TIDAL WAVE. The wave caused by the combined action of the sun and moon:
its greatest influence is felt some time after the moon has passed the
meridian of any place.
TIDE. A regular periodical current of waters, setting alternately in a
flux and reflux; it is owing to the attraction of the sun and moon, but
chiefly to the latter. The highest as well as most rapid, perhaps, are
in the Gulf of Fundy and the river Wye; and on the contrary the lowest,
as well as feeblest, are in the Mediterranean generally.--_To tide_, is
to work up or down a river or harbour, with a fair tide in a head wind
or a calm; coming to anchor when the tide turns.
TIDE OR TIDAL HARBOUR. A port which can only be entered at a certain
time of flood.
TIDE AND HALF-TIDE. Those roadsteads affected by several rivers or
channels leading into them; as, for instance, Spithead.
TIDE-BALL. A ball hoisted to denote when the depth of water permits
vessels to enter a bar-harbour, or to take the bar outside, from the
known depth within.
TIDE-GATE. A place where the tide runs strong.
TIDE-GAUGE. An instrument contrived for measuring the height of the
tides.
TIDE, EBB OF. The falling tide.
TIDE-POOL. A sort of basin worn in seaside rocks.
TIDE-RIP. Those short ripplings which result from eddies, or the passage
of the tide over uneven bottom; also observed in the ocean where two
currents meet, but not appearing to affect a ship's course.
TIDE-RODE. The situation of a vessel at anchor when she swings by the
force of the tide. In opposition to _wind-rode_.
TIDE'S WORK. The amount of progress a ship has made during a favourable
tide. Also, a period of necessary labour on a ship during the ebbing and
slack water of a tide. That is when the sea has left the vessel aground
between two tides, so as to enable workmen to repair defects down to a
certain depth, laid bare by the receding tide.
TIDE-WAY. The mid-stream; or a passage or channel through which the tide
sets, and runs strongly.
TIE-FOR-TYE. Mutual obligation and no favour; as in the case of the
_tie-mate_, the comrade who, in the days of long hair, performed the tie
for tie on the tails. (_See_ TYE.)
TIER. A regular row of anything. Also, a range in the hold; hence the
terms, ground tier, second and upper tier, &c., of casks or goods stowed
there.--_Cable-tier._ The space in a ship where hempen cables were
coiled.
TIERCE. Is specially applied to provision casks, and is the third of a
pipe; but the beef-tierce contains 280 lbs., or 28 galls., whilst that
of pork only contains 260 lbs., or 26 galls. Now the beef-tierce often
contains 336 lbs., and the pork 300 lbs.
TIERERS. Men formerly stationed in the tiers for coiling away the
cables, where strength, activity, and ability shone conspicuously.
TIER-SHOT. That kind of grapeshot which is secured in tiers by parallel
iron discs.
TIES. An old name for mooring bridles. Also, stops to a sail. (_See_
TYE.)
TIGHT. Close, free from leaks. Hence a ship is said to be tight when no
water leaks in; and a cask is called tight when none of the liquid leaks
out. Applied to ropes or chains this word becomes _taut_.
TILLER. A straight-grained timber beam, or iron bar, fitted into or
round the head of the rudder, by means of which the latter is moved.
(_See_ HELM.)
TILLER-HEAD. The extremity of the tiller, to which the tiller-ropes are
attached.
TILLER-ROPES. The ropes which form a communication between the end of
the tiller and the barrel of the wheel; they are frequently made of
untarred rope, though hide is much better; and iron chains are also
used. By these the tiller is worked and the vessel steered.
TILLER-SWEEP. _See_ SWEEP OF THE TILLER.
TILT. A small canopy extended over the stern-sheets of a boat, supported
by iron or wood work, to keep off rain, as an awning is used to keep off
the sun.--_To tilt._ To lift up a little on one side or end of anything.
TILT-BOAT. One expressly fitted like a tilt-waggon, to preserve powder
or other fragile stores from the weather.
TIMBER [Anglo-Saxon]. All large pieces of wood used in ship-building, as
_floor-timbers_, _cross-pieces_, _futtocks_, _frames_, and the like (all
which see).
TIMBER AND ROOM, is the distance between two adjoining timbers, which
always contain the breadth of two timbers, and two or three inches
besides. The same as _room and space_, or _berth and space_.
TIMBER-CONVERTER. A dockyard official who has the charge of converting
timber for its different purposes in ship-building.
TIMBER-HEADS. The heads of the timbers that rise above the decks, and
are used for belaying hawsers, large ropes, &c. (_See_ KEVEL-HEADS.)
These being such important parts of a ship, men of acknowledged talent
in the royal navy are styled "the _timber-heads_ of the profession."
TIMBER-HITCH, is made by taking the end of a rope round a spar, and
after leading it under and over the standing part, passing two or three
turns round its own part, making in fact a running but self-jamming eye.
TIMBERS. The incurvated ribs of a ship which branch outwards from the
keel in a vertical direction, so as to give strength, figure, and
solidity to the whole fabric. One timber is composed of several pieces.
(_See_ FRAME.)--_Cant or square timbers_, are those which are placed
obliquely on the keel towards the extremities of a ship, forming the
dead solid wood of the gripe, and of the after heel.--_Filling timbers._
Those which are put up between the frames. One mould serves for
two timbers, the fore-side of the one being supposed to unite with
the after-side of the one before it, and so make only one
line.--_Knuckle-timbers_ are the foremost cant-timbers on a ship's bow:
the hindmost on the quarter are termed _fashion-pieces_.
TIMBER-TASTER. One appointed to examine and pronounce upon the fitness
of timber.
TIME, MEAN, OR MEAN SOLAR TIME. That shown by a clock or watch when
compensated for the unequal progress of the sun in the ecliptic, and
which thence forms an equable measure of time.--_To take time_ is for an
assistant to note the time by a chronometer at each instant that the
observer calls "stop," on effecting his astronomical observation for
altitude of a heavenly body, or for contact with the sun and moon, or
moon and star.
TIME-KEEPER, TIME-PIECE, OR CHRONOMETER. An instrument adapted for
measuring mean time. The result of many years of study and experiment by
our best horologists. (_See_ LONGITUDE.)
TIMENOGUY. Formerly a rope carried taut between different parts of a
vessel, to prevent the sheet or tack of a course from getting foul in
working ship; specially from the fore-rigging to the anchor-stock, to
prevent the fouling of the fore-sheet.
TIMONEER [derived from the French]. The helmsman. Also, one on the
look-out, who directs the helmsman.
TIMONOGY. This term properly belongs to steering, and is derived from
_timon_, the tiller, and the twiddling-lines, which worked in olden
times on a gauge in front of the poop, in ships of the line, by which
the position of the helm was easily read even from the forecastle.
TINDAL. A Lascar boatswain's-mate.
TINKER. A small mortar formerly used on the end of a staff, now
superseded by the Coehorn. Also, a small mackerel.
TINKERMEN. Fishermen who destroyed the fry of fish on the Thames by
nets, and other unlawful contrivances, till suppressed by the mayor and
corporation of London.
TIN-POTTER. A galley skulker, shamming Abraham.
TIPPET. A snood for a fishing-line.
TIPPING ALL NINES, OR TIPPED THE NINES. Foundering from press of sail.
TIPPING THE GRAMPUS. Ducking a skulker for being asleep on his watch.
(_See_ BLOWING THE GRAMPUS.)
TIRE. Synonymous with _tier_.
TITIVATE, TO; OR TITIVATE OFF TO THE NINES. To freshen the paint-work;
to put into the highest kelter.
TOAD-FISH. The _Lophius piscatorius_, or fishing-frog.
TOBACCO. Has been supplied for the use of the ships' companies in the
royal navy from the 1st January, 1799.
TOBACCO-CHARTS. The worthless charts formerly sold by ship-chandlers.
TOD-BOAT. A broad flat Dutch fishing-boat.
TODDY. The sura or juice extracted from various kinds of palm, and often
called palm-wine. A mixture of spirits, water, and sugar is also called
toddy. (_See_ ARRACK.)
TOE A LINE! The order to stand in a row.
TOGGLE. A strong pin of wood, sometimes used instead of a hook in fixing
a tackle, or it is put through the bight or eye of a rope, bolt, or
block-strop, to keep it in its place. In ships of war it is usual to fix
toggles upon the running parts of the topsail-sheets, the jears, &c.,
when preparing for action, so that if the rope is shot away below, the
toggle may stop the yard from coming down. The toggle is used in masting
operations, in securing the standing part of fore and main sheets, but
especially in whaling operations, cutting in, flensing, &c., a hole is
cut in the blubber, the eye of the purchase strop passed through and
toggled. In cold weather especially it is preferred to the hook, which
at low temperatures is apt to snap suddenly, and is, moreover, heavier
to handle. The term is also used for putting the bights of the sheets in
the beckets. (_See_ BECKET.)
TOGGLE-BOLT. This bolt is used to confine the ensign-staff, and the
like, into its place by means of a strap; it has a flat head, and a
mortice through it, that receives a toggle or pin.
TOGS. A very old term for clothes.--_Togged to the nines_, in full
dress.--_Sunday togs_, the best clothes.
TOISE. The French fathom, nearly approaching to ours: the proportion of
the English yard to the French demi-toise being as 36 to 38.35. The
toise is equal to 6.3946 English feet.
TOKE. A drink made from honey in Madagascar; very dangerous to
Europeans.
TOKO FOR YAM. An expression peculiar to negroes for crying out before
being hurt.
TOLEDO. An esteemed Spanish sword, so called from the place of
manufacture.
TOLL. A demand, &c., at the Sound; hence the epithet of _Sound dues_.