserved a copy of all letters and orders written by the captain of a ship on public service.
LETTER MEN.SeeKing's Letter Men.
LETTERS.SeeCircularsandOfficial Letters.
LETTERS OF MARTor Marque. A commission formerly granted by the lords of the admiralty, or by the admiral of any distant station, to a merchant-ship or privateer, to cruize against and make prizes of the enemy's ships. The ship so commissioned is also called aletter of marque. The act of parliament requires that on granting letters of marque and reprisal, the captain and two sureties shall appear and give security. In 1778 it was decided that all the ships taken from France by vessels having letters of marque only against the Americans, became droits of admiralty. This commission was forfeitable for acts of cruelty or misconduct.
LETTERS OF REPRISAL. The same asletters of marque.
LETTUCE-LAVER. The edible sea-weedUlva lactuca.
LEVANT. A wind coming from the east, which freshens as the sun rises, and subsides as it declines—To levant, to desert.
LEVANTER. A strong and raw easterly wind in the Mediterranean.
LEVANTS. Land-springs on the coasts of Sussex and Hampshire.
LEVEE. A French word for a mole or causeway, adopted of late for river embankments of magnitude, as those of the Po, the Thames, and the Mississippi.
LEVEL-ERROR. The microscopic deviation of the axis of a transit instrument from the horizontal position.
LEVELING. The art of finding how much higher or lower horizontally any given point on the earth's surface is, than another point on the same; practised in various ways.
LEVELLED OUT. Any line continued out from a given point, or intersection of an angle, in a horizontal direction.
LEVEL-LINES. Lines determining the shape of a ship's body horizontally, or square from the middle line of the ship.
LEVELS. Horizontal lines; or as a base square to a perpendicular bob.
LEVER. In the marine steam-engine, the lever and counter-balance weight are fixed upon the wiper-shaft, to form an equipoise to the valves. There is one on each side of the cylinder. (SeeSpanner.)—Also, an inflexible bar of iron or wood to raise weights, which takes rank as the first and most simple of the mechanical powers.—To lever.An old word for unloading a ship.
LEVERAGE. The amount of a lever power.
LEVES. Very light open boats of the ancients.
LEVET. The blast of a trumpet or horn.
LEVIN. The old term for lightning.
LEVY. An enrolment or conscription.—To levy.To raise recruits.
LEWER. A provincialism for handspike; a corrupt form oflever.
LEWIS-HOLES. Two holes in the surface of a mortar, superseding ears.
LEWTH [from the Anglo-Saxonlywd]. A place of shelter from the wind.
LEX,or Leax. The Anglo-Saxon term for salmon.
L.G. These uncials on a powder-barrel mean large-grain powder.
LIBERA PISCARIA. A law-term denoting a fishery free to any one.
LIBERTY. Permission to go on shore or ship-visiting.
LIBERTY-DAY. A day announced for permitting a part of the crew to go ashore.
LIBERTY-LIQUOR. Spirits formerly allowed to be purchased when seamen had visitors; now forbidden.
LIBERTY-MEN. Those on leave of absence.
LIBERTY-TICKET. A document specifying the date and extent of the leave granted to a seaman or marine proceeding on his private affairs.
LIBRA. The seventh sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about the 21st of September; the commencement of this constellation, where the equator intersects the ecliptic, is called theautumnal equinox, from night and day being equal.
LIBRATION OF THE MOON.SeeEvection.
LIBURNA,or Liburnica. Light ancient galliots, both for sails and oars; of the latter from one rank to five; so called from the Liburni, pirates of the Adriatic.
LICENSE. An official permission from the Board of Trade, to such persons as it thinks fit to supply seamen or apprentices for merchant-ships in the United Kingdom. (SeeRunner, Licensed.)
LICK. In common parlance is a blow. To do anything partially, is togive it a lick and a promise, as in painting or blacking.—To lick, to surpass a rival, or excel him in anything.—Lick of the tar-brush, a seaman.
LICORN. An old name for the howitzer of the last century, then but a kind of mortar fitted on a field-carriage to fire shells at low angles.
LIDO. A borrowed term signifying the shore or margin of the sea.
LIE A HULL. Synonymous withhull to, orhulling.
LIE ALONG,To. (SeeAlong.) A ship is said to lie along when she leans over with a side wind.—To lie along the land, is to keep a course parallel with it.
LIE ATHWART,To. When the tide slackens, and the wind is across tide, it makes a vessel ride athwart.
LIE BY,To. Dodging under small sail under the land.
LIE IN! The order to come in from the yards when reefing, furling, or other duty is performed.
LIEN. A claim to property, and a consequent right of retention. But ships cannot be the subjects of a specific lien to the creditors who supply them with necessaries, because a lien presumes possession by the creditor, and therein the power of holding it till his demands are satisfied. To prevent manifest impediment to commerce, the law of England rejects almost wholly the doctrine of lien as regards ships.
LIE OFF! An order given to a boat to remain off on her oars till permission is given for her to come alongside.
LIE OUT! The order to the men aloft to distribute themselves on the yards for loosing, reefing, or furling sails.
LIE OVER. A ship heeling to it with the wind abeam.
LIESTER.SeeLister.
LIE THE COURSE,To. When the vessel's head is in the direction wished.
LIE-TO,To. To cause a vessel to keep her head steady as regards a gale, so that a heavy sea may not tumble into her. She has perhaps a main-topsail or trysails, and comes up to within six points, and falls off to wind abeam, forging rather ahead, but should not altogether fall too much to leeward.
LIE UNDER ARMS,To. To remain in a state of preparation for immediate action.
LIEUTENANT,in the Royal Navy. The officer next in rank and power below the commander. There are several lieutenants in a large ship, and they take precedence according to the dates of their commissions. The senior lieutenant, during the absence of the commander, is charged with the command of the ship, as also with the execution of whatever orders he may have received from the commander relating to the queen's service; holding another's place, as the name implies in French.—Lieutenant in the army.The subaltern officer next in rank below the captain.
LIEUTENANT-AT-ARMS. Formerly the junior lieutenant, who, with the master-at-arms, was charged with the drilling of the small-arm men.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL. The next below the colonel, generally having the active command in the regiment, whether in cavalry, infantry, or artillery, the full colonels being mostly on staff employ, or even in retirement.
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL. The officer taking the next place to a general, ranking with vice-admiral.
LIEUTENANT'S STORE-ROOM. More commonly called theward-room store-room(which see).
LIFE-BELT. An india-rubber or cork girdle round a person's waist to buoy him up in the water.
LIFE-BOAT. One of such peculiar construction that it cannot sink or be swamped. It is equipped for attending wherever a wreck may happen, and saving the lives of the crew: really one of the greatest blessings conferred by civilization and humanity on mariners. Life-boats were invented by Admiral Samuel Graves, who died in 1787. The Royal National Life-boat Institution has saved by its boats, or by special exertions for which it has granted rewards, 14,980 lives, from the year of its establishment, 1824, to the end of 1865.
LIFE-BUOYS. Are of various descriptions. A very useful one, patented by Cook, is supplied to all Her Majesty's ships. It is composed of two copper cylinders, and has a balanced stem carrying a fuse, burning twenty minutes. It is kept suspended on the quarter, can be let go, and ignited instantaneously, and will support two men for a considerable time.
LIFE-GUARDS. A greatly-privileged body of cavalry, specially assigned to the guarding of the sovereign's person.
LIFE-KITE. A contrivance for saving the lives of shipwrecked persons by forming a communication between the wreck and a lee-shore.
LIFE-LINES. Stretched from gun to gun, and about the upper deck in bad weather, to prevent the men being washed away. The life-lines aloft are stretched from the lifts to the masts to enable seamen to stand securely when manning yards, as in a salute to admirals, &c.
LIFE-PRESERVER. An air-tight apparatus for saving people in cases of wreck.
LIFT. A term applied to the sails when the wind catches them on the leeches and causes them to ruffle slightly. Also implies help in work in hand, as "give us a lift."
LIFT AN ANCHOR,To. Either by the purchase; or a ship if she has not sufficient cable on a steep banklifts, or shoulders, her anchor.
LIFTED. Promoted somewhat unexpectedly.
LIFTER.SeeWiper.
LIFTING. The rising of fog or haze from the surface of the water.
LIFTING-JACK. A portable machine for lifting heavy objects, acting by the power either of the lever, the tooth and pinion, or the screw.
LIFTS. Ropes which reach from each mast-head to their respective yard-arms to steady and suspend the ends. Their use is to keep the yard in equilibrium, or to raise one of its extremities higher than the other ifnecessary, but particularly to support the weight when a number of men are employed on it, furling or reefing the sail. The yards are said to be squared by the lifts when they hang at right angles with the masts.—Topping-lifts.(SeeTopping-lifts.)
LIG. A fish-hook, with lead cast round its upper part in order to sink it.
LIGAN.SeeLagan.
LIGGER. A line with a float and bait, used for catching pike. A night-hook laid for a pike or eel.
LIGHT,To. To move or lift anything along; as "light over to windward," the cry for helping the man at the weather-earing when taking in a reef. Each man holding by a reef-point helps it over, as the lee-earing cannot be passed until the man to windward calls out, "Haul out to leeward."
LIGHT AIRS. Unsteady and faint flaws of wind.
LIGHT ALONG! Lend assistance in hauling cables, hawsers, or large ropes along, and lifting some parts in a required direction.
LIGHT-BALLS. Are thrown from mortars at night to discover the enemy's working parties, &c. They are composed of saltpetre, sulphur, resin, and linseed-oil, and burn with great brilliancy. Theparachute light-ball, which suspends itself in the air by the action of the heated gas from the light against the parachute, is most convenient.
LIGHT BOBS. The old soubriquet forlight infantry(which see).
LIGHT BREEZES. When light airs have become steady.
LIGHTEN,To. To throw ballast, stores, cargo, or other things, overboard in stress of weather, to render the vessel more buoyant.
LIGHTER. A large, open, flat-bottomed boat, with heavy bearings, employed to carry goods to or from ships.—Ballast lighter.A vessel fitted up to raise ballast from the bottom of a harbour.—Covered or close lighter.One furnished with a deck throughout her whole length, in order to secure such merchandise as might be damaged by wet, and to prevent pillage.
LIGHTERAGE. The charge made for the hire of a lighter.
LIGHTERMAN. A man employed in a lighter.
LIGHT-HANDED. Short of the complement of men.
LIGHT-HORSE. A name formerly given to all mounted men who were not encumbered with armour.
LIGHT-HORSEMAN. An old name for the light boat, since called a gig. (SeeWallmia.)
LIGHTHOUSE. A sort of tower, erected upon a headland, islet, or rock, whose lights may be seen at a great distance from the land to warn shipping of their approach to these dangers.—Afloating light, orlight vessel, strongly moored, is used to mark dangers under water. Lights are variously distinguished, as by the number, colour, and continuity of their lights, whether flashing, revolving, &c.
LIGHT ICE. That which has but little depth in the water; it is not considered dangerous to shipping, as not being heavy.
LIGHT INFANTRY. Troops specially trained to the extended and rapid movements necessary to cover the manœuvres of the main body.
LIGHTNING-CONDUCTOR. The lightning-conductor (introduced by Sir Snow Harris) is a plate connected from the royal mast-head down to the deck, thence by the beams to the ship's copper into the sea. Another kind is a copper-wire chain or rope hoisted to the truck, then passing down by the backstays over the channels into the sea.
LIGHT-PORT. A scuttle made for showing a light through. Also, a port in timber ships kept open until brought deep by cargo. It is then secured and caulked in. (SeeRaft-port.)
LIGHT-ROOM. In a ship-of-war, a small space parted off from the magazine, having double-glass windows for more safely transmitting the light by which the gunner and his assistants fill their cartridges. Large ships generally have two light-rooms, the after and the fore.
LIGHTS. In men-of-war, all the seamen's lights are extinguished by 8P.M., the officers' at 10, unless the commanding officer gives his permission, through the master-at-arms, for a longer time, as occasion may require.
LIGHT SAILS. All above the topgallant-sails; also the studding-sails and flying jib. Men-of-war carry topgallant-sails over double reef.
LIGHT SHIP. In contradistinction to laden; a ship is said to be light when she has no cargo, or merely in ballast. When very crank, she is said to beflying light. Also, a vessel bearing a light as a guide to navigators.
LIGHT WATER-DRAUGHT. The depth of water which a vessel draws when she is empty, or nearly so.
LIGHT WATER-LINE. The line showing the depression of the ship's body in the water when just launched, or quite unladen. (SeeWater-line.)
LIGNAMINA. Timber fit for building.
LIGNUM VITÆ.Guaiacum officinale.A West Indian tree, of the wood of which sheaves of blocks are made. It was allowed to be imported free of all duties.
LIMB. The graduated arc of an astronomical or surveying instrument. In astronomy, it is the edge or border of the disc of the sun, moon, or one of the planets; in which sense we say the upper limb, the lower limb, the sun or moon's nearest limb, &c.
LIMBER. In artillery, the two-wheeled carriage to which the trail of a field gun-carriage is attached for travel.—Limber-boxesare the chests fitted above the axle-tree of the limber for ammunition.—Limber up!is the command so to raise and attach.
LIMBER BOARDSor Plates. Short movable pieces of plank; a part of the lining of a ship's floor, close to the keelson, and immediately above the limbers. They are occasionally removed to clear them of any rubbish by which they may be clogged, so as to interrupt the passage of water to the pump-well.
LIMBER-BOX. Synonymous withlimber-trunk.
LIMBER-CLEARER. A small chain rove fore-and-aft through the limber-passage to clear it when necessary, by hauling backwards and forwards.
LIMBER-PASSAGE. The line of limber-holes throughout the whole length of the floor, on each side of the keelson, for the water to have free access to the pumps.
LIMBER-PLATES.SeeLimber-boards.
LIMBER-STREAK. The streak of foot-waling nearest the keelson, wrought over the lower ends of the first futtocks.
LIMBO. Restraint, durance, confinement under arrest, or in the bilboes. Dante uses this term for a division of the infernal regions.
LIMB-TANGENT. The accurate touch of the edge of a celestial body to the horizon.
LIMEORLEMON JUICE. A valuable anti-scorbutic, included by act of parliament in the scale of provisions for seamen. It has latterly been so much adulterated that scurvy has increased threefold in a few years.
LIME-POTS. Formerly supplied among the munitions of war to ships.
LIMITING PARALLELS. The parallels of latitude upon the earth's surface, within which occultations of stars or planets by the moon are possible. They are given in theNautical Almanacfor each occultation.
LIMMER. The side-rope to a poop or other ladder.
LIMPET. A well-known shell-fish, giving rise to the brackish proverb, "Sticking fast like a limpet to a rock."
LINCHORLINS PIN. The iron pin which keeps the trucks of a gun-carriage confined to the axle-tree.
LINE,To. To cover one piece with another. Also, to mark out the work on a floor for determining the shape of a vessel's body.—To line a ship, is to strike off with a batten, or otherwise, the directional lines for painting her. (SeeToe a Line.)
LINE. The general appellation of a number of small ropes in a ship, as buntlines, clue-lines, bowlines, &c. Also, the term in common parlance for the equator. Also, in the army, distinguishes the regular numbered regiments of cavalry and infantry from the artillery and guards, to whom exceptional functions are assigned. In fortification, it means a trench, approaches, &c. In a geometrical sense, it signifies length without breadth; and in military parlance, it is drawing up a front of soldiers.—Concluding line.A small rope, which is hitched to the middle of every step of a stern-ladder.—Deep-sea line.A long line, marked at every five fathoms with small strands of line, knotted, and used with the deep-sea lead. The first 20 fathoms are marked as follows: 2 and 3 fathoms with black leather; 5 with white bunting; 7 with red; 10 with leather and a hole in it. Then 13, 15, and 17 repeat the previous marks of 3, 5, and 7. Two knots indicate 20, three knots 30, four knots 40 fathoms, and so on, with an additional knot for every ten. Meanwhile a single knot indicates the intermediate fives. Besides this system some pilots prefer their own marks, as in the Hooghly, where they always measure the line for themselves. The term "deep-sea line" must not now be confined to the use of the lead for the ordinary purposes of safe navigation; deep-sea soundings for scientific purposes are recorded inthousands of fathoms, in which case the line is sometimes made of silk, the object being to obtain the largest amount of strength with a small weight.—Fishing-lines.Particular kinds of lines, generally used for fishing snood, mackerel, whiting, cod, albacore, &c.—Hand-line.A line about 20 fathoms long, marked like the first 20 fathoms of the deep-sea line. It is made fast to a hand-lead of from 7 to 14 lbs., and used to determine the depth of water in going in or out of a harbour, river, channel, &c.—Hauling-line.Any rope let down out of a top, &c., to haul up some light body by hand.—Knave-line.A rope fastened to the cross-trees, under the main or fore top, whence it comes down by the ties to the ram-head, and there it is rove through a piece of wood about 2 feet long, and so is brought to the ship's side, and there hauled up taut to the rails.—Life-line.A rope occasionally extended in several situations for persons to lay hold of, to prevent their falling.—Mar-line.A particular kind of small line, composed of two strands very little twisted; there is both tarred and white mar-line. That supplied for the gunner and for bending light sails is untarred.—Navel-line.A rope depending from the heads of the main and fore masts, and passed round to the bight of the truss to keep it up, whilst the yard is being swayed up, or when the truss, in bracing sharp up, is overhauled to the full.—Spilling-lines.Ropes fixed occasionally to the square sails, particularly the main and fore courses in bad weather, for reefing or furling them more conveniently; they are rove through blocks upon the yard, whence leading round the sail they are fastened abaft the yard, so that the sail is very closely confined.—White-line.That which has not been tarred, in contradistinction totarred line.
LINE-BREADTH.SeeBreadth Line.
LINE OF BATTLE. A disposition of the fleet at the moment of engagement, by signal or previous order, on which occasion the vessels are usually drawn up as much as possible in a specified bearing, as well to gain and keep the advantage of the wind, as to run the same board, about 1 cable, or 100 fathoms distant from each other. The line-of-battle in sea-fights occurs both in Plutarch (Themistocles) and Froissart.
LINE-OF-BATTLE SHIPS. Formerly those of 74 guns and upwards; or in these iron days, any vessel capable of giving and taking the tremendous blows of the larger ordnance.
LINE OF BEARING. A previously determined bearing given out by a commander-in-chief, as well as line-of-battle. "From line of battle form line of bearing," or reverse. The line of bearing must be that point of the compass on which the ships bear from each other, and from which the line of battle can readily be formed without losing speed or ground.
LINE OF COLLIMATION.SeeCollimation, Line of.
LINE OF DEFENCE. In fortification, the face of a work receiving flank defence, together with its prolongation to the flanking work.
LINE OF DEMARCATION. A line which is drawn by consent, to ascertain the limits of territories belonging to different powers.
LINE OF LINE.SeeGunter's Line.
LINE-OF-METAL ELEVATION. That which the axis of a gun has above the object when its line of metal is pointed on the latter; it averages 11⁄2° in guns of the old construction.
LINE OF NODES. The imaginary line joining the ascending and descending nodes of the orbit of a planet or comet.
LINE OF OPERATIONS. In strategy, the line an army follows to attain its objective point.
LINE OUT STUFF. To mark timber for dressing to shape.
LINERS. Line-of-battle ships. Also, a designation of such packet or passenger ships as trade periodically and regularly to and from ports beyond sea, in contradistinction to chance vessels. Also, a term applied by seamen to men-of-war and to their crews.
LINES. With shipwrights, are the various plans for determining the shape and form of the ship's body on the mould-loft floor. Also, a species of field-works, consisting of a series of fronts, constructed in order to cover the front and form the immediate defence of an army or the frontiers of a state.
LINES OF FLOTATION. Those horizontal marks supposed to be described by the surface of the water on the bottom of a ship, and which are exhibited at certain depths upon the sheer-draught. (SeeLight Water-line, andLoad Water-line.)
LING. A brushwood useful in breaming. Also, a fish, theLota molva; it invariably inhabits the deep valleys of the sea, while the cod is always found on the banks. When sun-dried it is called stock-fish.
LINGET. Small langridge; slugs.
LINGO. A very old word for tongue or dialect, rather than language or speech.
LININGS. The reef-bands, leech and top linings, buntline cloths, and other applied pieces, to prevent the chafing of the sails. In ship-building, the term means thin dressed board nailed over any rough surface to give it a finish.
LINKISTER. An interpreter; linguist.
LINKS. A northern phrase for the windings of a river; also for flat sands on the sea-shore, and low lands overflowed at spring tides.
LINK WORMING. Guarding a cable from friction, by worming it with chains.
LINNE. A Gaelic term for pool, pond, lake, or sea.
LINSEY-WOLSEY. A stuff in extensive use commercially; it is a mixture of flax and wool.
LINSTOCK. In olden times it was a staff about 3 feet long, having a sharp point at the foot to stick in the deck, and a forked head to hold a lighted match. It gave way to the less dangerous match-tub, and since that to gun-locks, friction-tubes, &c. Shakspeare inHenry V.says: