that the above instructions are punctually executed, and that the yards
may be so braced, when he falls along-side of the ship intended to be
destroyed, that the sheer-hooks and grapplings fastened to the yardarms,
&c. may effectually hook the enemy. He is expected to be the last person
who quits the vessel, and being furnished with every necessary
assistance and support, his reputation will greatly depend on the
success of his enterprise.
FISH, a machine employed to hoist or draw up the flukes of the ship’s
anchor towards the top of the bow in order to stow it, after having been
heaved up by the cable. It is composed of four parts, viz. the pendant,
the block, the hook, and the tackle; which, together with their several
uses, are described in the article DAVIT.
FISH, _jumelle_, is also a long piece of oak, convex on one side, and
concave on the other. It is used to fasten upon the outside of the lower
masts, either as an additional security, to strengthen them when it
becomes necessary to carry an extraordinary pressure of sail, in pursuit
of, or flight from, an enemy, or to reinforce them after they have
received some damage in battle, tempestuous weather, &c.
The fishes are also employed for the same purpose on any yard, which
happens to be sprung or fractured. Thus their form, application, and
utility are exactly like those of the splinters applied to a broken limb
in surgery.
FISH-GIG, _foesne_, an instrument used to strike fish at sea,
particularly dolphins. It consists of a staff, three or four barbed
prongs, and a line fastened to the end, on which the prongs are fixed:
to the other end is fitted a piece of lead, which serves to give
additional force to the stroke when the weapon flies, and to turn the
points upward after the fish is penetrated.
FITTING-OUT, _equiper_, the act of providing a ship with a sufficient
number of men, to navigate and arm her for attack or defence: also to
furnish her with proper masts, sails, yards, ammunition, artillery,
cordage, anchors, and other naval furniture; together with sufficient
provisions for the ship’s company.
FLAG, _pavillon_, (_flag_, Dutch) a certain banner or standard, by which
an admiral is distinguished at sea from the inferior ships of his
squadron; also the colours by which one nation is distinguished from
another.
In the British navy flags are either red, white, or blue, and are
displayed from the top of the main-mast, fore-mast, or mizen-mast,
according to the rank of the admiral.
The first flag in Great Britain is the royal standard, which is only to
be hoisted when the king or queen are aboard the vessel: the second is
that of the anchor of hope, which characterizes the lord high admiral,
or lords commissioners of the admiralty: and the third is the union
flag, in which the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew are blended.
This last is appropriated to the admiral of the fleet, who is the first
military officer under the lord high admiral.
When a flag is displayed from the flag-staff on the main-mast, the
officer distinguished thereby, is known to be an admiral; when from the
fore-mast, a vice-admiral; and when from the mizen-mast, a rear-admiral.
The next flag after the union is that of the white squadron, at the
main-mast, and the last, which characterizes an admiral, is the blue, at
the same mast-head.
For a vice-admiral, the first flag is the red; the second, the white;
the third, the blue, at the flag-staff on the fore-mast.
The same order proceeds with regard to the rear-admirals, whose flags
are hoisted on the top of the mizen-mast: the lowest flag in our navy is
accordingly the blue on the mizen-mast.
FLAG-OFFICER, a term synonimous to admiral.
FLAG-SHIP, the ship on which any flag is displayed.
FLAG-STAFF, _baton_, a pole erected at the head of a top-gallant-mast,
or top-mast, whereon to hoist and display the flag or pendant.
FLAKE, _echafaud_, a sort of scaffold or platform, formed of hurdles and
supported by stanchions, and used for drying cod-fish in Newfoundland.
These flakes are usually placed near the shores of fishing-harbours.
FLAT, _plain_, a level ground lying at a small depth under the surface
of the sea, and otherwise called a shoal or shallow.
_To_ FLAT-IN, the action of drawing in the aftmost lower-corner, or clue
of a sail towards the middle of the ship, to give the sail the greater
power of turning the vessel. Thus if the mizen, or after-sails are
flatted-in, it is evident that the intention is to carry the stern to
leeward, and turn the head nearer to the direction of the wind: and if
the head-sails are slatted-in, the intention is accordingly to make the
ship _fall off_, when by design or accident she has come so near the
wind as to make the sails shiver. Hence
FLAT-IN FORWARD, _traverse misaine_, is the order to draw in the
fore-sheet, jib-sheet, and fore-stay-sail-sheet, towards the middle of
the ship. This operation is seldom performed, except in light breezes of
wind, when the helm has not sufficient government of the ship.
FLEET, _vaisseaux du roi_, (_flota_, Sax.) a general name given to his
majesty’s navy, or to any part thereof destined on a particular
enterprise or expedition: also a convoy or company of merchant ships,
_flotte_, _conserve_, with or without ships of war to defend them.
The admirals of his majesty’s fleet are classed into three squadrons,
viz. the red, the white, and the blue. When any of these officers are
invested with the command of a squadron or detachment of men of war, the
particular ships are distinguished by the colours of their respective
squadron: that is to say, the ships of the red squadron wear an ensign,
whose union is displayed on a red field; the ensigns of the white
squadron have a white field; and those of the blue squadron, a blue
field; the union being common to all three. The ships of war therefore
are occasionally annexed to any of the three squadrons, or shifted from
one to another.
Of whatsoever number a fleet of ships of war is composed, it is usually
divided into three squadrons; and these, if numerous, are again
separated into divisions. The admiral, or principal officer, commands
the centre; the vice-admiral, or second in command, superintends the
van-guard; and the operations of the rear are directed by the
rear-admiral, or the officer next in rank. See the article DIVISION.
The disposition of a fleet, while proceeding on a voyage, will in some
measure depend on particular circumstances; as the difficulty of the
navigation; the necessity of dispatch, according to the urgency or
importance of the expedition; or the expectation of an enemy in the
passage. The most convenient order is probably to range it into three
lines or columns, each of which is parallel to a line close-hauled
according to the tack, on which the line of battle is designed to be
formed. This arrangement is more used than any, because it contains the
advantages of every other form, without their inconveniences. The fleet
being thus more inclosed, will more readily observe the signals, and
with greater facility form itself into the line of battle; a
circumstance which should be kept in view in every order of sailing.
FLEETING, the act of changing the situation of a tackle, when the blocks
are drawn together; or what is called _block and block_ by sailors. The
use of fleeting is accordingly to replace the mechanical powers into a
state of action; the force by which they operated before being destroyed
by the meeting of the blocks or pullies.
Fleeting therefore is nearly similar to the winding up of a watch or
clock. See the article TACKLE.
FLOAT, a raft, or quantity of timber fastened together across, to be
wafted along a river with the tide or current.
FLOATING, (_flotter_, Fr.) the state of being borne up, or wafted along
with the tide on the surface of the water, the theory of which is
explained in the article Trim.
FLOOR, the bottom of a ship; or all that part on each side of the keel,
which approaches nearer to an horizontal, than a perpendicular
situation, and whereon she rests when aground. Thus it is common to say,
a sharp floor, a flat floor, a long floor, &c. Whence
FLOOR-TIMBERS, _varangues_, are those parts of the ship’s timbers which
are placed immediately across the keel, and upon which the bottom of the
ship is framed: to these the upper parts of the _timbers_ are united,
being only a continuation of floor-timbers upwards. See _Naval_
ARCHITECTURE.
FLOWING, the position of the _sheets_, or lower corners of the principal
sails, when they are loosened to the wind, so as to receive it into
their cavities in a direction more nearly perpendicular than when they
are _close-hauled_, although more obliquely than when the vessel is
sailing before the wind.
A ship is therefore said to have a flowing sheet when the wind crosses
the line of her course nearly at right angles: that is to say, a ship
steering due north, with the wind at east, or directly on her side, will
have a flowing sheet; whereas if the sheets were extended close aft, she
would sail two points nearer the wind, viz. N. N. E. See the articles
CLOSE-HAULED, LARGE, and TRIM.
FLY _of an ensign_, _battant_, the breadth or extent from the staff to
the extremity or edge that flutters loose in the wind.
FLY-BOAT, or FLIGHT, a large flat-bottomed Dutch vessel, whose burthen
is generally from four to six hundred tons. It is distinguished by a
stern remarkably high, resembling a Gothic turret, and by very broad
buttocks below.
[Illustration:
_PLATE. V._
]
FOOT _of a sail_, _fond de voile_, lower edge or bottom.
FOOT-ROPE, the rope to which the foot of a sail is sewed. See BOLT-ROPE.
FOOT-ROPES are also the same with horses of the yards. See that article.
FOOT-WALEING, the whole inside planks or lining of a ship, used to
prevent any part of the ballast or cargo from falling between the
floor-timbers. See MIDSHIP-FRAME.
FORE, the distinguishing character of all that part of a ship’s frame
and machinery which lies near the stem.
FORE AND AFT, throughout the ship’s whole length, or from end to end.
FORE BOWLINE, the bowline of the fore-sail. See BOWLINE.
FORE-CASTLE, _gaillard d’avant_, a short deck placed in the fore part of
the ship, above the upper deck. It is usually terminated, both before
and behind, by a breast-work in vessels of war; the foremost end forming
the top of the _beak-head_, and the hind part reaching to the after part
of the fore-chains.
FORE-CAT-HARPINGS, a complication of ropes used to brace in the upper
part of the fore-shrouds. See CAT-HARPINGS.
FORE-FOOT, _brion_, a piece of timber which terminates the keel at the
fore end. It is connected by a scarf to the extremity of the keel, of
which it makes a part: and the other end of it, which is incurvated
upwards into a sort of knee or crotch, is attached to the lower end of
the stem, of which it also makes a part, being also called the _gripe_.
As the lower arm of the fore-foot lies on the same level with the keel,
so the upper one coincides with the middle line of the stem: its breadth
and thickness therefore correspond to the dimensions of those pieces,
and the heel of the cut-water is scarfed to its upper end.
The form of this piece, and its disposition and connexion with the
adjacent pieces, appears by the letter _i_, in plate I. PIECES OF THE
HULL.
FORE-HOOKS, the same with breast-hooks, which see.
FORELAND, a cape or promontory projecting into the sea; as the North or
South Forelands.
FORE-LOCK, _clavette_, a little flat-pointed wedge of iron, used to
drive through a hole in the end of a bolt, to retain it firmly in its
place.
FORE-JEARS. See JEARS.
FORE-MAST. MAST.
FORE-SAIL. SAIL.
FORE-SHROUDS. SHROUDS.
FORE-STAY. STAY.
FORE-TOP. TOP.
FORE-TOP-MAST. TOP-MAST.
FORE-TOP-GALLANT-MAST. TOP-GALLANT-MAST.
FORE-TYE. TYE.
FORE-YARD, &c. YARD, &C.
N B. By referring to the articles _Top-mast_ and _Top-gallant-mast_, we
mean to comprehend all the apparatus thereto belonging, as their yards,
sails, &c.
FORE-REACHING UPON, the act of advancing before, or gaining ground of,
some other ship or ships in company.
FORGING OVER, the act of forcing a ship violently over a shoal, by the
effort of a great quantity of sail.
FORMING _the Line_. See the article LINE.
FORWARD, _avant_, towards the fore part of the ship. See AFORE.
FOTHERING, a peculiar method of endeavouring to stop a leak in the
bottom of a ship while she is afloat, either under sail or at anchor. It
is usually performed in the following manner: a basket is filled with
ashes, cinders, and chopped rope-yarns, _bonette lardeé_, and loosely
covered with a piece of canvas; to this is fastened a long pole, by
which it is plunged repeatedly in the water, as close as possible to the
place where the leak is conjectured to lie. The oakum, or chopped
rope-yarns, being thus gradually shaken through the twigs, or over the
top of the basket, are frequently sucked into the hole along with the
water, so that the leak becomes immediately choaked, and the future
entrance of the water is thereby prevented.
FOUL, _empecheé_, as a sea-term, is generally used in opposition to
clear, and implies intangled, embarrassed, or contrary, in the following
senses:
A ship ran foul of us in the river, _i. e._ entangled herself amongst
our rigging.
FOUL, when expressed of a ship’s bottom, denotes that it is very dirty;
as being covered with grass, sea-weeds, shells, or other filth which
gathers to it during the course of a long voyage. When understood of the
ground or bottom of a road, bay, sea-coast, or harbour, _mal sain_, it
signifies rocky, or abounding with shallows, or otherwise dangerous.
When spoken of the hawse, it means that the cables are turned round each
other, by the winding or turning about of the ship while she rides at
anchor. See ELBOW and HAWSE.
FOUL, when applied to the wind, is used to express that it is
unfavourable, or contrary to the ship’s course, as opposed to _large_ or
_fair_.
_To_ FOUNDER, _sancir_, to sink at sea, as being rendered, by the
violence and continuation of a storm, and the excess of the leaks,
unable to keep the ship afloat above the water.
FOX, a sort of _strand_, formed by twisting several rope-yarns together,
and used as a _seizing_, or to weave a _mat_ or _paunch_, &c.
FRAME. See TIMBER.
FRAPPING, the act of crossing and drawing together the several parts of
a tackle, or other complication of ropes, which had already been
straitened to their utmost extent: in this sense it exactly resembles
the operation of bracing up a drum, &c. The frapping always increases
the tension, and of course adds to the security acquired by the
purchase. Hence the cat-harpings are no other than frappings to the
shrouds.
FRAPPING _a ship_, _ceintrer_, the act of passing three, four, or five
turns of a cable round the hull, or frame of a ship, in the middle, to
support her in a great storm, when it is apprehended that she is not
strong enough to resist the violent efforts of the sea. This expedient
however is rarely put in practice, unless in very old ships, which their
owners are willing to venture to sea as long as possible, by ensuring
them deeply.
FREEING, _affranchir_, the act of pumping, or otherwise throwing out the
water which has leaked into a ship’s bottom at sea, &c.
FREEZING, a sort of ornamental painting on the upper part of a ship’s
_quarter_, _stern_, or _bow_. It consists generally of armour,
instruments of war, marine emblems, &c.
FREIGHT, or _fraight of a ship_ (_affretement_) the hire, or a part
thereof, usually paid for the carriage and conveyance of goods; or the
sum agreed, upon between the owner and the merchant for the hire and use
of a vessel.
FREIGHT also implies the lading or cargo which she has aboard.
FRESH, when applied to the wind, generally signifies strong, but not
violent or dangerous: hence when the gale increases, it is said to
freshen.
_To_ FRESHEN _the hawse_, _refraichir_, to relieve that part of the
cable which for some time has been exposed to the friction in one of the
_hawse-holes_, produced by the rocking and pitching of a ship as she
rides at anchor in a high sea.
When a ship remains in such a situation, it is always necessary to wrap
some old canvas, mat, leather, or such like material, round that part of
the cable which rubs against the _stem_, &c. The matter used for this
purpose is called _service_: but as the violent agitation of the ship,
produced by the tempest, or sea, as she rides in an open road, must
communicate a great friction to the cable, the service will consequently
be soon worn through: it is necessary therefore to have it frequently
renewed by a fresh application of the like materials, behind the former,
for the preservation of the cable, on which every thing depends; and
this renewal of service is called _freshening the hawse_, a circumstance
which cannot be too vigilantly observed.
FRESHES, _souberme_, imply the impetuosity of an ebb-tide, increased by
heavy rains, and flowing out into the sea, which it often discolours to
a considerable distance from the shore; inasmuch as the line, which
divides the two colours, may be perceived distinctly for a great length
along the coast.
FRIGATE, (_fregate_, Fr.) in the navy, a light nimble ship built for the
purposes of sailing swiftly. These vessels mount from twenty to
thirty-eight guns, and are esteemed excellent cruizers.
FRIGATE-BUILT, _fregaté_, implies the disposition of the decks of such
merchant ships as have a descent of four or five steps from the
_quarter-deck_ and _fore-castle_ into the _waist_, in contra-distinction
to those whose decks are on a continued line for the whole length of the
ship, which are called _galley-built_. See the article FLUSH.
Formerly the name of frigate was only known in the Mediterranean, and
applied to a kind of long vessel, navigated in that sea with sails and
oars. The English were the first who appeared on the ocean with those
ships, and equipped them for war as well as commerce.
FULL AND BY, _pres & plein_, the situation of a ship with regard to the
wind, when she is close-hauled, and sailing in such a manner as neither
to steer too nigh the direction of the wind, nor to deviate to leeward;
both of which movements are unfavourable to her course, as in the former
her sails will shiver, and render the effort of the wind precarious and
ineffectual; and in the latter she will advance in a direction widely
distant from her real course. Hence, keep her full! _defie du vent!_ is
the order from the pilot or other officer to the helmsman, not to
incline too much to windward, and thereby shake the sails so as to
retard the course.
FURLING, (_ferler_, Fr.) the operation of wrapping or rolling a sail
close up to the _yard_, _stay_, or _mast_ to which it belongs, and
winding a gasket or cord about it to fasten it thereto. And hence
FURLING-LINE denotes a cord employed in this office: those which are
used for the larger sails are generally flat, and are known by the name
of _gaskets_.
FUTTOCKS, the middle division of a ship’s timbers; or those parts which
are situated between the _floor_ and the top-timbers. See this fully
explained in the article TIMBER.
As the epithet _hooked_ is frequently applied in common language to any
thing bent or incurvated, and particularly to several crooked timbers in
a ship, as the _breast-hooks_, _fore-hooks_, _after-hooks_, &c. this
term is evidently derived from the lowest part or _foot_ of the timber,
and from the shape of the piece. Hence
FUTTOCK-SHROUDS, or rather FOOT-HOOK SHROUDS. See the article SHROUDS.
G.
GAFF, a sort of boom or pole, frequently used in small ships, to extend
the upper edge of the mizen; and always employed for the same purpose on
those sails whose foremost edges are joined to the mast by hoops or
lacings, and which are usually extended by a _boom_ below. Such are the
main-sails of all sloops, brigs, and schooners.
The foremost, or inner extremity of the gaff, is furnished with two
cheeks forming a semi-circle, which incloses the after-part of the mast
so as to confine the gaff close to its respective mast whilst the sail
is hoisting or lowering. It is further secured in this situation by a
rope passing from one of the cheeks to the other on the fore side of the
mast; and to prevent the friction of this rope upon the mast, by
hoisting or lowering, several little wooden balls, called _trucks_, are
hung upon it, in the same manner as the holy beads are hung upon a
catholic’s rosary.
GAGE. See WEATHER-GAGE.
_To_ GAIN _the wind_, in navigation, _gagner au vent_, to arrive on the
weather-side, or to windward of, some other vessel in sight, when both
are plying to windward, or sailing as near the wind as possible.
GALE _of wind_, a phrase used by sailors to express a storm or tempest.
It is more particularly termed a hard gale, or strong gale.
GALEON, a name formerly given to ships of war, furnished with three or
four batteries of cannon. It is now retained only by the Spaniards, and
applied to the largest size of their merchant ships, employed on
West-Indian voyages, and usually furnished with four decks. They
likewise bestow the same name on those vessels, whether great or small,
which proceed annually to La Vera Cruz. The Portugueze also have several
ships which they send to India and the Brazils, nearly resembling the
galeons, and by them called _caragues_.
GALLED, _raqué_, the state of a mast, yard, cable, or other rope, when
it is deprived of the surface, and chafed by friction. To preserve those
articles from being damaged by this effect, it is therefore usual to
cover them with skins, mats, canvas, or such materials, in the places
where they are the most exposed to it by the rocking of the vessel. See
the article SERVICE.
GALLERY, a balcony projecting from the _stern_ or _quarter_ of a ship of
war, or large merchantman. In the former, the stern-gallery is usually
decorated with a ballustrade, extending from one side of the ship to the
other; the fore-part is limited by a partition called the skreen-bulk
head, in which are framed the cabin windows; and the roof of it is
formed by a sort of vault, termed the _cove_, which is frequently
ornamented with sculpture. See STERN.
The quarter gallery of a ship of 74 guns is represented at large, in the
plate referred to from the article QUARTER.
GALLEY, _galere_, a kind of low flat-built vessel, furnished with one
deck, and navigated with sails and oars, particularly in the
Mediterranean.
The largest sort of these vessels, _galeasse_, is employed only by the
Venetians. They are commonly 162 feet long above, and 133 feet by the
keel; 32 feet wide, with 23 feet length of stern-post. They are
furnished with three masts, and thirty-two banks of oars; every bank
containing two oars, and every oar being managed by six or seven slaves,
who are usually chained thereto. In the fore-part they have three little
batteries of cannon, of which the lowest is of two 36 pounders, the
second of two 24 pounders, and the uppermost of two 2 pounders: three 18
pounders are also planted on each quarter. The compliment of men for one
of these galleys is generally 1000 or 1200. They are esteemed extremely
convenient for bombarding or making a descent upon an enemy’s coast, as
drawing but little water; and having by their oars frequently the
advantage of a ship of war, in light winds or calms, by cannonading the
latter near the surface of the water; by scouring her whole length with
their shot, and at the same time keeping on her quarter or bow, so as to
be out of the direction of her cannon.
The gallies next in size to these, which are also called half-gallies,
are from 120 to 130 feet long, 18 feet broad, and 9 or 10 feet deep.
They have two masts, which may be struck at pleasure, and are furnished
with two large lateen sails, and five pieces of cannon. They have
commonly 25 banks of oars, as described above. A size still less than
these are called quarter-gallies, carrying from twelve to sixteen banks
of oars. There are very few gallies now besides those in the
Mediterranean, which are found by experience to be of little utility,
except in fine weather; a circumstance which renders their service
extremely precarious. They generally keep close under the shore, but
sometimes venture out to sea to perform a summer cruise. See the
articles QUARTER and VESSEL.