FORE-SHEET HORSE. An iron bar fastened at its ends athwart the deck
before the mast of a sloop, for the foresail-sheet to traverse upon from
side to side.
FORE-SHEETS OF A BOAT. The inner part of the bows, opposite to
stern-sheets, fitted with gratings on which the bowman stands.
FORE-SHEET TRAVELLER. An iron ring which traverses along on the
fore-sheet horse of a fore-and-aft rigged vessel.
FORE-SHIP. An archaic form of forecastle of a ship; it means the
fore-part of a vessel.
FORE-SHROUDS. _See_ SHROUDS.
FORE-STAFF. An instrument formerly used at sea for taking the altitudes
of heavenly bodies. The fore-staff, called also _cross-staff_, takes its
name hence, that the observer in using it turns his face towards the
object, in contradistinction to the back-staff, where he turns his back
to the object. The fore or cross staff consists of a straight square
staff, graduated like a line of tangents, and four crosses or vanes
which slide thereon. The first and shortest of these vanes is called the
ten cross or vane, and belongs to that side of the instrument whereon
the divisions begin at 3 deg. and end at 10 deg. The next longer vane is
called the thirty cross, belonging to that side of the staff on which the
divisions begin at 10 deg. and end at 30 deg., called the thirty scale.
The next is called the sixty cross, and belongs to that side where the
divisions begin at 20 deg. and end at 60 deg. The last and longest,
called the ninety cross, belongs to that side whereon the divisions begin
at 30 deg. and end at 90 deg.
FORE-STAGE. The old name for forecastle.
FORE-STAY. _See_ STAY.
FORE-TACK. Weather tack of the fore-sail hauled to the fore-boomkin when
on a wind.
FORE-TACKLE. A tackle on the fore-mast, similar to the _main-tackle_
(which see). It is used for similar purposes, and also in stowing the
anchor, &c.
FORE-THWART. The seat of the bowman in a boat.
FORE-TOP. _See_ TOP.
FORETOP-GALLANT-MAST. _See_ TOPGALLANT-MAST, to which may be added its
proper sail, yard, and studding-sail.
FORETOP-MAST. _See_ TOP-MAST.
FORETOP-MEN. Men stationed in the fore-top in readiness to set or take
in the smaller sails, and to keep the upper rigging in order.
FORE-TYE. _See_ TYE.
FORE-YARD. (_See_ YARD.) For the yards, sails, rigging, &c., of the
_top-mast_ and _topgallant-mast_ see those two articles.
FORFEITURE. The effect or penalty of transgressing the laws.
FORGE. A portable forge is to be found in every ship which bears a rated
armourer; and it can be used either on board or ashore.
FORGE AHEAD, TO. To shoot ahead, as in coming to an anchor--a motion or
moving forwards. A vessel forges ahead when hove-to, if the tide presses
her to windward against her canvas.
FORGING OVER. The act of forcing a ship violently over a shoal, by the
effort of a great quantity of sail, steam, or other man[oe]uvre.
FORK-BEAMS. Short or half beams to support the deck where there is no
framing, as in the intervention of hatchways. The _abeam arm fork_ is a
curved timber scarphed, tabled, and bolted for additional security where
the openings are large.
FORKERS. Those who reside in sea-ports for the sake of stealing dockyard
stores, or buying them, knowing them to be stolen.
FORLORN HOPE. Officers and men detached on desperate service to make a
first attack, or to be the first in mounting a breach, or foremost in
storming a fortress, or first to receive the whole fire of the enemy.
Forlorn-hopes was a term formerly applied to the videttes of the army.
This ominous name (the _enfants perdus_ of the French) is familiarized
into a better one among soldiers, who call it the _flowing-hope_.
Promotion is usually bestowed on the survivors.
FORMATION. The drawing up or arrangement of troops, or small-arm men, in
certain orders prescribed as the basis of man[oe]uvres in general. Also,
the particulars of a ship's build.
FORMER. The gunner's term for a small cylindrical piece of wood, on
which musket or pistol cartridge-cases are rolled and formed. The name
is also applied to the flat piece of wood with a hole in the centre used
for making wads, but which is properly _form_.
FORMICAS. Clusters of small rocks [from the Italian for ants]. Also,
Hormigas [Sp.]
FORMING THE LINE. _See_ LINE.
FORMING THE ORDER OF SAILING. _See_ SAILING, ORDER OF.