HOLDING WATER. The act of checking the progress of a boat by holding the
oar-blades in the water, and bearing the flat part strongly against the
current alongside, so as to meet its resistance. (_See_ BACK ASTERN,
OAR, and ROW.)
HOLD OFF. The keeping the hove-in part of a cable or hawser clear of the
capstan.
HOLD ON. Keep all you have got in pulling a rope.--_Hold on a minute._
Wait or stop.--_Hold on with your nails and eyelids._ A derisive
injunction to a timid climber.
HOLD ON, GOOD STICKS! An apostrophe often made when the masts complain
in a fresh squall, or are over-pressed, and it is unadvisable to shorten
sail.
HOLD-STANCHIONS. Those which support the hold-beams amidships, and rest
on the kelson.
HOLD UP, TO. In meteorological parlance, for the weather to clear up
after a gale; to stop raining.
HOLE. A clear open space amongst ice in the Arctic seas.
HOLEBER. A kind of light horseman, who rode about from place to place in
the night, to gain intelligence of the landing of boats, men, &c., on
the Kentish coast.
HOLES, EYELET OR [OE]ILLET. The holes in sails for points and rope-bands
which are fenced round by stitching the edge to a small log-line
grommet. In the drumhead of a capstan, the holes receive the
capstan-bars.
HOLIDAY. Any part left neglected or uncovered in paying or painting,
blacking, or tarring.
HOLLANDS. The spirit principally distilled in Holland.
HOLLARDS. The dead branches and loppings of trees.
HOLLEBUT. A spelling of _halibut_.
HOLLOA, OR HOLLA. An answer to any person calling from a distance, to
show they hear. Thus, if the master intends to give any order to the
people in the main-top, he previously calls, "Main-top, hoay." It is
also the first answer received when hailing a ship. (_See_ HAILING and
HOAY.)
HOLLOW. The bore of a rocket. In naval architecture, a name for the
fifth or _top-timber-sweep_ (which see). Also, hollow or curved leeches
of sails, in contradistinction to straight.
HOLLOW BASTION. In fortification, a bastion of which the terreplein or
interior terrace is not continued beyond a certain distance to the rear
of the parapet, and thus leaves a central area at a lower level.
HOLLOW-MOULD. The same as _floor-hollow_ (which see).
HOLLOWS AND ROUNDS. Plane-tools used for making mouldings.
HOLLOW SEA. The undulation of the waves after a gale; long hollow-jawed
sea; ground-swell.
HOLLOW SHOT. Introduced principally for naval use before the horizontal
firing of shells from guns became general. Their weight was about
two-thirds that of the solid shot; thus they required less charge of
powder and weight of gun than the latter, whilst their smashing effect
and first ranges were supposed to be greater. It is clear, however, that
if filled with powder, their destructive effect must be immensely
increased.
HOLLOW SQUARE. The square generally used by British infantry; a
formation to resist cavalry. Each side is composed of four ranks of men,
the two foremost kneeling with bayonets forming a fence breast high; the
inclosed central space affords shelter to officers, colours, &c. With
breech-loading muskets this defence will become less necessary. (_See
also_ RALLYING SQUARE.)
HOLM. (_See_ CLETT.) A name both on the shores of Britain and Norway for
a small uninhabited island used for pasture; yet in old writers it
sometimes is applied to the sea, or a deep water. Also, an ill-defined
name applied to a low islet in a river, as well as the flat land by the
river side.
HOLOMETRUM GEOMETRICUM. A nautical instrument of brass, one of which,
price L4, was supplied to Martin Frobisher in 1576.
HOLSOM. A term applied to a ship that rides without rolling or
labouring.
HOLSTER. A case or cover for a pistol, worn at the saddle-bow.
HOLT [from the Anglo-Saxon]. A peaked hill covered with a wood.
HOLUS-BOLUS. Altogether; all at once.
HOLY-STONE. A sandstone for scrubbing decks, so called from being
originally used for Sunday cleaning, or obtained by plundering
churchyards of their tombstones, or because the seamen have to go on
their knees to use it.
HOME. The proper situation of any object, when it retains its full force
of action, or when it is properly lodged for convenience. In the former
sense it is applied to the sails; in the latter it usually refers to the
stowage of the hold. The anchor is said _to come home_ when it loosens,
or drags through the ground by the effort of the wind or current. (_See_
ANCHOR.)--_Home_ is the word given by the captain of the gun when, by
the sense of his thumb on the touch-hole, he determines that the charge
is home, and no air escapes by the touch-hole. It is the word given to
denote the top-sail or other sheets being "home," or butting.--_Sheet
home!_ The order to extend the clues of sails to the yard-arms.--_The
wind blows home._ When it sets continuously over the sea and land with
equal velocity. When opposed by vertical or high land, the breeze loses
its force as the land is neared: then it does not blow home, as about
Gibraltar and Toulon.
HOME-SERVICE. The Channel service; any force, either naval or military,
stationed in and about the United Kingdom.
HOME-TRADERS. The contradistinction of foreign-going ships.
HOMEWARD-BOUND. Said of a ship when returning from a voyage to the place
whence she was fitted out; or the country to which she belongs.
HOMEWARD-BOUNDER. A ship on her course home.
HOMMELIN. The _Raia rubus_, or rough ray.
HONEST-POUNDS. Used in contradistinction to "_purser's pounds_" (which
see).
HONEYCOMB. A spongy kind of flaw in the metal of ordnance, generally due
to faulty casting.
HONG. Mercantile houses in China, with convenient warehouses adjoining.
Also, a society of the principal merchants of the place.
HONOURS OF WAR. Favourable terms granted to a capitulating enemy on
evacuating a fortress; they vary in degree, according to circumstances;
generally understood to mean, to march out armed, colours flying, &c.,
but to pile arms at a given point, and leave them, and be sent home, or
give parole not to serve until duly exchanged.
HOO. _See_ HOWE.
HOOD. A covering for a companion-hatch, skylight, &c. Also, the piece of
tarred or painted canvas which used to cover the eyes of rigging to
prevent water from damaging them; now seldom used. Also, the name given
to the upper part of the galley chimney, made to turn round with the
wind, that the smoke may always go to leeward.--_Naval hoods or whood._
Large thick pieces of timber which encircle the hawse-holes.
HOOD-ENDS. The ends of the planks which fit into the rabbets of the stem
and stern posts.
HOOD OF A PUMP. A frame covering the upper wheel of a chain-pump.
HOODS, OR HOODINGS. The foremost and aftermost planks of the bottom,
within and without. Also, coverings to shelter the mortar in
bomb-vessels.
HOOK. There are several kinds used at sea, as boat-hooks, can-hooks,
cat-hooks, fish-hooks, and the like. A name given to reaches, or angular
points in rivers, such as Sandy Hook at New York.--_Laying-hook._ A
winch used in rope-making.--_Loof-tackle hooks_, termed _luffs_. A
tackle with two hooks, one to hitch into a cringle of the main or fore
sail in the bolt-rope, and the other to hitch into a strap spliced to
the chess-tree. They pull down the sail, and in a stiff gale help to
hold it so that all the stress may not bear upon the tack.
HOOK AND BUTT. The scarphing or laying two ends of planks over each
other. (_See_ BUTT-AND-BUTT and HOOK-SCARPH.)
HOOK-BLOCK. Any block, of iron or wood, strapped with a hook.
HOOK-BOLTS. Those used to secure lower-deck ports.
HOOKER, OR HOWKER. A coast or fishing vessel--a small hoy-built craft
with one mast, intended for fishing. They are common on our coasts, and
greatly used by pilots, especially off the Irish ports. Also, Jack's
name for his vessel, the favourite "old hooker." Also, a term for a
short pipe, probably derived from _hookah_.
HOOKEY. _See_ HOAKY.
HOOKING. In ship-carpentry this is the act of working the edge of one
plank into that of another, in such a manner that they cannot be drawn
asunder.
HOOK OF THE DECKS. _See_ BREAST-HOOKS.
HOOK-POTS. Tin cans fitted to hang on the bars of the galley range.
HOOK-ROPES. A rope 6 or 8 fathoms long, with a hook and thimble spliced
at one end, and whipped at the other: it is used in coiling hempen
cables in the tiers, dragging chain, &c.
HOOK-SCARPH. In ship-carpentry, the joining of two pieces of wood by a
strong method of hook-butting, which mode of connecting is termed _hook
and butt_.
HOOP. The principal hoops of different kinds used for nautical purposes,
are noticed under their several names, as mast-hoops, clasp-hoops, &c.
In wind-bound ships in former times the left hands of several boys were
tied to a hoop, and their right armed with a nettle, they being naked
down to the waist. On the boatswain giving one a cut with his cat, the
boy struck the one before him, and each one did the same, beginning
gently, but, becoming irritated, they at last laid on in earnest. Also,
a nautical punishment for quarrelsome fighters was, that two offenders,
similarly fastened, thrashed each other until one gave in. The craven
was usually additionally punished by the commander.
HOOPS. The strong iron bindings of the anchor-stock to the shank, though
square, are called hoops.
HOPE. A small bay; it was an early term for valley, and is still used in
Kent for a brook, and gives name to the adjacent anchorages. Johnson
defines it to be any sloping plain between two ridges of hills.
HOPPER-PUNT. A flat-floored lighter for carrying soil or mud, with a
_hopper_ or receptacle in its centre, to contain the lading.
HOPPO. The chief of the customs in China.
HOPPO-MEN. Chinese custom-house officers.
HORARY ANGLE. The apparent time by the sun, or the sidereal time of the
moon, or planets, or stars, from the meridian.
HORARY MOTION. The march or movement of any heavenly body in the space
of an hour.
HORARY TABLES. Tables for facilitating the determination of horary
angles.
HORIE-GOOSE. A northern name for the _Anser bernicla_, or brent-goose.
HORIOLAE. Small fishing-boats of the ancients.
HORIZON. The apparent or visible circle which bounds our vision at sea;
it is that line which is described by the sky and water appearing to
meet. This is designated as the _sensible_ horizon; the _rational_, or
_true_ one, being a great circle of the heavens, parallel to the
sensible horizon, but passing through the centre of the earth.
HORIZON-GLASSES. Two small speculums on one of the radii of a quadrant
or sextant; the one half of the fore horizon-glass is silvered, while
the other half is transparent, in order that an object may be seen
directly through it: the back horizon-glass is silvered above and below,
but in the middle there is a transparent stripe through which the
horizon can be seen.
HORIZONTAL. A direction parallel to the horizon, or what is commonly
termed lying flat. One of the greatest inconveniences navigators have to
struggle with is the frequent want of a distinct sight of the horizon.
To obviate this a _horizontal spinning speculum_ was adopted by Mr.
Lerson, who was lost in the _Victory_ man-of-war, in which ship he was
sent out to make trial of his instrument. This was afterwards improved
by Smeaton, and consists of a well-polished metal speculum about 3-1/2
inches in diameter, inclosed within a circular rim of brass, so fitted
that the centre of gravity of the whole shall fall near the point on
which it spins. This is the end of a steel axis running through the
centre of the speculum, above which it finishes in a square for the
convenience of fitting a roller on it, bearing a piece of tape wound
round it. The cup in which it spins is made of agate flint, or other
hard substance. Sextants, with spirit-levels attached, have latterly
been used, as well as Becher's horizon; but great dexterity is demanded
for anything like an approximation to the truth; wherefore this
continues to be a great desideratum in navigation.
HORIZONTAL FIRE. From artillery, is that in which the piece is laid
either direct on the object, or with but small elevation above it, the
limit on land being 10 deg., and afloat still less. It is the most telling
under ordinary circumstances, and includes all other varieties, with the
exception of vertical fire, which has elevations of from 30 deg. and
upwards; and, according to some few, curved fire, an intermediate kind,
of limited application.
HORIZONTAL PARALLAX. _See_ PARALLAX.
HORIZONTAL PLAN. In ship-building, the draught of a proposed ship,
showing the whole as if seen from above.
HORIZONTAL RIBBAND LINES. A term given by shipwrights to those lines, or
occult ribbands, by which the cant-timbers are laid off, and truly
bevelled.
HORN. The arm of a cleat or kevel.
HORN-CARD. Transparent graduated horn-plates to use on charts, either as
protractors or for meteorological purposes, to represent the direction
of the wind in a cyclone.
HORNED ANGLE. That which is made by a right line, whether tangent or
secant, with the circumference of a circle.
HORNEL. A northern term for the largest species of sand-launce or
sand-eel.
HORN-FISC. Anglo-Saxon for the sword-fish.
HORN-FISTED. Having hands inured to hauling ropes.
HORNING. In naval architecture, is the placing or proving anything to
stand square from the middle line of the ship, by setting an equal
distance thereon.
HORN-KECK. An old term for the _green-back_ fish.
HORNOTINAE. Ancient vessels which were built in a year.
HORNS. The points of the jaws of the booms. Also, the outer ends of the
cross-trees. Also, two extreme points of land inclosing a bay.
HORNS OF THE MOON. The extremities of the lunar crescent, in which form
she is said to be horned.
HORNS OF THE RUDDER. _See_ RUDDER-HORN.
HORNS OF THE TILLER. The pins at the extremity.
HORN-WORK. In fortification, a form of outwork having for its head a
bastioned front, and for its sides two long straight faces, which are
flanked by the guns of the body of the place. Sometimes it is a detached
outwork.
HOROLOGIUM UNIVERSALE. An old brass nautical instrument, one of which
was supplied to Martin Frobisher, at an expense of L2, 6_s._ 8_d._, when
fitting out on his first voyage for the discovery of a north-west
passage.
HORS DE COMBAT. A term adopted from the French, signifying so far
disabled as to be incapable of taking farther share in the action.
HORSE. A foot-rope reaching from the opposite quarter of a yard to its
arms or shoulders, and depending about two or three feet under the yard,
for the sailors to tread on while they are loosing, reefing, or furling
the sails, rigging out the studding-sail booms, &c. In order to keep
the horse more parallel to the yard, it is usually attached thereto at
proper distances, by certain ropes called stirrups, which have an eye
spliced into their lower ends, through which the horse passes. (_See_
STIRRUPS and FOOT-ROPES.) Also, a rope formerly fast to the fore-mast
fore-shrouds, with a dead-eye to receive the spritsail-sheet-pendant,
and keep the spritsail-sheets clear of the flukes of the anchor. Also,
the breast-rope which is made fast to the shrouds to protect the
leadsman. Also, applied to any pendant and thimble through which
running-rigging was led, now commonly called a lizard. Also, a thick
rope, extending in a perpendicular direction near the fore or after side
of a mast, for the purpose of hoisting some yard, or extending a sail
thereon; when before the mast, it is used for the square-sail, whose
yard is attached to the horse by means of a traveller or bull's-eye,
which slides up and down. When it is abaft the mast, it is intended for
the trysail of a snow; but is seldom used in this position, except in
those sloops of war which occasionally assume the appearance of snows to
deceive the enemy. Also, the name of the sawyer's frame or trestle.
Also, the round iron bar formerly fixed to the main-rail at the head
with stanchions; a fir rail is now used, and the head berthed up. Also,
in cutters or schooners, one horse is a stout iron bar, with a large
thimble, which spans the vessel from side to side close to the deck
before the fore-mast. To this the forestaysail-sheet is hauled, and
traverses. The other horse is a similar bar abaft, on which the
main-boom sheet traverses. Also, cross-pieces on the tops of standards,
on which the booms or spare-spars or boats are lashed between the fore
and main masts. Horses are also termed jack-stays, on which sails are
hauled out, as gaff-sails. Horse is a term of derision where an officer
assumes the grandioso, demanding honour where honour is not his due.
Also, a strict disciplinarian, in nautical parlance. Also, tough salt
beef--_salt horse_.--_Flemish horse_ is the horse which has an iron
thimble in one end, which goes over the iron point of the yard-arm
before the studding-sail boom-iron is put on; in the other, a lashing
eye, which is secured near the head earing of the top-sail. It is
intended for the men at the earing in reefing, or when setting the
top-gallant-studding-sails.
HORSE-ARTILLERY. A branch of field artillery specially equipped to
man[oe]uvre with cavalry, having lighter guns, and all its gunners
mounted on horseback. Its service demands a rare combination of
soldierly qualities.
HORSE-BUCKETS. Covered buckets for carrying spirits or water in.
HORSE-BUCKLE. The great whelk.
HOUSE-COCKLE. _See_ GAWKY.
HORSE-FOOT. A name of the _Limulus polyphemus_ of the shores of America,
where from its shape it is called the horse-shoe or lantern crab.
HORSE-LATITUDES. A space between the westerly winds of higher latitudes
and the trade-winds, notorious for tedious calms. The name arose from
our old navigators often throwing the horses overboard which they were
transporting to America and the West Indies.
HORSE-MACKEREL. A large and coarse member of the Scomber family,
remarkably greedy, and therefore easily taken, but unwholesome.
HORSE-MARINE. An awkward lubberly person. One out of place.
HORSE-MUSSEL. _See_ DUCK-MUSSEL.
HORSE-POTATOES. The old word for yams.
HORSE-POWER. A comparative estimate of the capacity of steam-engines, by
assuming a certain average effective pressure of steam, and a certain
average linear velocity of the piston. The pressure multiplied by the
velocity gives the effective force of the engine exerted through a given
number of feet per minute; and since the force called a horse-power
means 33,000 lbs. acting thus one foot per minute, it follows that the
nominal power of the engine will be found by dividing the effective
force exerted by the piston, multiplied by the number of feet per minute
through which it acts by 33,000.