Chapter C: D, is the ring that supports the inner box (5)

The jears, in merchant-ships, have usually two large single blocks on the opposite side of the mast-head, and another of the same size in the middle of the yard. The rope, which communicates with these, passes through one of the blocks hanging at the mast-head, then through the block on the yard, and afterwards through the other hanging-block upon the mast. To the two lower ends of this rope, on the opposite sides of the mast, are fixed two tackles, each of which is formed of two double blocks, the lower one being hooked to a ring-bolt in the deck, and the upper one spliced, or seized into the lower end of the great rope above, which is called the tye. By this contrivance the mechanical power of the tackle below is transmitted to the tye, which, communicating with blocks on the yard, readily _sways up_, or lowers it, either by the effort of both jears at once, on the opposite sides of the mast, or by each of them separately, one after the other.

JETTY-HEAD, a name usually given, in the royal dock-yards, to that part of a wharf which projects beyond the rest; but more particularly the front of a wharf, whose side forms one of the cheeks of a dry or wet dock.

JEWEL-BLOCKS, a name given to two small blocks, which are suspended at the extremity of the main and fore-top-sail-yards, by means of an eye-bolt, driven from without into the middle of the yard-arm, parallel to its axis. The use of these blocks is to retain the upper-part of the topmast studding-sails beyond the skirts of the top-sails, so that each of those sails may have its full force of action, which would be diminished by the incroachment of the other over its surface. The _haliards_, by which those studding-sails are hoisted, are accordingly passed through the jewel-blocks; whence, communicating with a block on the top-mast-head, they lead downwards to the top or decks, where they may be conveniently hoisted. See the article SAIL.

JIB, _foc_, the foremost sail of a ship, being a large stay-sail extended from the outer end of the bowsprit, prolonged by the jib-boom, towards the fore-top-mast-head. See _Sail_.

The jib is a sail of great command with any side-wind, but especially when the ship is _close-hauled_, or has the wind upon her beam; and its effort in _casting_ the ship, or turning her head to leeward, is very powerful, and of great utility, particularly when the ship is _working_ through a narrow channel. See SAILING.

JIB-BOOM, a boom run out from the extremity of the bowsprit, parallel to its length, and serving to extend the bottom of the jib, and the stay of the fore-top-gallant-mast. This boom, which is nothing more than a continuation of the bowsprit forward, to which it may be considered as a top-mast, is usually attached to the bowsprit by means of two large boom-irons, (see the article IRON-WORK) or by one boom-iron, and a _cap_ on the outer-end of the bowsprit; or, finally, by the cap without, and a strong lashing within, instead of a boom-iron; which is generally the method of securing it in small merchant-ships. It may therefore be drawn in upon the bowsprit, as occasion requires, which is usually practised when the ship enters a harbour, where it might very soon be broke, or carried away, by the vessels which are moored therein, or passing by under sail.

JIBING. See GYBING.

JIGGER, a machine, consisting of a piece of rope about five feet long, with a block at one end and a sheave at the other; and used to _hold-on_ the cable, when it is heaved into the ship by the revolution of the _windlass_. See HOLDING-ON.

The jigger is particularly useful when the cable is either slippery with mud or ooze, or when it is stiff and unwieldy; in both of which cases it is very difficult to stretch it back from the windlass by hand, which however is done with facility and expedition, by means of the jigger, as follows: the end of the rope, to which the sheave is fastened by a knot, is passed round the cable close to the windlass, and the hind part of the rope coming over the sheave, is stretched aft by means of another rope passing through the jigger-block. As soon as the last rope is extended, the turn of the former about the cable is firmly retained in its position, by the compression of its hind part under the sheave, acting upon what may be called the neck of the jigger. But as the cable continues to be heaved into the ship, it is evident that the jigger, which is fastened on a particular part thereof, stretching it back, will be removed further aft, by every turn of the windlass, and the effort of the jigger will be lessened in proportion to its distance from the windlass: this circumstance renders it necessary to _fleet_ it, or replace in a proper state of action, as occasion requires. The man who performs this office accordingly calls out, fleet, jigger! one of the men, at the windlass, instantly fixes his handspec between the deck and the cable, so as to _jam_ the latter to the windlass, and prevent it from running out till the jigger is refixed.

JIGGER-TACKLE, a light small tackle, consisting of a double and single block, and used on sundry occasions by seamen. See TACKLE.

IN, _dedans_, the state of any of a ship’s sails, when they are furled or stowed. It is used in this sense also in opposition to _out_, which implies that they are _set_, or extended to assist the ship’s course.

INSURANCE, _assurance_, a certain contract, by which an individual, or company, agrees to indemnify whatever losses or damages may happen to a ship or cargo, during a voyage, provided they are not occasioned by default of the person insured. For this agreement the latter pays a certain sum in advance, called the _præmium_, which accordingly falls to the insurer, in case the ship arrives in a safe harbour; but if the ship is lost, the insurer renders the stipulated sum to the merchant.

JOURNAL, in navigation, a sort of diary, or daily register of the ship’s course, winds, and weather; together with a general account of whatever is material to be remarked in the period of a sea-voyage.

In all sea-journals, the day, or what is called the 24 hours, terminates at noon, because the errors of the dead-reckoning are at that period generally corrected by a solar observation. The daily compact usually contains the state of the weather; the variation, increase, or diminution of the wind; and the suitable shifting, reducing, or enlarging the quantity of sail extended; as also the most material incidents of the voyage, and the condition of the ship and her crew; together with the discovery of other ships or fleets, land, shoals, breakers, soundings, &c.

The form of keeping journals is very different in merchant-ships; but one method appears to be invariably pursued in the navy, which nevertheless is certainly capable of improvement, because no form can be properly called perfect, that leaves as great a space for one day’s work, the matter of which may be contained in very few lines, as for another that abounds with important incidents, so as to occupy ten times the space. If therefore there be any such thing as propriety of method on this occasion, it seems to imply, that the space containing, should conform to the matter contained, which will necessarily be greater or less, according to circumstances.

IRON-WORK, _ferrure_, a general name for all the pieces of iron, of whatsoever figure or size, which are used in the construction of a ship: as bolts, boom-irons, nails, spikes, chains and chain-plates, block-strops, cranks, braces, pintles, and googings.

The most material of these articles are explained in their proper places; but as the article _bolt_, of which the figures are represented in plate II. was accidentally omitted in the proper place, according to the plan of this work, it may not be improperly introduced here.

A bolt then is generally a cylindrical pin of iron, of which there are various sorts, used for sundry occasions in ship-building.

The bolts are principally employed either to unite several members of a ship’s frame into one solid piece, or to fasten any moveable body on a particular occasion. Those which are calculated for the former purpose have commonly small round heads, somewhat flatted, as in fig. 1 & 2. plate II. On the contrary, the bolts which are intended for the latter use, have either a large round head, as those of the chains, fig. 4. or an eye, with or without a ring in the same place, fig. 5, 6, and 39, as those which are designed to secure the great guns, the _jears_ of the main-sail and fore-sail, the stoppers of the cables, &c.

The bolts are short or long, according to the thickness of the timber wherein they are to be lodged: they penetrate either quite through the pieces into which they are driven, or to a certain determinate depth. The last of these, called a rag-bolt, is retained in its situation by means of several barbs, fig. 3. which, fastening into the timbers, prevent the bolt from loosening from its station by the working of the ship. The first, after being driven through the pieces it is intended to unite, is confined by a flat iron wedge, called the forelock, which is thrust through a narrow hole in the small end of the bolt, where it is hardened home by a hammer; and to prevent the forelock from cutting the wood-work in this position, a little iron ring is fixed over the end of the bolt, between the forelock and the timber.

Those bolts, which have the largest of the round-heads, are called fender-bolts, being driven into the wales, stem, or sides of some small vessels of burthen, as lighters, beancods, prames, &c. to defend their timber-work from the shock of any other vessels which may fall aboard by accident.

A boom-iron is composed of two iron rings, formed into one piece, so as nearly to resemble the figure of 8. It is employed to connect two cylindrical pieces of wood together, when the one is used as a continuation of the other; such is the jib-boom to the bowsprit; and such are the _studding-sail_ booms to the respective yards from whose extremities they are prolonged. The rims, or circles of the boom-irons, are broad and flat; and one of them, which is firmly driven upon the main, or fore-yard-arm, is somewhat larger than the other, as exhibited in fig. 7. plate II. The studding-sail-boom usually rests in the small ring, through which it is occasionally thrust outwards from the yard-arm, when the studding-sail is to be set. Every boom of this kind has, or ought to have, two boom-irons, one of which is fixed on the extremity of the yard, and the other further inward. The former of these is frequently framed of one ring only, which projects from the end of the yard, where it is fastened by a strong iron bar, opening into a sort of fork or crotch that slides upon the yard lengthwise, where it is fastened by nails driven from above and below.

ISLAND of ICE, a name given by sailors to a great quantity of ice collected into one huge solid mass, and floating about upon the seas near or within the arctic circle.

Many of these fluctuating islands are met with on the coasts of Spitzbergen, to the great danger of the shipping employed in the Greenland fishery.

JUNK, _bouts de cable_, a name given to any remnants or pieces of old cable, which is usually cut into small portions for the purpose of making points, mats, gaskets, sennit, &c. See POINTS, &c.

JURY-MAST, a temporary or occasional mast, erected in a ship to supply the place of one which has been carried away by tempest, battle, or the labouring of a ship in a turbulent sea.

K.

KAICLING, or KECKLING, a name given to any old ropes, which are wound about a cable, with a small interval between the turns, and used to preserve the surface of the cable from being fretted, when it rubs against the ship’s bow, or _fore-foot_. See also ROUNDING and SERVICE.

KEDGE, _ancre de touei_, a small anchor, used to keep a ship steddy whilst she rides in a harbour or river, particularly at the turn of the tide, when she might otherwise drive over her principal anchor, and entangle the stock or flukes with her slack cable, so as to loosen it from the ground. This is accordingly prevented by a kedge-rope, that restrains her from approaching it.

The kedges are also particularly useful in _transporting_ a ship, _i. e._ removing her from one part of the harbour to another, by means of ropes, which are fastened to these anchors. They are generally furnished with an iron stock, which is easily displaced, for the convenience of stowing them. See the articles ANCHOR and WARP.

KEEL, the principal piece of timber in a ship, which is usually first laid on the blocks in building.

If we compare the carcase of a ship to the skeleton of the human body, the keel may be considered as the back-bone, and the timbers as the ribs. It therefore supports and unites the whole fabric, since the stem and stern-post, which are elevated on its ends, are, in some measure, a continuation of the keel, and serve to connect and enclose the extremities of the sides by transoms; as the keel forms and unites the bottom by timbers.

The keel is generally composed of several thick pieces, (A, plate I. PIECES of the HULL) placed lengthways, which, after being scarfed together, are bolted, and clinched upon the upper side. When these pieces cannot be procured large enough to afford a sufficient depth to the keel, there is a strong thick piece of timber bolted to the bottom thereof, called the _false keel_, which is also very useful in preserving the lower-side of the main keel. In our largest ships of war, the false keel is generally composed of two pieces, which are called the upper and the lower false keels. See MIDSHIP-FRAME.

The lowest plank in a ship’s bottom, called the _garboard-streak_, has its inner-edge let into a groove, or channel, cut longitudinally on the side of the keel: the depth of this channel is therefore regulated by the thickness of the garboard-streak.

KEEL is also a name given to a low flat-bottomed vessel, used in the river Tyne to bring the coals down from Newcastle, and the adjacent parts, in order to load the colliers for transportation.

_Upon an even_ KEEL, the position of a ship when her keel is parallel to the plane of the horizon, so that she is equally deep in the water at both ends.

KEEL-HAULING, a punishment inflicted for various offences in the Dutch navy. It is performed by plunging the delinquent repeatedly under the ship’s bottom on one side, and hoisting him up on the other, after having passed under the keel. The blocks, or pullies, by which he is suspended, are fastened to the opposite extremities of the main-yard, and a weight of lead or iron is hung upon his legs to sink him to a competent depth. By this apparatus he is drawn close up to the yard-arm, and thence let fall suddenly into the sea, where, passing under the ship’s bottom, he is hoisted up on the opposite side of the vessel. As this extraordinary sentence is executed with a serenity of temper peculiar to the Dutch, the culprit is allowed sufficient intervals to recover the sense of pain, of which indeed he is frequently deprived during the operation. In truth, a temporary insensibility to his sufferings ought by no means to be construed into a disrespect of his judges, when we consider that this punishment is supposed to have peculiar propriety in the depth of winter, whilst the flakes of ice are floating on the stream; and that it is continued till the culprit is almost suffocated for want of air, benumbed with the cold of the water, or stunned with the blows his head receives by striking the ship’s bottom.

_To_ KEEP, a term used on several occasions in navigation: as,

_To_ KEEP _the land aboard_, is to keep within sight of land as much as possible. See also HOLD.

_To_ KEEP _the luff_, to continue close to the wind, _i. e._ sailing with a course inclined to the direction of the wind, as much as possible, without deviating to leeward. This is also called, _keeping the wind_. See CLOSE-HAULED.

_To_ KEEP _off_, _alargeer_, _tenir le largue_, to sail off, or keep at a distance from the shore. See also OFFING.

_Boat_-KEEPER, one of the rowers, who remains as a centinel in his turn, to take care of any boat and her contents, either when she lies by the shore, or along-side of the ship; or when she is towed astern of her.

KELSON, _contre quille_, a piece of timber, which may be properly defined the interior, or counter-part of the keel, as it is laid upon the middle of the floor-timbers, immediately over the keel, and, like it, composed of several pieces, scarfed together, represented by X, plate I. PIECES of the HULL. In order to fit with more security upon the floor-timbers and crotches, it is notched about an inch and a half deep, opposite to each of those pieces, and thereby firmly scored down upon them to that depth, where it is secured by spike-nails. The pieces of which it is formed are only half the breadth and thickness of those of the keel.

The kelson serves to bind and unite the floor-timbers to the keel. It is confined to the keel by long bolts, which, being driven from without through several of the timbers, are fore-locked or clinched upon rings on the upper side of the kelson.

KETCH, a vessel equipped with two masts, viz. the main-mast and mizen-mast, and usually from 100 to 250 tons burthen.

KETCHES are principally used as yachts, or as bomb-vessels, the former of which are employed to convey princes of the blood, ambassadors, or other great personages from one part to another; and the latter are used to bombard citadels, or towns, or other fortresses.

The bomb-ketches are therefore furnished with all the apparatus necessary for a vigorous bombardment. They are built remarkably strong, as being-fitted with a greater number of _riders_ than any other vessel of war; and indeed this reinforcement is absolutely necessary to sustain the violent shock produced by the discharge of their mortars, which would otherwise, in a very short time, shatter them to pieces. See MORTAR and SHELL.

KEVELS, _taquets_, a frame composed of two pieces of timber, whose lower ends rest in a sort of step or foot, nailed to the ship’s side, from whence the upper ends branch outward into arms or horns, serving to belay the great ropes by which the bottoms of the main-sail and fore-sail are extended. These are represented by fig. 3. plate V.

KEY, _quai_, a long wharf, usually built of stone, by the side of a harbour or river, and having several store-houses for the convenience of lading and discharging merchant-ships. It is accordingly furnished with posts and rings, whereby they are secured; together with cranes, capsterns, and other engines, to lift the goods into, or out of, the vessels which lie along-side.

KEYS, _attalons_, are also certain sunken rocks, lying near the surface of the water, particularly in the West-Indies.

KINK, a sort of twist or turn in any cable or other rope, occasioned by its being very stiff or close-laid; or by being drawn too hastily out of the roll or tier, when it lies coiled. See the article COILING.

KNEE, _courbe_, a crooked piece of timber, having two branches, or arms, and generally used to connect the beams of a ship with her sides or timbers.

The branches of the knees form an angle of greater or smaller extent, according to the mutual situation of the pieces which they are designed to unite. One branch is securely bolted to one of the deck-beams, whilst the other is in the same manner attached to a corresponding timber in the ship’s side, as represented by E in the MIDSHIP-FRAME, plate VII.

Besides the great utility of knees in connecting the beams and timbers into one compact frame, they contribute greatly to the strength and solidity of the ship, in the different parts of her frame to which they are bolted, and thereby enable, her, with greater firmness, to resist the effects of a turbulent sea.

In fixing of these pieces, it is occasionally necessary to give an oblique direction to the vertical, or side-branch, in order to avoid the range of an adjacent gun-port, or, because the knee may be so shaped as to require this disposition; it being sometimes difficult to procure so great a variety of knees as may be necessary in the construction of a number of ships of war.

In France, the scarcity of these pieces has obliged their shipwrights frequently to form their knees of iron.

KNEES are either said to be _lodging_ or _hanging_. The former are fixed horizontally in the ship’s frame, having one arm bolted to the beam, and the other across two or three timbers, as represented by F in the DECK, plate III. The latter are fixed vertically, as we have described above. See also BUILDING, DECK, and MIDSHIP-FRAME.

KNEE _of the head_, _poulaine_, a large flat piece of timber, fixed edgways upon the fore-part of a ship’s stem, and supporting the ornamental figure or image, placed under the bowsprit. See the article HEAD.

The knee of the head, which may properly be defined a continuation of the stem, as being prolonged from the stem forwards, is extremely broad at the upper-part, and accordingly composed of several pieces united into one, Y Y, plate I. PIECES of the HULL. It is let into the head, and secured to the ship’s _bows_ by strong knees fixed horizontally upon both, and called the _cheeks of the head_, Z Z, plate IV. fig. 10. The heel of it is scarfed to the upper end of the fore-foot, and it is fastened to the stem above by a knee, called a _standard_, expressed by &, in plate I. PIECES of the HULL.

Besides supporting the figure of the head, this piece is otherwise useful, as serving to secure the boom, or _bumkin_, by which the fore-tack is extended to windward; and, by its great breadth, preventing the ship from falling to leeward, when _close-hauled_, so much as she would otherwise do. It also affords a greater security to the bowsprit, by increasing the angle of the bob-stay, so as to make it act more perpendicularly on the bowsprit.

The knee of the head is a phrase peculiar to shipwrights; as this piece is always called the _cut-water_ by seamen, if we except a few, who affecting to be wiser than their brethren, have adopted this expression probably on the presumption that the other is a cant phrase, or vulgarism. It appears a material part of the province of this work to call the several articles contained therein by their proper names, and to reject those which are spurious, however sanctified by the authority of official dulness, or seconded by the adoption of dignified ignorance. Accordingly we cannot help observing, that when a term of art has been established from time immemorial, and besides being highly expressive, produces the testimony of foreign nations[36] to its propriety, nothing more certainly betrays a superficial understanding, than the attempt to change it, without being able to assign the shadow of a reason for this alteration. For although _knee of the head_, being invariably used by the artificers, is of course explained in this work as a term of naval architecture, wherein practice has indeed rendered it natural and intelligible; it is nevertheless very rarely used by seamen, especially in common discourse, unless when it is intended to impress the hearer with an idea of the speaker’s superior judgment.

KNIGHT-HEAD, or BOLLARD-TIMBER. See the article HEAD.

KNIGHT-HEADS, two strong pieces of timber, fixed on the opposite sides of the main-deck, a little behind the fore-mast, in a merchant-ship.

They are used to support and inclose the ends of the windlass, which accordingly is turned therein as upon an axis. As each of the knight-heads is formed of two pieces, they may be occasionally separated in order to take off the turns of the cable from the windlass, or replace them upon it. They are sometimes called the _bits_, and in this sense their upper-parts only are denominated knight-heads, which being formerly embellished with a figure designed to resemble a human head, gave rise to the name they have ever since retained. See the article WINDLASS.

KNIGHT-HEADS, _sep de drisse_, was also a name formerly given to the lower jear-blocks, which were then no other than bits, containing several sheaves, and nearly resembling our present top-sail-sheet bits.

KNITTLE, _eguillette_, (_from knit_) a small line, which is either plaited or twisted, and used for various purposes at sea; as to fasten the service on the cable, to reef the sails by the bottom, and to hang the hammocs between decks, &c.

KNOT, a large knob formed on the extremity of a rope, by untwisting the ends thereof, and interweaving them regularly amongst each other. There are several sorts of knots, which differ in their form and size, according to the uses for which they are designed: the principal of these are the diamond-knot, the rose-knot, the wall-knot or walnut, some of which are single, and others double.

The knots are generally used to fasten one rope to another, by means of a small cord attached to the neck of the knot, called the _laniard_, which is firmly tied about both ropes. They are also designed to prevent the end of a rope from sliding through an _eye_, which the knot is intended to confine in a particular situation. See BECKETS.

L.

_TO_ LABOUR, _travailler_, as a sea-term, implies to roll or pitch heavily in a turbulent sea; an effect, by which the masts and hull of the ship are greatly endangered, because by the rolling motion the masts strain upon their shrouds with an effort, which increases as the sine of their obliquity: and the continual agitation of the vessel gradually loosens her joints, and often makes her extremely leaky.

LADDER, _echelle_, a well-known convenience, of which there are a great number in a ship, formed of two pieces of plank joined together by crosspieces, which serve as steps, whereby to mount or descend from one deck to another.

The ladders derive their names from the several hatchways, or other parts of a ship, wherein they are situated. Besides these, there are, of a particular construction, the accommodation-ladder and the quarter-ladders.

_Accommodation_-LADDER, is a sort of light stair-case, occasionally fixed on the gangway of the admiral, or commander in chief, of a fleet. It is furnished with rails and entering-ropes, covered with red bays, and the lower-end of it is retained at a competent distance from the ship’s side by iron bars, or braces, to render the passage more convenient to those who enter or depart from the ship. See the article GANGWAY.

_Quarter_-LADDERS, two ladders of rope, depending from the right and left side of a ship’s stern, whereby to descend into the boats which are moored astern, in order to bring them up along-side of the ship; or to use them for any other occasion.

LADEN, _chargée_, the state of a ship when she is charged with a weight or quantity of any sort of merchandizes, or other materials, equal to her tonnage or burthen. If the cargo with which she is laden is extremely heavy, her burthen is determined by the weight of the goods; and if it is light, she carries as much as she can _stow_, to be fit for the purposes of navigation. As a ton in measure is generally estimated at 2000 lb. in weight, a vessel of 200 tons ought accordingly to carry a weight equal to 400,000 lb. when the matter of which the cargo is composed is specifically heavier than the water in which she floats; or, in other words, when the cargo is so heavy that she cannot float high enough, with so great a quantity of it, as her hold will contain.

LADEN _in bulk_, the state of being freighted with a cargo which is neither in casks, boxes, bales, or cases, but lies loose in the hold; being defended from the moisture, or wet of the hold, by a number of mats and a quantity of _dunnage_. Such are usually the cargoes of corn, salt, or such materials.

LAID-UP, the situation of a ship when she is either moored in a harbour during the winter season, or laid by, for want of employment: or when by age and craziness she is rendered incapable of further service.

LANCH, a peculiar sort of long-boat, used by the French, Spanish, and Italian shipping; and in general by those of other European nations, when employed in voyaging in the Mediterranean sea.

A lanch is proportionably longer, lower, and more flat-bottomed than the long-boat; it is by consequence less fit for sailing, but better calculated for rowing and approaching a flat shore. Its principal superiority to the long-boat, however, consists in being, by its construction, much fitter to under-run the cable, which is a very necessary employment in the harbours of the Levant sea, where the cables of different ships are fastened across each other, and frequently render this exercise extremely necessary.

LANCH is also the movement by which a ship or boat descends from the shore, either when she is at first built, or at any time afterwards.

To facilitate the operation of lanching, and prevent any interruption therein, the ship is supported by two strong platforms, laid with a gradual inclination to the water, on the opposite sides of her keel, to which they are parallel. Upon the surface of this declivity are placed two corresponding ranges of planks, which compose the base of a frame called the _cradle_, whose upper-part envelops the ship’s bottom, whereto it is securely attached. Thus the lower surface of the cradle, conforming exactly to that of the frame below, lies flat upon it, lengthways, under the opposite sides of the ship’s bottom; and as the former is intended to slide downwards upon the latter, carrying the ship along with it, the planes or faces of both are well daubed with soap and tallow.

The necessary preparations for the lanch being made, all the blocks and wedges, by which the ship was formerly supported, are driven out from under her keel, till her whole weight gradually subsides upon the platforms above described, which are accordingly called the _ways_. The _shores_ and stanchions by which she is retained upon the stocks till the period approaches for lanching, are at length cut away, and the screws applied to move her, if necessary. The motion usually begins on the instant when the shores are cut, and the ship slides downward along the ways, which are generally prolonged under the surface of the water, to a sufficient depth, to float her as soon as she arrives at the farthest end thereof.

When a ship is to be lanched, the ensign, jack, and pendant, are always hoisted, the last being displayed from a staff erected in the middle of the ship. Plate V. fig. 4. represents a ship of war ready to be lanched from the stocks.

The largest ship that ever was lanched in England, is the Britannia, of 100 guns, built at Portsmouth. Ships of the first rate are commonly constructed in dry docks, and afterwards floated out, by throwing open the flood-gates, and suffering the tide to enter, as soon as they are finished.

LAND-FALL, _atterrage_, the first land discovered after a sea-voyage: hence it is common for ships, who accost each other at sea, to wish a good land-fall at parting, by which they imply a discovery of land, at or near the place whither their course is directed, and which they expect to _make_ by their journals.

LAND-LOCKED, _bouclé_, the situation of a ship which is environed by the land on all sides in a road, bay, or haven; so as to exclude the prospect of the sea, unless over some intervening land. See the French word _terre_, and the phrases following it.

LANGREL, or LANGRAGE, _mitrailles_, a particular kind of shot, formed of bolts, nails, bars, or other pieces of iron tied together, and forming a sort of cylinder, which corresponds with the bore of the cannon, from which it is intended to be discharged. This contrivance is particularly designed to wound or carry away the masts, or tear the sails and rigging of the adversary, so as to disable him from flight or pursuit. It is never used in royal ships, but very often by privateers and merchantmen.

LANIARD, (_lanier_, Fr.) a short piece of cord or line, fastened to several machines in a ship, and serving to secure them in a particular place, or to manage them more conveniently. Such are the laniards of the gun-ports, the laniard of the buoy, the laniard of the cat-hook, &c.

The principal laniards used in a ship, however, are those employed to extend the shrouds and stays of the masts, by their communication with the dead-eyes, so as to form a sort of mechanical power, resembling that of a tackle. See DEAD-EYES.

These laniards, _rides_, are fixed in the dead-eyes as follows: One end of the laniard is thrust through one of the holes in the upper dead-eye, and then knotted, to prevent it from drawing out; the other end is then passed through one of the holes in the lower dead-eye, whence, returning upward, it is inserted through the second hole in the upper dead-eye, and next through the second in the lower dead-eye, and finally through the third holes in both dead-eyes. The end of the laniard being then directed upwards from the lowest dead-eye, is stretched as stiff as possible by the application of tackles; and that the several parts of it may slide with more facility through the holes in the dead-eyes, it is well smeared with hog’s lard or tallow, so that the strain is immediately communicated to all the turns at once.

LANTHORN, a well-known machine, of which there are many used in a ship, particularly for the purpose of directing the course of other ships in a fleet or convoy: such are the poop and top-lanthorns, &c.

LAP-SIDED, _bordier_, the state of a ship, which is built in such a manner as to have one side heavier than the other; and, by consequence, to retain a constant _heel_, or inclination towards the heaviest side; unless when she is brought upright, by placing a greater quantity of the cargo, or ballast, on the other side. See BALLAST.

LARBOARD, _babord_, a name given by seamen to the left side of a ship, wherein the right and left are apparently determined by the analogy of a ship’s position, on the water, to that of a fish.

LARGE, a phrase applied to the wind, when it crosses the line of a ship’s course in a favourable direction, particularly on the _beam_ or _quarter_. To understand this more clearly, let us suppose a ship steering west; then the wind, in any point of the compass to the eastward of the south or north, may be called _large_, unless indeed when it is directly east, and then it is said to be right aft.

_Sailing_ LARGE, _aller vent largue_, is therefore advancing with a large wind, so as that the _sheets_ are slackened and _flowing_, and the _bowlines_ entirely disused. This phrase is generally opposed to sailing _close-hauled_, or with a _scant_ wind, in which situation the sheets and bowlines are extended as much as possible.

LASHING, _amarrage_, a piece of rope employed to fasten or secure any moveable body in a ship, or about her masts, sails, and rigging: also the act of fastening or securing any thing by means of the rope used for this purpose.

LATEEN-SAIL, a long triangular sail extended by a lateen-yard, and frequently used by xebecs, polacres, settees, and other vessels navigated in the Mediterranean sea.

LAYING THE LAND, in navigation, the state of motion which increases the distance from the coast, so as to make it appear lower and smaller; a circumstance which evidently arises from the intervening convexity of the surface of the sea. It is used in contradistinction to _raising_ the land, which is produced by the opposite motion of approach towards it.

LEAK, a chink or breach in the decks, sides, or bottom of a ship, through which the water passes into her hull. When a leak first commences, the vessel is said to have sprung a leak.

LEAKY, the state of a ship when abounding with leaks.

LEE, an epithet used by seamen to distinguish that part of the hemisphere to which the wind is directed, from the other part whence it arises; which latter is accordingly called _to windward_. This expression is chiefly used when the wind crosses the line of a ship’s course, so that all on one side of her is called _to-windward_, and all on the opposite side, _to leeward_: and hence,

_Under the_ LEE, implies farther to the leeward, or farther from that part of the horizon from whence the wind blows; as,

_Under the_ LEE _of the shore_; _i. e._ at a short distance from the shore which lies to windward. This phrase is commonly understood to express the situation of a vessel, anchored, or sailing under the weather-shore, where there is always smoother water, and less danger of heavy seas, than at a great distance from it[37].

LEE-LARCHES, the sudden and violent rolls which a ship often takes to the leeward in a high sea, particularly when a large wave strikes her on the weather-side.

LEE-SIDE, all that part of a ship or boat which lies between the mast, and the side farthest from the direction of the wind; or otherwise, the half of a ship, which is pressed down towards the water by the effort of the sails, as separated from the other half, by a line drawn through the middle of her length. That part of the ship, which lies to windward of this line, is accordingly called the _weather-side_.

Thus admit a ship to be sailing southward, with the wind at east, then is her starboard, or right-side, the _lee-side_; and the larboard, or left, the _weather-side_.

LEEWARD-SHIP, a vessel that falls much to-leeward of her course, when sailing _close-hauled_, and consequently loses much ground.

_To_ LEEWARD, towards that part of the horizon which lies under the lee, or whither the wind bloweth. Thus, “We saw a fleet under the lee,” and, “We saw a fleet to-leeward,” are synonimous expressions.

LEE-WAY, is the lateral movement of a ship to-leeward of her course, or the angle which the line of her way makes with the keel when she is _close-hauled_. See that article.

This movement is produced by the mutual effort of the wind and sea upon her side, forcing her to-leeward of the line upon which she appears to sail; and in this situation her course is necessarily a compound of the two motions by which she is impelled, of which the one presses forward, according to the line of her keel, from H to K, fig. 5. plate V. whilst the other, acting in the line B A, pushes her to leeward of the course from B towards A, with a motion which is usually in proportion to the force of the wind, and the rate of her velocity, as appears by the following theory.

When a ship is close-hauled, and the head-sails are in perfect equilibrio with those abaft, the resistance of the water from A to B. fig. 5. plate V. is equal to the impulse of the sails, whether it is impressed upon the centre of gravity H of the ship, or any other point of her length before or abaft it. In this situation, the ship will as readily bear away as come nearer to the wind, with regard to the resistance of the water upon her bottom on one side, and the impulsion of the wind upon the sails on the other. But it must be observed, that the united effort of the sails acts upon the ship according to a direction B A, perpendicular to their surfaces, and commencing its action in some point H, being the mean _d_ between the different effects C G, of the sails _afore_ and abaft, which should exactly correspond with the resistance of the water from A towards B; so that the vessel is pushed to leeward of the course I K, which she steers in the direction B A of the effort of the sails. But the resistance of the water, acting upon the lee-side of her bottom, counterbalances this effort, and becomes stronger, in proportion to the greater facility with which she divides the fluid with her stem; so that she will really advance in the course N R, which lies nearer the line of her keel than B A. Thus the angle K H R of the lee-way is proportional to the greater or less resistance the ship meets with from the fluid upon her lee side, respectively with her greater or less facility of dividing it with her fore-part; so that the lee-way is very inconsiderable, except, when the ship is close-hauled, and is accordingly disregarded whenever the wind, is large.

This demonstration might be pushed farther by a fact founded on daily experience, which proves that not only the lee-way depends on the form of the vessel, but also the degree of velocity with which she advances; and perhaps never, intirely, upon the greater or less obliquity of the sails with the keel, as some authors have pretended. For when a swift-sailing ship is _close-hauled_, with all her sails out, in a very light wind, and scarcely having _steerage-way_, the lee-way is considerable even in smooth water. This is occasioned by the tardy motion of the vessel, which being feebly pushed forward, cannot impress the water with a forcible effect, and by consequence feels no resistance from it, but is accordingly carried with facility by her sails, in the direction of their effort B A: and if we consider the situation of the ship’s side, which presents a great surface of sail above the water, it appears that the lee-way will become yet more perpendicular to the keel. But when the wind makes a forcible impression, the velocity of moving forward is considerably augmented; the ship strikes the fluid with a force, expressed by the square of two or three leagues of swiftness, from B towards A, in the space of an hour, whilst the water repels her effort in a contrary direction. The resistance of the water is then, in the ratio of this square, to the square of her first velocity, or head-way; and in this state will not readily yield to its effort. The lee-way immediately decreases, and will be still farther diminished, if the ship’s course is accelerated. If then at the moment when the ship advances with great rapidity, she _bears away_ 12 or 15 degrees, or even two points, without altering the general arrangement of her sails, their obliquity remains the same, the ship therefore ought to have the same lee-way, according to the opinion of those who have written on the theory of sailing. The velocity is augmented, because the sails then receive the wind by a greater sine of incidence, and thereby acquire a more powerful effort, whilst the ship’s _head_ is always struck by the water in the same parts, and by the same sine of incidence; so that the lee-way is also diminished, because the water resists more, in consequence of the accelerated swiftness; and because the resistance is more exerted on the ship’s side than on her head, which is less opposed to its impulsion. Hence we may conclude, that the lee-way of a ship does not entirely depend on the disposition of her sails; that it is different in different vessels, because they are neither formed alike, nor are their sails equally _trimmed_ in the same oblique courses: and finally, because they have always a different velocity, at the same time, and under the same sail. Thus it is evident, that the lee-way is always composed of the ship’s comparative velocity; of her form, which gives more or less proportional resistance upon the side than on the fore-part; and of the disposition of her sails, as forming a greater or smaller obliquity with the keel. See also CLOSE-HAULED, DRIFT, and SAILING.

LEECHES, _bords_, the borders or edges of a sail, which are either sloping or perpendicular. See GORING.

The leeches of all sails, whose tops and bottoms are parallel to the deck, or at right angles with the mast, are denominated from the ship’s side, and the sail to which they belong; as the _starboard_ leech of the main-sail, the _lee_ leech of the fore-top-sail, &c. but the sails which are fixed obliquely upon the masts, have their leeches named from their situation with respect to the ship’s length; as the fore-leech of the mizen, the after-leech of the jib, or fore-stay-sail, &c.

LEECH-LINES, _cargues-bouline_, certain ropes fastened to the middle of the leeches of the main-sail and fore-sail, and communicating with blocks under the opposite sides of the top, whence they pass downwards to the deck, serving to truss up those sails to the yard, as occasion requires. See BRAILS.

LEECH-ROPE, _ralingue_, a name given to that part of the bolt-rope, to which the border, or skirt of a sail is sewed. In all sails, whose opposite leeches are of the same length, it is terminated above by the earing, and below by the clue. See BOLT-ROPE, CLUE, and EARING.

LENGTHENING, the operation of cutting a ship down across the middle, and adding a certain portion to her length. It is performed by sawing her planks asunder, in different places of her length, on each side of the midship frame, to prevent her from being weakened too much in one place. The two ends are then drawn apart, to a limited distance, which must be equal to the proposed addition of length. An intermediate piece of timber is next added to the keel, upon which a sufficient number of timbers are erected, to fill up the vacancy produced by the separation. The two parts of the kelson are afterwards united, by an additional piece which is scored down upon the floor-timbers; and as many beams as may be necessary, are fixed across the ship in the new interval. Finally, the planks of the side are prolonged, so as to unite with each other, and those of the ceiling refitted in the same manner; by which the whole process is completed.

_To_ LET _in_, _enclaver_, amongst shipwrights, is to fix a diminished part of one plank or piece of timber into a vacancy, formed in another for this purpose. See RABBIT.

LETTER OF MART, a commission granted by the lords of the admiralty, or by the vice-admiral of any distant province, to the commander of a merchant-ship, or privateer, to cruize against, and make prizes of, the enemy’s ships and vessels, either at sea, or in their harbours.

_To_ LIE _along_, or LIE _over_. See the article ALONG.

_To_ LIE-_to_. See LYING-TO, &c.

LIEUTENANT _of a ship of war_, the officer next in rank and power to the captain, in whose absence he is accordingly charged with the command of the ship; as also the execution of whatever orders he may have received from the commander relating to the king’s service.

The lieutenant, who commands the watch at sea, keeps a list of all the officers and men thereto belonging, in order to muster them, when he judges it expedient, and report to the captain the names of those who are absent from their duty. During the night-watch, he occasionally visits the lower decks, or sends thither a careful officer, to see that the proper centinels are at their duty, and that there is no disorder amongst the men; no tobacco smoaked between decks, nor any fire or candles burning there, except the lights which are in lanthorns, under the care of a proper watch, on particular occasions. He is expected to be always upon deck in his watch, as well to give the necessary orders, with regard to _trimming_ the sails and superintending the navigation, as to prevent any noise or confusion; but he is never to change the ship’s course without the captain’s directions, unless to avoid an immediate danger.

The lieutenant, in time of battle, is particularly to see that all the men are present at their quarters, where they have been previously stationed according to the regulations made by the captain. He orders and exhorts them every where to perform their duty, and acquaints the captain at all other times of the misbehaviour of any persons in the ship, and of whatever else concerns the service or discipline.

The youngest lieutenant of the ship, who is also stiled lieutenant at arms, besides his common duty, is particularly ordered, by his instructions, to train the seamen to the use of small arms, and frequently to exercise and discipline them therein. Accordingly his office, in time of battle, is chiefly to direct and attend them, and at all other times to have a due regard to the preservation of the small arms, that they be not lost or embezzled, and that they are kept clean and in good condition for service.

LIFTS, _balanciers_, certain ropes, descending from the cap and mast-head, to the opposite extremities of the yard immediately under; where, passing through a block or pulley, they become double. They are used to keep the yard in equilibrio; or to pull one of its extremities higher than the other, as occasion requires; but particularly to support the weight of it, when a number of seamen are employed thereon, to furl or _reef_ the sail.

The lifts of the top-sail-yards, called the top-sail-lifts, are also used as _sheets_ to extend the bottom of the top-gallant-sail above.

The yards are said to be squared by the lifts, when they hang at right angles with the mast; that is to say, parallel to the horizon, when the vessel is upright upon the water.

_Topping_-LIFT. See TOPPING-LIFT.

LIGHT, _lege_, in the sea-language is used in contradistinction to laden. A ship is accordingly called light, either when she has no cargo, or when she is not sufficiently ballasted.

LIGHTER, _allege_, a large, open, flat-bottomed vessel, generally managed with oars, and employed to carry goods to or from a ship when she is to be laden or delivered. See the article VESSEL.

There are also some lighters furnished with a deck throughout their whole length, in order to contain those merchandizes, which would be damaged by rainy weather: these are usually called close-lighters.

LIGHT-HOUSE, _phare_, _tour à feu_, a sort of tower erected upon a cape or promontory on the sea-coast, or upon some rock in the sea, and having a great fire, or light formed by candles, upon its top, in the night time, which is constantly attended by some careful person, so as to be seen at a great distance from the land. It is used to direct the shipping on the coast, that might otherwise run ashore, or steer an improper course, when the darkness of the night, and the uncertainty of currents, &c. might render their situation, with regard to the shore, extremely doubtful.

LIGHT-ROOM, _fanal de soute_, a small apartment, inclosed with glass windows, near the magazine of a ship of war. It is used to contain the lights by which the gunner, and his assistants, are enabled to fill the cartridges with powder, to be ready for action.

LIMBERS, or LIMBER-HOLES, _parclosses_, certain square holes cut through the lower parts of a ship’s floor-timbers, very near the keel. Being disposed in a line, parallel to the keel, they form a channel, which communicates with the pumps throughout the whole length of the floor, so that the water which enters by a leak, and would otherwise be intercepted by the timbers, is easily conveyed to the well-room, where the pumps are fixed. Every floor-timber has two limber-holes cut through it, viz. one on each side of the _kelson_.

LIMBER-BOARDS, short pieces of plank, which form a part of the ceiling, or lining of a ship’s floor, close to the kelson, and immediately above the limbers. They are occasionally removed, when it becomes necessary, to examine, or clear the limber-holes of any filth, sand, chips, or gravel, by which they may be clogged, so as to interrupt the passage of the water, in the ship’s floor, to the pump-well.

LIMBER-ROPE, a long rope, frequently retained in the limber-holes of a ship, and communicating from one to another, in order to clear them by pulling the rope backwards and forwards, so as to loosen the sand or dirt by which they may occasionally be choaked.