DRIFTING-UP. Is used as relating to sands which are driven by the winds.
As at Cape Blanco, on the coast of Africa, off the tail of the Desert of
Zahara, where the houses and batteries have been thus obliterated.
DRIFT-MUD. Consisting chiefly of an argillaceous earth, brought down by
the rivers, floated about, and successively deposited in banks; forming
the alluvial and fertile European settlements of Guiana.
DRIFT-NET. A large net, with meshes of one inch, used in the pilchard
fishery in August; also, for herrings and mackerel in March: used in
drifting in the Chops of the Channel. Also, of strong gauze, for
molluscs.
DRIFT-PIECES. Solid pieces fitted at the drifts, forming the scrolls on
the drifts: they are commonly mitred into the gunwale.
DRIFTS. Detached masses of soil and underwood torn off the shore by
floods and floating about, often mistaken for rocks and dangers. Also,
in ship-building, those parts where the sheer is raised, and the rails
are cut off, ending with a scroll; as the drift of the quarter-deck,
poop-deck, and forecastle.
DRIFT-SAIL. A contrivance, by means of immersing a sail, to diminish the
drift of a ship during a gale of wind. (_See_ DRAGS.)
DRIFT-WAY. Synonymous with _lee-way_.
DRILL. Systematized instruction in the practice of all military
exercises.
DRILL-SHIPS. A recent establishment of vessels in which the volunteers
composing the Royal Naval Reserve are drilled into practice.
DRINK-PENNY. Earnest money at rendezvous houses, &c.
DRIP-STONE. The name usually given to filters composed of porous stone.
DRIVE, TO [from the Anglo-Saxon _dryfan_]. A ship drives when her anchor
trips or will not hold. She drives to leeward when beyond control of
sails or rudder; and if under bare poles, may drive before the wind.
Also, to strike home bolts, tree-nails, &c.
DRIVER. A large sail formerly used with the wind aft or quartering. It
was a square sail cut like a studding-sail, and set with a great yard on
the end of the spanker-boom, across the taffrail. The name latterly has
been officially applied to the spanker, both being the aftermost sails
of a ship, the ring-tail being only an addition, as a studding or
steering sail. (_See_ STEERING-SAIL.) Also, the foremost spur in the
bilge-ways, the heel of which is fayed to the fore-side of the foremost
poppet, and the sides of it look fore and aft. Also, a sort of
fishing-boat.
DRIVER-BOOM. The boom to which the driver is hauled out.
DRIVING A CHARGE. Ramming home the loading of a piece of ordnance.
DRIVING PILES. The motion of a ship bobbing in a head sea, compared to
the vertical fall of monkeys on pile heads.
DROG. A Gaelic term, still in use, to express the agitation of the sea.
DROGHER. A small craft which goes round the bays of the West India Islands,
to take off sugars, rum, &c., to the merchantmen.--_Lumber-drogher_ is a
vessel built solely for burden, and for transporting cotton and other
articles coastwise.
DROGHING. The carrying trade of the West India coasts.
DROITS OF ADMIRALTY. Rights, or rather perquisites, which flowed
originally from the king by grant or usage, and now reserved to the
crown by commission. They are of two kinds--viz. the civil, or those
arising from wrecks of the sea, flotsam, jetsam, and lagan, royal
fishes, derelicts, and deodands, ejectamenta maris, and the goods of
pirates, traitors, felons, suicides, and fugitives within the admiralty
jurisdiction; and the prize droits, or those accruing in the course of
war, comprehending all ships and goods taken without commission, all
vessels improperly captured before hostilities have been formally
declared, or found or by accident brought within the admiralty, salvage
for all ships rescued, and all ships seized, in any of the ports,
creeks, or roads of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
before any declaration of war or reprisals by the sovereign.
DROM-FISH. A large fish taken and cured in quantities in the Portuguese
harbours of South America, as well for ship's stores as for the times of
fast.
DROMON. A Saracen term denoting the large king's ships from the ninth to
the fifteenth century.
DROP, OR DROOP. When a line diverges from a parallel or a curve. It is
also a name generally used to the courses, but sometimes given to the
depth of the square sails in general; as, "Her main top-sail drops
seventeen yards." The depth of a sail from head to foot amidships.--_To
drop anchor_ is simply to anchor:--underfoot, in calms, a kedge or
stream is dropped to prevent drift.
DROP ASTERN, TO. To slacken a ship's way, so as to suffer another one to
pass beyond her. Also, distancing a competitor.
DROP DOWN A RIVER. Synonymous with _falling_ (which see).
DROP-DRY. Completely water-tight.
DROPPING. An old mode of salute by lowering flags or uppermost sails.
DROPS. In ship-building, are small foliages of carved work in the stern
munnions and elsewhere. The term also means the fall or declivity of a
deck, which is generally of several inches.
DROUD. A fish of the cod kind, frequenting the west coast of Scotland.
DROUGES. Quadrilateral pieces of board, sometimes attached to the
harpoon line, for the purpose of checking in some degree the speed of
the whale.
DROW. An old northern term for a severe gust of wind accompanied with
rain.
DROWNED LAND. Extensive marshes or other water-covered districts which
were once dry and sound land.
DROWNING. An early naval punishment; Richard I. enacted that whoever
killed a man on ship-board, "he should be bound to the corpse, and
thrown into the sea."
DROWNING-BRIDGE. A sluice-gate for overflowing meadows.
DROWNING THE MILLER. Adding too much water to wine or spirits; from the
term when too much water has been put into a bowl of flour.