ORDERS IN COUNCIL. Decrees given by the privy council, signed by the
sovereign, for important state necessities, independently of any act of
parliament; but covered by an act of indemnity when it is assembled.
ORDINARY. The establishment of the persons formerly employed to take
charge of the ships of war which are laid up in ordinary at several
harbours adjacent to the royal dockyards. These duties are now under the
superintendent of the dockyard. Also, the state of such men-of-war and
vessels as are out of commission and laid up.
ORDINARY SEAMAN. The rating for one who can make himself useful on
board, even to going aloft, and taking his part on a top-sail or
topgallant-yard, but is not a complete sailor, the latter being termed
an able seaman. It would be well if our merchant seamen consisted of
apprentices and A.B.'s.
ORDINARY STEP. The common march of 110 paces in a minute.
ORDNANCE. A general name for all sorts of great guns which are used in
war. Also, all that relates to the artillery and engineer service.
ORDNANCE-HOY. A sloop expressly fitted for transporting ordnance stores
to ships, and from port to port.
OREILLET. The ear-piece of a helmet.
OREMBI. A small _korocora_ (which see).
ORGUES. Long-pointed beams shod with iron, hanging vertically over a
gateway, to answer as a portcullis in emergency.
ORIENT. The east point of the compass.
ORIFLAMME. The banner of St. Dennis; but the term is often applied to
the flags of any French commander-in-chief.
ORIGIN. Merchant ships claiming benefit for importation, must obtain and
produce certificates of _origin_, in respect to the goods they claim
for. (_See_ PRODUCTION.)
ORIGINAL ENTRY. The date at which men enter for the navy, and repair on
board a guard-ship, or tender, where bedding or slops may be supplied to
them, and are forwarded with them to their proper ships.
ORILLON. In fortification, a curved projection formed by the face of a
bastion overlapping the end of the flank; intended to protect the latter
from oblique fire; modern ricochet fire renders it of little
consequence.
ORION. One of the ancient constellations, of which the lucida is the
well-known nautical star _Betelgeuze_.
ORISONT. The horizon; thus spelled by our early navigators.
ORLOP. The lowest deck, formerly called "over-lop," consisting of a
platform laid over the beams in the hold of ships of war, whereon the
cables were usually coiled, and containing some cabins as well as the
chief store-rooms. In trading vessels it is often a temporary deck.
ORLOP-BEAMS, OR HOLD-BEAMS. Those which support the orlop-deck, but are
chiefly intended to fortify the hold.
ORNAMENTS. The carvings of the head, stern, and quarters of the old
ships.
ORNITHAE. An ancient term for the periodical winds by which migratory
birds were transported.
ORTHODROMIC. The course which lies on a meridian or parallel.
ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION. The profile, or representation of a vertical
section, of a work in fortification.
ORTIVE AMPLITUDE. The eastern one.
OSCILLATING MARINE-ENGINE. A steam-engine where the top of the
piston-rod is coupled with the crank, and the piston-rod moves backward
and forward in the direction of the axis of the cylinder, while its
extremity revolves in a circle with the crank.
OSCILLATING PUMP-SPEAR. A contrivance by which the pumps of a large
vessel are worked, connected with a crank-shaft and fly-wheel, driven by
handles in the same way as a winch.
OSMOND. The old term for pig-iron; a great article of lading.
OSNABURG. In commerce, a coarse linen cloth manufactured in Scotland,
but resembling that made at Osnaburg in Germany.
OSPREY. The fish-hawk, _Pandion haliaetus_; Shakspeare, in _Coriolanus_,
says--
"I think he'll be to Rome
As is the osprey to the fish."
OS SEPIAE. The commercial term for the sepia, or cuttle-fish bones.
OSTMEN. A corrupted form of _Hoastmen_.
OTSEGO BASS. _Coregonus otsego_, a fish of the American lakes.
OTTER-PIKE. The lesser weever, _Trachinus draco_; also called
sea-stranger.
OTTOMITES. An old term for Turks. See Shakspeare in _Othello_.
OUNDING. Resembling or imitating waves; used by Chaucer and others.
OUSTER LE MER. The legal term for excuse, when a man did not appear in
court on summons, for that he was then beyond the seas.
OUT-AND-OUTER. An old phrase signifying thorough excellence; a man up to
his duty, and able to perform it in style.
OUT-BOARD. The outside of the ship: the reverse of _in-board_.
OUT-BOATS. The order to hoist out the boats.
OUT-EARING CLEAT. This is placed on the upper side of the gaff, to pass
the outer earing round from the cringle.
OUTER-JIB. In sloops, where the head-sails are termed foresail-jib and
outer-jib, if set from the foremast-head. It is now very common for
_ships_ to set two standing jibs, the stay and tack of the inner one
being secured at the middle of the jib-boom.
OUTER TURNS AND INNER TURNS. The _outer turns_ of the earing serve to
extend the sail outwards along its yard. The _inner turns_ are employed
to bind the sail close to the yard.
OUTFIT. The stores with which a merchant vessel is fitted out for any
voyage. Also, the providing an individual with clothes, &c.
OUT-FLANK, TO. By a longer front, to overlap the enemy's opposite line,
and thus gain a chance to turn his flank.
OUT-HAUL, OR OUT-HAULER. A rope used for hauling out the tack of a jib
lower studding-sail, or the clue of a boom-sail. The reverse of
_in-haul_.
OUT-HOLLING. Clearing tide-ports, canals, and channels of mud.
OUTLANDISH. Foreign; but means with Jack a place where he does not feel
at home, or a language which he does not understand.
OUTLET. The effluent or stream by which a lake discharges its water.
Also applied to the spot where the efflux commences.
OUT-LICKER. A corruption of _out-rigger_ (which see).
OUT-LIER. A word which has been often used for _out-rigger_, but applies
to outlying rocks, visible above water.
OUT-OARS. The order to take to rowing when the sails give but little way
on a boat.
OUT OF COMMISSION. A ship where officers and men are paid off, and
pennant hauled down.
OUT OF TRIM. A ship not properly balanced for fast sailing, which may be
by a defect in the rigging or in the stowage of the hold.
OUT OF WINDING. Said of a plank or piece of timber which has a fair and
even surface without any twists: the opposite of _winding_.
OUT OR DOWN. An exclamation of the boatswain, &c., in ordering men out
of their hammocks, _i.e._ turn out, or your laniard will be cut.
OUT-PENSIONERS. Those entitled to pensions from Greenwich Hospital, but
not admitted to "the house."
OUT-PORTS. Those commercial harbours which lie on the coasts; all ports
in the United Kingdom out of London. (_See_ CLOSE-PORTS.)
OUTREGANS. Canals or ditches navigable by boats.
OUT-RIGGER. A strong beam, of which there are several, passed through
the ports of a ship, and firmly lashed at the gunwale, also assisted by
guys from bolts at the water-line, to secure the masts in the act of
careening, by counteracting the strain they suffer from the tackles on
the opposite side. Also, any boom rigged out from a vessel to hang boats
by, clear of the ship, when at anchor. Also, any spar, as the boomkin,
for the fore-tack, or the jigger abaft to haul out the mizen-sheet, or
extend the leading blocks of the main braces. Also, a small spar used in
the tops and cross-trees, to thrust out and spread the breast backstays
to windward. Also, a counterpoising log of wood, rigged out from the
side of a narrow boat or canoe, to prevent it from being upset.
OUT-SAIL, TO. To sail faster than another ship, or to make a particular
voyage with greater despatch.
OUTSIDE MUSTER-PAPER. A paper with the outer part blank, but the inner
portion ruled and headed; supplied from the dock yards to form the cover
of ships' books.
OUTSIDE PLANKING. Such are the wales, the plank-sheer, the
garboard-strakes, and the like.
OUTWARD. A vessel is said to be entered outwards or inwards according as
she is entered at the custom-house to depart for, or as having arrived
from, foreign parts.
OUTWARD CHARGES. Pilotage and other dues incurred from any port: the
reverse of _inward charges_.
OUTWORKS. Works included in the scheme of defence of a place, but
outside the main rampart; if "detached," they are moreover outside the
glacis.
OUVRE L'[OE]IL. A mark on French charts over supposed dangers.
OVER AND UNDER TURNS. Terms applied to the passing of an earing, besides
its inner and outer turns.
OVER-ANENT. Opposite to.
OVER-BEAR. One ship overbears another if she can carry more sail in a
fresh wind.
OVERBOARD. The state of any person or thing in the sea which had been in
a ship.--_Thrown overboard_ also means cast adrift by the captain;
withdrawal of countenance and support.
OVER-BOYED. Said of a ship when the captain and majority of the
quarter-deck officers are very young.
OVERFALL. A rippling or race in the sea, where, by the peculiarities of
bottom, the water is propelled with immense force, especially when the
wind and tide, or current, set strongly together. (_See_ RIPPS.)
OVER-GUNNED. Where the weight of metal is disproportioned to the ship,
and the quarters insufficient for the guns being duly worked.
OVERHAND KNOT. Is made by passing the end of a rope over its standing
part, and through the bight.
OVERHAUL. Has many applications. A tackle when released is overhauled.
To get a fresh purchase, ropes are overhauled. To reach an object, or
take off strain, weather-braces are overhauled. A ship overhauls another
in chase when she evidently gains upon her. Also, overhauls a stranger
and examines her papers. Also, is overhauled, or examined, to determine
the refit demanded.
OVER-INSURANCE. _See_ RE-INSURANCE, and DOUBLE INSURANCE.
OVERLAP. A designation of the hatches of a ship; planks in clinch-built
boats. Points of land _overlap_ a harbour's mouth at a particular
bearing.--_To overlap_, to fay upon.
OVERLAY DAYS. Days for which demurrage can be charged.
OVER-LOFT. An old term for the upper deck of a ship.
OVER-LOOKER. Generally an old master appointed by owners of ships to
look after everything connected with the fitting out of their vessels
when in harbour in England.
OVER-MASTED. The state of a ship whose masts are too high or too heavy
for her weight to counter-balance.
OVER-PRESS, TO. To carry too much sail on a ship.
OVER-RAKE. When a ship rides at anchor in a head-sea, the waves of which
frequently break in upon her, they are said to over-rake her.
OVER-RIGGED. A ship with more and heavier gear than necessary, so as to
be top-hampered.
OVER-RISEN. When a ship is too high out of the water for her length and
breadth, so as to make a trouble of lee-lurches and weather-rolls. Such
were our 80-gun three-deckers and 44's on two decks, happily now no
more.
OVER-RUNNING. (_See_ UNDER-RUN.) Applied to ice, when the young ice
overlaps, and is driven over.
OVER-SEA VESSELS. Ships from foreign parts, as distinguished from
coasters.
OVER-SETTING. The state of a ship turning upside down, either by
carrying too much sail or by grounding, so that she falls on one side.
(_See_ UPSET.)
OVERSHOOT, TO. To give a ship too much way.
OVERSLAUGH. From the Dutch _overslag_, meaning the bar of a river or
port. Also, in military parlance, the being passed over in the roster
for some recurring duty without being assigned to it in turn.
OVER-SWACK. An old word, signifying the reflux of the waves by the force
of the wind.
OVERWHELM. A comprehensive word derived from the Ang.-Saxon _wylm_, a
wave. Thus the old song--
"Lash'd to the helm, should seas o'erwhelm."
OWLER. An old term on our southern coast for smuggler. Particularly
persons who carried wool by night, in order to ship it contrary to law.
OWN, TO. To be a proprietor in a ship.
OWNERS. The proprietors of ships. They are bound to perform contracts
made by their masters, who are legally their agents.
OXBOWS. Bends or reaches of a river.
OX-EYE. A small cloud, or weather-gall, seen on the coast of Africa,
which presages a severe storm. It appears at first in the form of an
ox-eye, but soon overspreads the whole hemisphere, accompanied by a
violent wind which scatters ships in all directions, and many are sunk
downright. Also, a water-fowl. Also, the smaller glass bull's eyes.
OXYGON. A triangle which has three sharp or acute angles.
OXYRINCHUS. A large species of the skate family.
OYSE. An inlet of the sea, among the Shetlands and Orkneys.
OYSTER-BED. A "laying" of culch, that is, stones, old shells, or other
hard substances, so as to form a bed for oysters, which would be choked
in soft mud.
OYSTER-CATCHER, OR SEA-PYE. The black and white coast-bird, _Haematopus
ostralegus_.
OZELLA. A Venetian coin both in gold and silver; the former being L1,
17_s._ 4_d._, and the latter 1_s._ 7_d._, in sterling value.