CIVIL WAR. That between subjects of the same realm, or between factions
of the same state.
CLAIMANTS. Persons appealing to the jurisdiction of the admiralty court.
They are denominated colourable, or fair, according to the informality,
or justice, of their claims.
CLAKE. A name for the barnacle-goose (_Anser bernicla_). Also, for the
_Lepas anatifera_, a cirriped often found attached to vessels or timber
by a long fleshy peduncle, sometimes 4 or 5 feet in length.
CLAM. A well-known bivalve shell-fish. "As happy as a clam at
high-water," a figurative expression for otiose comfort.
CLAMBER. To climb; to ascend quickly.
CLAMPING. Applying a cross-head, or stirrup-piece, in a socket.
CLAMP-NAILS. Such nails as are used to fasten clamps; they are short and
stout, with large heads.
CLAMPS. Pieces of timber applied to a mast or yard, to prevent the wood
from bursting. Also, thick planks lying fore and aft under the beams of
the first orlop or second deck, the same as the rising-timbers are to
the deck. They are securely fayed to all the timbers, to which they are
fastened by nails through the clamp, and penetrating two-thirds of the
thickness of the timbers. Also, substantial strakes, worked inside, on
which the ends of the beams rest. Also, smooth crooked plates of iron
forelocked upon the trunnions of cannon; these, however, are more
properly termed cap-squares. (_See_ CARRIAGE.) Also, any plate of iron
made to open and shut, so as to confine a spar. A one-cheeked block; the
spar to which it is fastened being the other cheek.--_To clamp_, is to
unite two bodies by surfaces or circular plates.--_Clamped_, is when a
piece of board is fitted with the grain to the end of another piece of
board across the grain.
CLAMS. Strong pieces used by shipwrights for drawing bolts, &c. Also, a
kind of forceps used for bringing up specimens of the bottom in
sounding; a drag. (_See_ CLAM.)
CLANG. The rattling or clashing of arms.
CLAP-BOARD [German, _klapp-bord_]. An east-country commercial plank,
which ought to be upwards of 13 feet in length; cask-staves are also
clap-boards. Clap-board, in the colonies, is the covering the side of a
house with narrow boards, "lapping fashion," in contradistinction to
shingling, or tiling, or clench-built.
CLAP-MATCH. A sort of seal, distinct from the fur-seal.
CLAP ON! The order to lay hold of any rope, in order to haul upon it.
Also, to "Clap on the stoppers before the bitts," _i.e._ fasten the
stoppers; or, "Clap on the cat-fall," _i.e._ lay hold of the
cat-fall.--_To clap a stopper over all_, to stop a thing effectually; to
clap on the stopper before the bitts next to the manger or hawse-hole;
to order silence.--_To clap in irons_, to order an offender into the
bilboes.--_To clap on canvas_, to make more sail.
CLAPPER. A name for the valve of a pump-box. Also, a plank or
foot-bridge across a running stream; also, the clapper of a bell.
CLAP-SILL. The lockage of a flood-gate.
CLARTY. In north-country whalers, used for _wet_, _slippery_.
CLASHY. Showery weather.
CLASP-HOOK. An iron clasp, in two parts, moving upon the same pivot, and
overlapping one another. Used for bending chain-sheets to the clues of
sails, jib-halliards, &c. (_See_ SPAR-HOOK.)
CLASS. Order or rank; specially relating to dockyard men.
CLASSIFICATION OF SHIPS. A register made of vessels according to the
report rendered in by special surveyors. (_See_ NAVY and LLOYD'S
REGISTER.)
CLAW, OR CLAW OFF, TO. To beat, or turn to windward from a lee-shore, so
as to be at sufficient distance from it to avoid shipwreck. It is
generally used when getting to windward is difficult.
CLAYMORE. Anciently a two-handed sword of the Highlanders, but latterly
applied to their basket-hilted sword.
CLEACHING NET. A hand-net with a hoop and bar, used by fishermen on the
banks of the Severn.
CLEAN. Free from danger, as clean coast, clean harbour; in general
parlance means quite, entirely. So Shakspeare represents AEgeon
"Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia."
Also, applied to a ship's hull with a fine run fore and aft.--_Clean
entrance_, clean run.--_To clean a ship's bottom._ (_See_ BREAMING and
HOG.)
CLEAN BILL. (_See_ BILL OF HEALTH.) When all are in health.
CLEAN DONE. Quite. In a seamanlike manner; purpose well effected;
adroitly tricked. (_See_ WEATHERED.)
CLEAN-FISH. On the northern coasts, a salmon perfectly in season.
CLEAN-FULL. Keeping the sail full, bellying, off the wind.
CLEAN OFF THE REEL. When the ship by her rapidity pulls the line off the
log-reel, without its being assisted. Also, upright conduct. Also, any
performance without stop or hindrance, off-hand.
CLEAN SHIP. A whale-ship unfortunate in her trip, having no fish or oil.
CLEAR. Is variously applied, to weather, sea-coasts, cordage,
navigation, &c., as opposed to foggy, to dangerous, to entangled. It is
usually opposed to _foul_ in all these senses.
CLEAR, TO. Has several significations, particularly to escape from, to
unload, to empty, to prepare, &c., as:--_To clear for action._ To
prepare for action.--_To clear away_ for this or that, is to get
obstructions out of the way.--_To clear the decks._ To remove lumber,
put things in their places, and coil down the ropes. Also, to take the
things off a table after a meal.--_To clear goods._ To pay the
custom-house dues and duties.--_To clear the land._ To escape from the
land.--_To clear a lighter, or the hold._ To empty either.
CLEARANCE. The document from the customs, by which a vessel and her
cargo, by entering all particulars at the custom-house, and paying the
dues, is permitted to clear out or sail.
CLEAR FOR GOING ABOUT. Every man to his station, and every rope an-end.
CLEARING LIGHTERS. All vessels pertaining to public departments should
be cleared with the utmost despatch.
CLEAR THE PENDANT. _See_ UP AND CLEAR THE PENDANT.
CLEAR WATER. A term in Polar seas implying no ice to obstruct
navigation, well off the land, having sea-room.
CLEAT A GUN, TO. To nail large cleats under the trucks of the
lower-deckers in bad weather, to insure their not fetching way.
CLEATS, OR CLEETS. Pieces of wood of different shapes used to fasten
ropes upon: some have one and some two arms. They are called belaying
cleat, deck-cleat, and a thumb-cleat. Also, small wedges of wood
fastened on the yards, to keep ropes or the earing of the sail from
slipping off the yard. Mostly made of elm or oak.
CLEAVAGE. The splitting of any body having a structure or line of
cleavage: as fir cleaves longitudinally, slates horizontally, stones
roughly, smoothly, conchoidal, or stratified, &c.
CLEFTS. Wood sawn lengthways into pieces less in thickness than in
breadth. (_See_ PLANK.)
CLENCH, TO. To secure the end of a bolt by burring the point with a
hammer. Also, a mode of securing the end of one rope to another. (_See_
CLINCH.)
CLENCHED BOLTS. Those fastened by means of a ring, or an iron plate,
with a rivetting hammer at the end where they protrude through the wood,
to prevent their drawing.
CLENCH-NAILS. They are much used in boat-building, being such as can be
driven without splitting the boards, and drawn without breaking. (_See_
ROVE and CLENCH.)
CLEP. A north-country name for a small grapnel.
CLERK. Any naval officer doing the duty of a clerk.
CLETT. A northern or Erse word to express a rock broken from a cliff, as
the holm in Orkney and Shetland.
CLEUGH. A precipice, a cliff. Also, a ravine or cleft.