GRASS-COMBERS. A galley-term for all those landsmen who enter the naval
service from farming counties. Lord Exmouth found many of them learn
their duties easily, and turn out valuable seamen.
GRATING-DECK. A light movable deck, similar to the hatch-deck, but with
open gratings.
GRATINGS. An open wood-work of cross battens and ledges forming cover
for the hatchways, serving to give light and air to the lower decks. In
nautical phrase, he "who can't see a hole through a grating" is
excessively drunk.
GRATINGS OF THE HEAD. _See_ HEAD-GRATINGS.
GRATUITOUS MONEY. A term officially used for bounty granted to
volunteers in Lord Exmouth's expedition against Algiers.
GRAVE, TO. To clean a vessel's bottom, and pay it over.
GRAVELIN. A small migratory fish, commonly reputed to be the spawn of
the salmon.
GRAVELLED. Vexed, mortified.
GRAVING. The act of cleaning a ship's bottom by burning off the
impurities, and paying it over with tar or other substance, while she is
laid aground during the recess of the tide. (_See_ BREAMING.)
GRAVING BEACH OR SLIP. A portion of the dockyard where ships were landed
for a tide.
GRAVING-DOCK. An artificial receptacle used for the inspecting,
repairing, and cleaning a vessel's bottom. It is so contrived that after
the ship is floated in, the water may run out with the fall of the tide,
the shutting of the gates preventing its return.
GRAVITATION. The natural tendency or inclination of all bodies towards
the centre of the earth; and which was established by Sir Isaac Newton,
as the great law of nature.
GRAVITY, CENTRE OF. The centre of gravity of a ship is that point about
which all parts of the body, in any situation, balance each other.
(_See_ SPECIFIC GRAVITY.)
GRAWLS. The young salmon, probably the same as _grilse_.
GRAY-FISH, AND GRAY-LORD. Two of the many names given to the _Gadus
carbonarius_ or coal-fish.
GRAYLE. Small sand. Also, an old term for thin gravel.