CHANCY. Dangerous.
CHANDLER, SHIP. Dealer in general stores for ships.
CHANGE. In warrantry, is the voluntary substitution of a different
voyage for a merchant ship than the one originally specified or agreed
upon, an act which discharges the insurers. (_See_ DEVIATION.)
CHANGEY-FOR-CHANGEY. A rude barter among men-of-war's men, as bread for
vegetables, or any "swap."
CHANNEL. In hydrography, the fair-way, or deepest part of a river,
harbour, or strait, which is most convenient for the track of shipping.
Also, an arm of the sea, or water communication running between an
island or islands and the main or continent, as the British Channel. In
an extended sense it implies any passage which separates lands, and
leads from one ocean into another, without distinction as to shape.
CHANNEL-BOLTS. The long bolts which pass through all the planks, and
connect the channel to the side.
CHANNEL-GROPERS. The home-station ships cruising in the Channel; usually
small vessels to watch the coast in former times, and to arrest
smugglers.
CHANNEL-GROPING. The carrying despatches, and cruising from port to port
in soundings.
CHANNEL-PLATES. _See_ CHAIN-PLATES.
CHANNEL-WALES. Strakes worked between the gun-deck and the upper deck
ports of large ships. Also, the outside plank which receives the bolts
of the chain-plates. The wale-plank extends fore and aft to support the
channels.
CHANTICLEER. A name in the Frith of Forth for the dragonet or gowdie
(_Callionymus lyra_). The early or vigilant cock, from which several
English vessels of war have derived their names.
CHAP. A general term for a man of any age after boyhood; but it is not
generally meant as a compliment.
CHAPE. The top locket of a sword scabbard.
CHAPELLING A SHIP. The act of turning her round in a light breeze, when
she is close hauled, without bracing the head-yards, so that she will
lie the same way that she did before. This is commonly occasioned by the
negligence of the steersman, or by a sudden change of the wind.
CHAPLAIN. The priest appointed to perform divine service on board ships
in the royal navy.
CHAPMAN. A small merchant or trader; a ship's super-cargo.
CHAR. A fine species of trout taken in our northern lakes.
CHARACTERS. Certain marks invented for shortening the expression of
mathematical calculations, as +, -, x, /, =, : :: :, [sq], &c.
CHARGE. The proportional quantity of powder and ball wherewith a gun is
loaded for execution. The rules for loading large ordnance are: that the
piece be first cleaned or scoured inside; that the proper quantity of
powder be next driven in and rammed down, care however being taken that
the powder in ramming be not bruised, because that weakens its effect;
that a little quantity of paper, lint, or the like, be rammed over it,
and then the ball be intruded. If the ball be red hot, a tompion, or
trencher of green wood, is to be driven in before it. Also, in martial
law, an indictment or specification of the crime of which a prisoner
stands accused. Also, in evolutions, the brisk advance of a body to
attack an enemy, with bayonets fixed at the charge, or firmly held at
the hip. Also, the command on duty, every man's office.--_A ship of
charge_, is one so deeply immersed as to steer badly.--_To charge a
piece_, is to put in the proper quantity of ammunition.
CHARGER. The horse ridden by an officer in action; a term loosely
applied to any war-horse.
CHARITY-SLOOPS. Certain 10-gun brigs built towards the end of Napoleon's
war, something smaller than the 18-gun brigs; these were rated sloops,
and scandal whispers "in order that so many commanders might charitably
be employed."
CHARLES'S WAIN. The seven conspicuous stars in Ursa Major, of which two
are called the pointers, from showing a line to the pole-star.
CHART, OR SEA-CHART. A hydrographical map, or a projection of some part
of the earth's superficies _in plano_, for the use of navigators,
further distinguished as plane-charts, Mercator's charts, globular
charts, and the bottle or current chart, to aid in the investigation of
surface currents (all which see). A selenographic chart represents the
moon, especially as seen by the aid of photography and Mr. De la Rue's
arrangement.
CHARTER. To charter a vessel is to take her to freight, under a
charter-party. The charter or written instrument by which she is hired
to carry freight.
CHARTERED SHIP. One let to hire to one or more, or to a company. A
_general_ ship is where persons, unconnected, load goods.
CHARTERER. The person hiring or chartering a ship, or the government or
a company by their agents.
CHARTER-PARTY. The deed or written contract between the owners and the
merchants for the hire of a ship, and safe delivery of the cargo; thus
differing from a bill of lading, which relates only to a portion of the
cargo. It is the same in civil law with an indenture at the common law.
It ought to contain the name and burden of the vessel, the names of the
master and freighters, the place and time of lading and unlading, and
stipulations as to demurrage. The charter-party is dissolved by a
complete embargo, though not by the temporary stopping of a port. It is
thus colloquially termed a pair of indentures.
CHASE, TO. To pursue a ship, which is also called giving chase.--_A
stern chase_ is when the chaser follows the chased astern, directly upon
the same point of the compass.--_To lie with a ship's fore-foot in a
chase_, is to sail and meet with her by the nearest distance, and so to
cross her in her way, as to come across her fore-foot. A ship is said to
have a good chase when she is so built forward or astern that she can
carry many guns to shoot forwards or backwards; according to which she
is said to have a good forward or good stern chase. Chasing to windward,
is often termed chasing in the wind's eye.
CHASE. The vessel pursued by some other, that pursuing being the chaser.
This word is also applied to a receptacle for deer and game, between a
forest and a park in size, and stored with a larger stock of timber than
the latter.
CHASE, BOW. Cannon situated in the fore part of the ship to fire upon
any object ahead of her. Chasing ahead, or varying on either bow.
CHASE OF A GUN. That part of the conical external surface extending from
the moulding in front of the trunnions to that which marks the
commencement of the muzzle; that is, in old pattern guns, from the ogee
of the second reinforce, to the neck or muzzle astragal.
CHASE-GUNS. Such guns as are removed to the chase-ports ahead or astern,
if not pivot-guns.
CHASE-PORTS. The gun-ports at the bows and through the stern of a
war-ship.
CHASER. The ship which is pursuing another.
CHASE-SIGHT. Where the sight is usually placed.
CHASE-STERN. The cannon which are placed in the after-part of a ship,
pointing astern.
CHASSE MAREES. The coasting vessels of the French shores of the Channel;
generally lugger-rigged; either with two or three masts, and sometimes a
top-sail; the hull being bluffer when used for burden only, are thus
distinguished from luggers. They seldom venture off shore, but coast it.
CHATHAM. _See_ CHEST OF CHATHAM.
CHATS. Lice. Also lazy fellows.
CHATTA, OR CHATTY. An Indian term for an earthen vessel sometimes used
for cooking.
CHAW. _See_ QUID.
CHEATING THE DEVIL. Softenings of very profane phrases, the mere
euphemisms of hard swearing, as _od rot it_, _od's blood_, _dash it_,
_dang you_, _see you blowed first_, _deuce take it_, _by gosh_, _be
darned_, and the like profane preludes, such as boatswains and their
mates are wont to use.
CHEAT THE GLASS. _See_ FLOGGING THE GLASS.
CHEBACCO BOAT. A description of fishing-vessel employed in the
Newfoundland fisheries. It is probably named from Chebucto Bay.
CHECK. (_See_ BOWLINE.) To slack off a little upon it, and belay it
again. Usually done when the wind is by, or as long as she can lay her
course without the aid of the bowline.--_To check_ is to slacken or ease
off a brace, which is found to be too stiffly extended, or when the wind
is drawing aft. It is also used in a contrary sense when applied to the
cable running out, and then implies to stopper the cable.--_Check her_,
stop her way.
CHECKERS. A game much used by seamen, especially in the tops, where
usually a checker-board will be found carved.
CHECKING-LINES. These are rove through thimbles at the eyes of the
top-mast and top-gallant rigging, one end bent to the lift and brace,
the other into the top. They are used to haul them in to the mast-head,
instead of sending men aloft.
CHEEK. Insolent language.--_Own cheek_, one's self.--_Cheeky_, flippant.
CHEEK-BLOCKS. Usually fitted to the fore-topmast head, for the purpose
of leading the jib-stay, halliards, &c.
CHEEKS. A general term among mechanics for those pieces of timber in any
machine which are double, and perfectly corresponding to each other. The
projections at the throat-end of a gaff which embrace the mast are
termed jaws. Also, the sides of a gun-carriage. (_See_ BRACKETS.) Also,
the sides of a block. Also, an old soubriquet for a marine, derived from
a rough pun on his uniform in olden days.
CHEEKS, OR CHEEK-KNEES. Pieces of compass-timber on the ship's bows, for
the security of the beak-head, or knee of the head, whence the term
_head-knee_. Two pieces of timber fitted on each side of a mast, from
beneath the hounds and its uppermost end. Also, the circular pieces on
the aft-side of the carrick-bitts.
CHEEKS OF AN EMBRASURE. The interior faces or sides of an embrasure.
CHEEKS OF THE MAST. The faces or projecting parts on each side of the
masts, formed to sustain the trestle-trees upon which the frame of the
top, together with the top-mast, immediately rest. (_See_ HOUNDS and
BIBBS.)
CHEER, TO. To salute a ship _en passant_, by the people all coming on
deck and huzzahing three times; it also implies to encourage or animate.
(_See also_ HEARTY and MAN SHIP!)
CHEERING. The result of an animated excitement in action, which often
incites to valour. Also, practised on ships parting at sea, on joining
an admiral, &c. In piratical vessels, to frighten their prey with a
semblance of valour.
CHEERLY. Quickly; with a hearty will. "Cheerly, boys, cheerly," when the
rope comes in slowly, or hoisting a sail with a few hands.
CHEESE. A circle of wads covered with painted canvas.
CHELYNGE. An early name of the cod-fish.
CHEQUE, OR CHECK. An office in dockyards. Cheque for muster, pay,
provision, desertion, discharged, or dead--under DDD. or DSq^d.
CHEQUE, CLERK OF THE. An officer in the royal dockyards, who goes on
board to muster the ship's company, of whom he keeps a register, thereby
to check false musters, the penalty of which is cashiering.
CHEQUERED SIDES. Those painted so as to show all the ports; more
particularly applicable to two or more rows.
CHERIMERI. In the East, a bribe in making a contract or bargain.
CHERRY. A species of smelt or spurling, taken in the Frith of Tay.
CHESIL. From the Anglo-Saxon word _ceosl_, still used for a bank or
shingle, as that remarkable one connecting the Isle of Portland with the
mainland, called the Chesil Beach.
CHESS-TREE. A piece of oak fastened with iron bolts on each top-side of
the ship. Used for boarding the main-tack to, or hauling home the clues
of the main-sail, for which purpose there is a hole in the upper part,
through which the tack passes, that extends the clue of the sail to
windward. Where chain has been substituted of late for rope, iron plates
with thimble-eyes are used for chess-trees.
CHEST OF CHATHAM. An ancient institution, restored and established by an
order in council of Queen Elizabeth, in 1590, supported by a
contribution from each seaman and apprentice, according to the amount of
his wages, for the wounded and hurt seamen of the royal navy, under the
name of smart-money.
CHEST-ROPE. The same with the guest or gift rope, and is added to the
boat-rope when the boat is towed astern of the ship, to keep her from
sheering, _i.e._ from swinging to and fro. (_See_ GUESS-WARP.)
CHEVAUX DE FRISE. An adopted term for pickets pointed with iron, and
standing through beams, to stop an enemy: this defence is also called a
turn-pike or pike-turn.
CHEVENDER. An old name for the chevin or chub.
CHEVILS. _See_ KEVELS.
CHEVIN. An old name for the chub.
CHEVRON. The distinguishing mark on the sleeves of sergeants' and
corporals' coats, the insignia of a non-commissioned officer. Also, a
mark recently instituted as a testimony of good conduct in a private.
Further, now worn by seamen getting good-service pay.
CHEWING OF OAKUM OR PITCH. When a ship suffers leakage from inefficient
caulking. (_See_ SEAM.)
CHEZ-VOUS. A kind of "All Souls" night in Bengal, when meats and fruits
are placed in every corner of a native's house. Hence _shevoe_, for a
ship-gala.
CHICO [Sp. for small].--_Boca-chica_, small mouth of a river.
CHIEF. _See_ COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. A common abbreviation.
CHIEF MATE, OR CHIEF OFFICER. The next to a commander in a merchantman,
and who, in the absence of the latter, acts as his deputy.
CHIGRE, CHAGOE, CHIGGRE, OR JIGGER. A very minute insect of tropical
countries, which pierces the thick skin of the foot, and breeds there,
producing great pain. It is neatly extricated with its sac entire by
clever negroes.
CHILLED SHOT. Shot of very rapidly cooled cast-iron, _i.e._ cast in iron
moulds, and thus found to acquire a hardness which renders them of
nearly equal efficiency with steel shot for penetrating iron plates, yet
produced at about one-quarter the price. They invariably break up on
passing through the plates, and their fragments are very destructive on
crowded decks; though in the attack of iron war vessels, where the
demolishment of guns, carriages, machinery, turrets, &c., is required,
the palm must still be awarded to steel shot and shell.
CHIMBE [Anglo-Saxon]. The prominent part or end of the staves, where
they project beyond the head of a cask.
CHIME. _See_ CHINE.
CHIME IN, TO. To join a mess meal or treat. To chime in to a chorus or
song.
CHINCKLE. A small bight in a line.
CHINE. The backbone of a cliff, from the backbones of animals; a name
given in the Isle of Wight, as Black Gang Chine, and along the coasts of
Hampshire. Also, that part of the water-way which is left the thickest,
so as to project above the deck-plank; and it is notched or gouged
hollow in front, to let the water run free.
CHINE AND CHINE. Casks stowed end to end.
CHINED. Timber or plank slightly hollowed out.