ANNULUS ASTRONOMICUS. A ring of brass used formerly in navigation. In
1575 Martin Frobisher, when fitting out on his first voyage for the
discovery of a north-west passage, was supplied with one which cost
thirty shillings.
ANOMALISTIC MONTH. _See_ ANOMALISTIC PERIOD.
ANOMALISTIC PERIOD. The time of revolution of a primary or secondary
planet in reference to its line of apsides; that is, from one perigee or
apogee to another.
ANOMALISTIC YEAR. The space of time in which the earth passes through
her orbit--distinct from and longer than the tropical year, owing to the
precession of the equinoxes.
ANOMALY. Deviation from common rule. An irregularity in the motion of a
planet by which it deviates from the aphelion or apogee.--_Mean anomaly_
formerly signified the distance of a planet's mean place from the
apogee: it is the angular distance of a planet or comet from perihelion
supposing it to have moved with its mean velocity.--_True anomaly_, the
true angular distance of a planet or comet from perihelion. (_See_
EXCENTRIC and EQUATED.)
ANON. Quickly, directly, immediately.
ANONYMOUS PARTNERSHIPS. Those not carried on under a special name, and
the particulars known only to the parties themselves. This is much
practised in France, and often occasions trouble in prize-courts.
ANSAE. The dolphins or handles of brass ordnance. Also the projections or
arms of the ring on each side of Saturn's globe, in certain situations
relative to the earth.
ANSERES. Birds of the goose tribe.
ANSWER, TO. To reply, to succeed; as, the frigate has _answered_ the
signal. This boat will not _answer_.
ANSWERS HER HELM. When a ship obeys the rudder or steers.
ANTARCTIC. Opposite to the Arctic--abbreviated from _anti-arctic_.
ANTARCTIC CIRCLE. One of the lesser circles of the sphere, on the south
parallel of the equator, and 23-1/2 deg. from the south pole.
ANTARCTIC OCEAN. That which surrounds the south pole, within the
imaginary circle so called.
ANTARCTIC POLE. The south end of the earth's axis.
ANTARES. A star of the first magnitude, popularly known as the
_scorpion's heart_ ({a} Scorpio): it is one of those called "nautical"
stars, used for determining the latitude and longitude at night.
ANTECEDENTAL METHOD. A branch of general geometrical proportion, or
universal comparison of ratios.
ANTECEDENTIA. A planet's apparent motion to the westward, contrary to
the order of the signs.
ANTECEDENT OF A RATIO. The first of the two terms.
ANTECIANS. Those inhabitants of the earth who live under the same
meridian, but in opposite hemispheres. (_See_ ANTISCII.)
ANTE LUCAN. Before daylight.
ANTE MERIDIAN. Before noon.
ANTE MURAL. _See_ OUTWORKS.
ANTHELION. A mock or spurious sun; a luminous meteor, resembling, but
usually larger than, the solar disc.
ANTHRACITE. [Gr. _anthrax_ and _lithos_.] A stone coal demanding great
draught to burn, affording great heat, little smoke, and peculiarly
adapted for steamers.
ANTICHTHONES. The inhabitants of countries diametrically opposite to
each other.
ANTI-GALLICANS. A pair of extra backstays, sometimes used by
merchantmen, to support the masts when running before the trades.
ANTI-GUGGLER. A straw, or crooked tube, introduced into a spirit cask or
neck of a bottle, to suck out the contents; commonly used in 1800 to rob
the captain's steward's hanging safe in hot climates. Is to be found in
old dictionaries.
ANTILOGARITHM. The complement of the logarithm of a sine, tangent, or
secant.
ANTIPARALLELS. Those lines which make equal angles with two other lines,
but contrary ways.
ANTIPATHES. A kind of coral having a black horny stem.
ANTIPODES. Such inhabitants of the earth as are diametrically opposite
to each other. From the people, the term has passed to the places
themselves, which are situated at the two extremities of any diameter of
the earth.
ANTISCII. The people who dwell in opposite hemispheres of the earth, and
whose shadows at noon fall in contrary directions.
ANT ISLANDS. Generally found on Spanish charts as _Hormigas_.
ANVIL. The massive block of iron on which armourers hammer forge-work.
It is also an archaism for the handle or hilt of a sword: thus
Coriolanus--
"Here I clip
The anvil of my sword."
It is moreover a little narrow flag at the end of a lance.
ANYHOW. Do the duty by all means, and at any rate or risk: as Nelson,
impatient for getting to Copenhagen in 1801, exclaimed--
"Let it be by the Sound, by the Belt, or anyhow, only lose not an
hour."
ANY PORT IN A STORM signifies contentment with whatever may betide.
APAGOGE. A mathematical progress from one proposition to another.
APE, OR SEA-APE. The long-tailed shark. Also, an active American seal.
APEEK. A ship drawn directly over the anchor is _apeek_: when the
fore-stay and cable form a line, it is _short stay apeek_; when in a
line with the main-stay, _long stay apeek_. The anchor is _apeek_ when
the cable has been sufficiently hove in to bring the ship over
it.--_Yards apeek._ When they are topped up by contrary lifts. (_See_
PEAK.)
APERTAE. Ancient deep-waisted ships, with high-decked forecastle and
poop.
APERTURE, in astronomy. The opening of a telescope tube next the
object-glass, through which the rays of light and image of the object
are conveyed to the eye. It is usually estimated by the clear diameter
of the object-glass.
APEX. The summit or vertex of anything; as the upper point of a
triangle.
APHELION. That point in the orbit of a planet or comet which is most
remote from the sun, and at which the angular motion is slowest; being
the end of the greater elliptic axis. The opposite of _perihelion_.
APHELLAN. The name of the double star {a} Geminorum, better known as
Castor.
APHRACTI. Ancient vessels with open waists, resembling the present
Torbay-boats.
APLANATIC. That refraction which entirely corrects the aberration and
colour of the rays of light.
APLETS. Nets for the herring-fishery.
APLUSTRE. A word applied in ancient vessels both to the ornament on the
prow and to the streamer or ensign on the stern. Here, as in the
rudder-head of Dutch vessels frequently, the dog-vane was carried to
denote the direction of the wind.
APOBATHRAE. Ancient gang-boards from the ship to the quays.
APOCATASTASIS. The time in which a planet returns to the same point of
the zodiac whence it departed.
APOGEE. That point of the moon's orbit which is furthest from the earth;
the opposite of _perigee_. The _apogee_ of the sun is synonymous with
the _aphelion_ of the earth. The word is also used as a general term to
express the greatest distance of any heavenly body from the earth.
A-POISE. Said of a vessel properly trimmed.
APOSTLES. The knight-heads or bollard timbers, where hawsers or heavy
ropes are belayed.
APOTOME. The difference of two incommensurable mathematical quantities.
APPALTO. The commercial term for a monopoly in Mediterranean ports.
APPARATUS. Ammunition and equipage for war.
APPAREL. In marine insurance, means the _furniture_ or appurtenances of
a ship, as masts, yards, sails, ground gear, guns, &c. More
comprehensive than _apparatus_.
APPARELLED. Fully equipped for service.
APPARENT. In appearance, as visible to the eye, or evident to the mind,
which in the case of astronomical motions, distances, altitudes, and
magnitudes, will be found to differ materially from their real state,
and require correcting to find the true place.
APPARENT EQUINOX. The position of the equinox as affected by nutation.
APPARENT HORIZON. _See_ HORIZON.
APPARENT MOTION. The motion of celestial bodies as viewed from the
earth.
APPARENT NOON. The instant that the sun's centre is on the meridian of a
place.
APPARENT OBLIQUITY. The obliquity of the ecliptic affected with
nutation.
APPARENT PLACE OF A STAR. This is the position for any day which it
seems to occupy in the heavens, as affected with aberration and
nutation.
APPARENT TIME. The time resulting from an observation of the sun--an
expression _per contractionem_ for apparent solar time.
APPARITION. A star or planet becoming visible after occultation.
_Perpetual apparition_ of the lesser northern circles, wherein the stars
being above the horizon, never set.
APPEARANCE. The first making of a land-fall: formerly astronomically
used for phenomenon and phase. The day of an officer's first joining a
ship after his being appointed.
APPLE-PIE ORDER. A strange but not uncommon term for a ship in excellent
condition and well looked to. Neat and orderly. Absurdly said to be a
corruption of _du pol au pied_.
APPLICATE. The ordinate, or right line drawn across a curve, so as to be
bisected by its diameter.
APPLICATION. A word of extensive use, for the principles of adjusting,
augmenting, and perfecting the relations between sciences.
APPOINTED. Commissioned--named for a special duty.
APPOINTMENT. The equipment, ordnance, furniture, and necessaries of a
ship. Also an officer's commission. In the Army, _appointments_ usually
imply military accoutrements, such as belts, sashes, gorgets, &c.
APPORTER. A bringer into the realm.
APPRAISEMENT. A law instrument taken out by the captors of a vessel, who
are primarily answerable for the expense.
APPRENTICE. One who is covenanted to serve another on condition of being
instructed in an art, and ships' apprentices are to the same effect.
Boys under eighteen years of age bound to masters of merchant ships were
exempted from impressment for three years from the date of their
indentures; which documents were in duplicate, and exempt from stamp
duty.
APPROACHES. The trenches, zig-zags, saps, and other works, by which a
besieger makes good his way up to a fortified place. (_See_ TRENCHES.)
APPROVAL. The senior officer's signature to a demand or application.
APPROXIMATION. A continual approach to a quantity sought, where there is
no possibility of arriving at it exactly.
APPULSE. A near approach of one heavenly body to another, so as to form
an apparent contact: the term is principally used with reference to
stars or planets when the moon passes close to them without causing
occultation.
APRON, OR STOMACH-PIECE. A strengthening compass timber fayed abaft the
lower part of the stern, and above the foremost end of the keel; that
is, from the head down to the fore dead-wood knee, to which it is
scarfed. It is sided to receive the fastenings of the fore-hoods or
planking of the bow.--_Apron of a gun_, a square piece of sheet-lead
laid over the touch-hole for protecting the vent from damp; also over
the gun-lock.--_Apron of a dock_, the platform rising where the gates
are closed, and on which the sill is fastened down.
APSIDES, LINE OF. The imaginary line joining the aphelion and perihelion
points in the orbit of a planet.
APSIS. Either of the two points in planetary orbits where they are at
the greatest and the least distance from the sun, and are termed
_higher_ or _lower_ accordingly. The two are joined by a diameter called
the _line of the apsides_.
AQUAGE. The old law-term denoting the toll paid for water-carriage.
AQUARIUS. The eleventh sign in the zodiac ({a} Aquarius Sadalmelik).
AQUATIC. Inhabiting or relating to the water.
AQUATILE. An archaism for _aquatic_; thus Howell's lexicon describes the
crocodile as "partly aquatil, partly terrestrial."
AQUATITES. The law-term for everything living in the water.
AQUE. Wall-sided flat-floored boats, which navigate the Rhine.
AQUEDUCT. Conduits or canals built for the conveyance of water.
AQUILA. The constellation Aquila, in which {a} Aquilae is an important
star of the first magnitude: used by seamen in determining the latitude
and longitude; also in lunar distances. (_See_ ALTAIR.)
AQUILON. The north-east wind, formerly much dreaded by mariners.
ARAMECH. The Arabic name for the star Arcturus.
ARBALIST [from _arcus_ and _balista_]. An engine to throw stones, or the
cross-bow used for bullets, darts, arrows, &c.; formerly arbalisters
formed part of a naval force.
ARBITER. The judge to whom two persons refer their differences; not
always judicial, but the arbiter, in his own person, of the fate of
empires and peoples.
ARBITRAGE. The referring commercial disputes to the arbitration of two
or more indifferent persons.
ARBITRATION. The settlement of disputes out of court.
ARBOR. In chronometry, a shaft, spindle, or axis.
ARBY. A northern name for the thrift or sea-lavender.
ARC, OR ARCH. The segment of a circle or any curved line, by which all
angles are measured.
ARC DIURNAL. _See_ DIURNAL ARC.
ARC NOCTURNAL. _See_ NOCTURNAL ARC.
ARC OF DIRECTION OR PROGRESSION. The arc which a planet appears to
describe when its motion is direct or progressive in the order of the
signs.
ARC OF VISION. The sun's depth below the horizon when the planets and
stars begin to appear.
ARCH-BOARD. The part of the stern over the counter, immediately under
the knuckles of the stern-timbers.
ARCH OF THE COVE. An elliptical moulding sprung over the cove of a ship,
at the lower part of the taffrail.
ARCHED SQUALL. A violent gust of wind, usually distinguished by the
arched form of the clouds near the horizon, whence they rise rapidly
towards the zenith, leaving the sky visible through it.
ARCHEL, ARCHIL, ORCHILL. _Rocella tinctorum fucus_, a lichen found on
the rocks of the Canary and Cape de Verde groups; it yields a rich
purple. Litmus, largely used in chemistry, is derived from it.
ARCHES. A common term among seamen for the Archipelago. (_See_ also
GALLEY-ARCHES.)
ARCHI-GUBERNUS. The commander of the imperial ship in ancient times.
ARCHIMEDES' SCREW. An ingenious spiral pump for draining docks or
raising water to any proposed height,--the invention of that wonderful
man. It is also used to remove grain in breweries from a lower to a
higher level. The name has been recently applied to the very important
introduction in steam navigation--the propelling screw. (_See_
SCREW-PROPELLER.)
ARCHING. When a vessel is not strongly built there is always a tendency
in the greater section to lift, and the lower sections to fall; hence
the fore and after ends droop, producing arching, or _hogging_ (which
see).
ARCHIPELAGO. A corruption of Aegeopelagus, now applied to clusters of
islands in general. Originally the AEgean Sea. An archipelago has a great
number of islands of various sizes, disposed without order; but often
contains several subordinate groups. Such are the AEgean, the Corean, the
Caribbean, Indian, Polynesian, and others.
ARCHITECTURE. _See_ NAVAL ARCHITECTURE.
ARCTIC. Northern, or lying under _arktos_, the Bear; an epithet given to
the north polar regions comprised within the _arctic circle_, a lesser
circle of the sphere, very nearly 23 deg. 28' distant from the north pole.
ARCTIC OCEAN. So called from surrounding the pole within the imaginary
circle of that name.
ARCTIC POLE. The north pole of the globe.
ARCTURUS. {a} Booetis. A star of the first magnitude, close to the knee
of Arctophylax, or Booetes. One of the nautical stars.
ARD, OR AIRD. A British or Gaelic term for a rocky eminence, or rocks on
a wash: hence the word _hard_, in present use. It is also an
enunciation.
ARDENT. Said of a vessel when she gripes, or comes to the wind quickly.
ARE. The archaism for _oar_ (which see). A measure of land in France
containing 100 square metres.
AREA. The plane or surface contained between any boundary lines. The
superficial contents of any figure or work; as, the _area_ of any square
or triangle.
ARENACEOUS. Sandy; partaking of the qualities of sand; brittle; as,
_arenaceous_ limestone, quartz, &c.
ARENAL. In meteorology, a cloud of dust, often so thick as to prevent
seeing a stone's-throw off. It is common in South America, being raised
by the wind from adjoining shores. Also off the coast of Africa at the
termination of the desert of Zahara.
ARENATION. The burying of scorbutic patients up to the neck in holes in
a sandy beach, for cure; also spreading hot sand over a diseased person.
AREOMETER. An instrument for measuring the specific gravity of fluids.
ARGIN. An old word for an _embankment_.
ARGO. A name famous from Jason's romantic expedition, but absurdly
quoted as the first ship, for the fleets of Danaus and Minos are
mentioned long before, and the _Argo_ herself was chased by a squadron
under AEetes.
ARGO NAVIS. The southern constellation of the Ship, containing 9
clusters, 3 nebulae, 13 double and 540 single stars, of which about 64
are easily visible. As most of these were invisible to the Greeks, the
name was probably given by the Egyptians.
ARGOL. The tartaric acid or lees adhering to the sides of wine-casks,
particularly of port-wine; an article of commerce; supertartrate of
potass.
ARGOLET. A light horseman of the middle ages.
ARGONAUTA. The paper-nautilus. The sail which it was supposed to spread
to catch the wind, is merely a modified arm which invests the outer
surface of the shell.
ARGONAUTS. A company of forty-four heroes who sailed in the _Argo_ to
obtain the golden fleece; an expedition which fixes one of the most
memorable epochs in history. Also a Geographical Society instituted at
Venice, to whom we owe the publication of all the charts, maps, and
directories of Coronelli.
ARGOSY. A merchant ship or carrack of burden, principally of the Levant;
the name is by some derived from Ragusa, but by others with more
probability from the _Argo_. Shakspeare mentions "argosies with portly
sail." Those of the Frescobaldi were the richest and most adventurous of
those times.
ARGOZIN, OR ARGNESYN. The person whose office it was to attend to the
shackles of the galley-slaves, over whom he had especial charge.
ARGUMENT. An astronomical quantity upon which an equation depends,--or
any known number by which an unknown one proportional to the first may
be found.
ARGUMENT OF LATITUDE. The distance of a celestial body from one of the
nodes of its orbit, upon which the latitude depends.
ARIES. The most important point of departure in astronomy. A northern
constellation forming the first of the twelve signs of the zodiac, into
which the sun enters about the 20th of March. With Musca, Aries contains
22 nebulae, 8 double and 148 single stars, but not above 50 are visible
to the unassisted eye. The commencement of this sign, called the first
point of Aries, is the origin from which the right ascensions of the
heavenly bodies are reckoned upon the equator, and their longitudes upon
the ecliptic.
ARIS. Sharp corner of stones in piers and docks.
ARIS PIECES. Those parts of a made mast which are under the hoops.
ARITHMETIC. The art of computation by numbers; or that branch which
considers their powers and properties.
ARK. The sacred and capacious vessel built by Noah for preservation
against the flood. It was 300 cubits in length, 50 in breadth, and 30 in
height; and of whatever materials it was constructed, it was pitched
over or pay'd with bitumen. _Ark_ is also the name of a mare's-tail
cloud, or cirrhus, when it forms a streak across the sky.
ARLOUP. An archaism for the deck, now called _orlop_ (which see).
ARM. A deep and comparatively narrow inlet of the sea. That part of an
anchor on which the palm is shut. The extremity of the bibbs which
support the trestle-trees. Each extremity or end of a yard, beam, or
bracket.--_To arm_, to fit, furnish, and provide for war; to cap and set
a loadstone; to apply putty or tallow to the lower end of the lead
previous to sounding, in order to draw up a specimen of the bottom.--_To
arm a shot_, is to roll rope-yarns about a cross-bar-shot, in order to
facilitate ramming it home, and also to prevent the ends catching any
accidental inequalities in the bore.
ARMADA. A Spanish term signifying a royal fleet; it comes from the same
root as army. The word _armado_ is used by Shakspeare.
ARMADILLA. A squadron of guarda-costas, which formerly cruized on the
coasts of South America, to prevent smuggling.
ARMADOR. A Spanish privateer.
ARMAMENT. A naval or military force equipped for an expedition. The
arming of a vessel or place.
ARMAMENTA. The rigging and tackling of an ancient ship. It included
shipmen and all the necessary furniture of war.
ARMATAE. Ancient ships fitted with sails and oars, but which fought under
the latter only.
ARM-CHEST. A portable locker on the upper deck or tops for holding arms,
and affording a ready supply of cutlasses, pistols, muskets or other
weapons.
ARMED. Completely equipped for war.--_Armed at all points_, covered with
armour.--_Armed "en flute," see_ FLUTE.--_Armed mast_, made of more than
one tree.--_Armed ship_, a vessel fitted out by merchants to annoy the
enemy, and furnished with letters of marque, and bearing a commission
from the Admiralty to carry on warlike proceedings.
ARMED STEM. _See_ BEAK.
ARMILLARY SPHERE. An instrument composed of various circles, to assist
the student in gaining a knowledge of the arrangement and motions of the
heavenly bodies. A brass _armilla tolomaei_ was one of the instruments
supplied to Martin Frobisher in 1576, price L4, 6_s._ 8_d._
ARMING. A piece of tallow placed in the cavity and over the bottom of a
sounding lead, to which any objects at the bottom of the sea become
attached, and are brought with the lead to the surface.
ARMINGS. Red dress cloths which were formerly hung fore and aft, outside
the upper works on holidays; still used by foreigners. (_See_
TOP-ARMINGS.) It was also the name of a kind of boarding-net.
ARMIPOTENT. Powerful in war.
ARMISTICE. A cessation of arms for a given time; a short truce for the
suspension of hostilities.
ARMLET. A narrow inlet of the sea; a smaller branch than the arm. Also
the name of a piece of armour for the arm, to protect it from the jar of
the bow-string.
ARMOGAN. An old term for good opportunity or season for navigation,
which, if neglected, was liable to costs of demurrage. It is a
Mediterranean word for fine weather.
ARMORIC. The language of Brittany, Cornwall, and Wales: the word in its
original signification meant _maritime_.
ARMOUR. A defensive habit to protect the wearer from his enemy; also
defensive arms. In old statutes this is frequently called _harness_.
ARMOUR-CLAD. A ship of war fitted with iron plates on the outside to
render her shot-proof.
ARMOURER. In a man-of-war, is a person appointed by warrant to keep the
small arms in complete condition for service. As he is also the ship's
blacksmith, a mate is allowed to assist at the forge.
ARMOURY. A place appropriated for the keeping of small arms.
ARM-RACK. A frame or fitting for the stowage of arms (usually vertical)
out of harm's way, but in readiness for immediate use. In the conveyance
of troops by sea arm-racks form a part of the proper accommodation.
ARMS. The munitions of war,--all kinds of weapons whether for offence or
defence. Those in a ship are cannons, carronades, mortars, howitzers,
muskets, pistols, tomahawks, cutlasses, bayonets, and boarding-pikes.
ARMS OF A GREAT GUN. The trunnions.
ARMSTRONG GUN. Invented by Sir William Armstrong. In its most familiar
form, a rifled breech-loading gun of wrought iron, constructed
principally of spirally coiled bars, and occasionally having an inner
tube or core of steel; ranging in size from the smallest field-piece up
to the 100 pounder; rifled with numerous shallow grooves, which are
taken by the expansion of the leaden coating of its projectile. Late
experiments however, connected with iron-plated ships are developing
muzzle-loading Armstrong guns, constructed on somewhat similar
principles, but with simpler rifling, ranging in size up to the 600
pounder weighing 23 tons.
ARMY. A large body of disciplined men, with appropriate subdivisions,
commanded by a general. A fleet is sometimes called a naval
army.--_Flying army_, a small body sent to harass a country, intercept
convoys, and alarm the enemy.
ARMYE. A early term for a naval armament.
ARNOT. A northern name for the shrimp.
ARONDEL. A light and swift tartan: probably a corruption of _hirondelle_
(swallow).
ARPENT. A French measure of land, equal to 100 square rods or perches,
each of 18 feet. It is about 1/7th less than the English acre.
ARQUEBUSS. A word sometimes used for carbine, but formerly meant a
garrison-piece, carrying a ball of 3-1/2 ounces; it was generally placed
in loop-holes. (_See_ HAGBUT.)
ARRACK. An Indian term for all ardent liquors, but that which we
designate thus is obtained by the fermentation of toddy (a juice
procured from palm-trees), of rice, and of sugar. In Turkey arrack is
extracted from vine-stalks taken out of wine-presses.
ARRAIER. The officer who formerly had the care of the men's armour, and
whose business it was to see them duly accoutred.
ARRAY. The order of battle.--_To array._ To equip, dress, or arm for
battle.
ARREARS. The difference between the full pay of a commissioned officer,
and what he is empowered to draw for till his accounts are passed.
ARREST. The suspension of an officer's duty, and restraint of his
person, previous to trying him by a court martial. Seamen in Her
Majesty's service cannot be _arrested_ for debts under twenty pounds,
and that contracted before they entered the navy. Yet it is held in law,
that this affords no exemption from _arrests_ either in civil or
criminal suits.
ARRIBA. [Sp. pronounced _arriva_]. Aloft, quickly.--_Agir contre son
gre, montar arriba_, to mount aloft, which has passed into seamen's
lingo as _areevo_, up, aloft, quickly:--mount _areevo_, or go on deck.
ARRIBAR, TO. To land, to attain the bank, to arrive.
ARRIVE, TO. In the most nautical sense, is to come to any place by
water, to reach the shore.
ARROBA. A Portuguese commercial weight of 32 lbs. Also, a Spanish
general wine measure of 4-1/4 English gallons. The lesser _arroba_, used
for oil, is only 3-1/3 English gallons. A Spanish weight of 25 lbs.
avoirdupois; one-fourth of a quintal. Also, a rough country cart in
Southern Russia.
ARROW. A missive weapon of offence, and whether ancient or modern, in
the rudest form among savages or refined by art, is always a slender
stick, armed at one end, and occasionally feathered at the other. The
natives of Tropical Africa feather the metal barb.
ARROW. In fortification, a work placed at the salient angles of the
glacis, communicating with the covert way.--_Broad arrow._ The royal
mark for stores of every kind. (_See_ BROAD ARROW.)
ARSENAL. A repository of the munitions of war. Some combine both
magazines of naval and military stores, and docks for the construction
and repair of ships.
ARSHEEN. A Russian measure of 2 feet 4 in. = 2.333--also Chinese, four
of which make 3 yards English.
ART. A spelling of _airt_ (which see). Also, practice as distinguished
from theory.
ARTEMON. The main-sail of ancient ships.
ARTHUR. A well-known sea game, alluded to by Grose, Smollet, and other
writers.
ARTICLES. The express stipulations to which seamen bind themselves by
signature, on joining a merchant ship.
ARTICLES OF WAR. A code of rules and orders based on the act of
parliament for the regulation and government of Her Majesty's ships,
vessels, and forces by sea: and as they are frequently read to all
hands, no individual can plead ignorance of them. It is now termed the
New Naval Code.--The _articles of war_ for the land forces have a
similar foundation and relation to their service; the act in this case,
however, is passed annually, the army itself having, in law, no more
than one year's permanence unless so periodically renewed by act of
parliament.
ARTIFICER. One who works by hand in wood or metal; generally termed an
_idler on board_, from his not keeping night-watch, and only appearing
on deck duty when the hands are turned up.
ARTIFICIAL EYE. An eye worked in the end of rope, which is neater but
not so strong as a spliced eye.
ARTIFICIAL HORIZON. An artificial means of catching the altitude of a
celestial body when the sea horizon is obscured by fog, darkness, or the
intervention of land; a simple one is still the greatest desideratum of
navigators. Also a trough filled with pure mercury, used on land,
wherein the double altitude of a celestial body is reflected.
ARTIFICIAL LINES. The ingenious contrivances for representing
logarithmic sines and tangents, so useful in navigation, on a scale.
ARTILLERY was formerly synonymous with archery, but now comprehends
every description of ordnance, guns, mortars, fire-arms, and all their
appurtenances. The term is also applied to the noble corps destined to
that service: as also to the theory and practice of the science of
projectiles: it was moreover given to all kinds of missile weapons, and
the translators of the Bible make Jonathan give his "artillery unto his
lad."
ARTILLERY, ROYAL MARINE. Formerly a select branch of the _R. Marines_,
specially instructed in gunnery and the care of artillery stores;
assigned in due proportion to all ships of war. It is now separate from
the other branch (to whose original title the denomination of Light
Infantry has been added), and rests on its own official basis; its
relation to ships of war, however, remaining the same as before,
although while on shore the Royal Marine forces are regulated by an
annual act of parliament. (_See_ ROYAL MARINE ARTILLERY.)
ARTIST. A name formerly applied to those mariners who were also expert
navigators.