CHOQUER _la tournevire_, to surge the capstern; to lift up the rope
passing round the body of the capstern, that it may not ride while
the capstern turns.
CHOSES _de la mer_, or _du flot_, wreck, or whatever is found floating
at sea, or within certain limits of the sea-coast.
CHOUQUET, a cap of the mast-head.
CHUTE _de voiles_, the depth of the sails.
CIEL _embrumé_, a cloudy, heavy, or dark sky.
CIEL _fin_, fine weather, a clear sky.
CINGLAGE, or SINGLAGE, the run of a ship for twenty-four hours, or the
course and distance she has made between noon and noon.
CINGLAGE also imports the pay or wages of mariners.
CINGLER, or SINGLER, to sail with a favourable wind on a particular
course.
CINQUENELLE, or CINCENELLE, a general name for the tackling of the
great guns, by which they are fastened to the ship’s sides, &c.
CINTRAGE, or CEINTRAGE, a name given to any kind of lashing, or
frapping, which surrounds the object it is intended to secure.
CINTRER, or CEINTRER _un vaisseau quand il largue_, to frap a ship.
CIVADIERE, the sprit-sail.
CLAIRON, a clear spot in a cloudy sky.
CLAMP, a sheave, or small wheel, placed in a mortise, as in the foot
of a top mast, to pass a rope through.
CLAN, a mortise or hole cut in a plank, mast, &c. lengthwise, to admit
a sheave.
CLAN, or CLAMP _de beaupré_. See COUSSIN.
CLAN, a sort of breast-hook in a large lighter.
CLAPET _de pompe_, the clapper of a pump-box.
CLAPETS, leathern flaps nailed on the outside of the scuppers, instead
of scupperhoses.
CLASSE, a division of pilots, gunners, seamen, &c. engaged to serve in
any naval armament for a limited time, after which they are relieved
by another division sent from the shore.
CLAVETTE, or GOUPILLE, a forelock.
CLEF. See CHEF.
CLEF _de beaupré_, or BARROT _de coltis_, the collar-beam, which is
raised a little above the second deck, to fortify the bowsprit.
CLEF _de pierrier_, the forelock of a pedrero or swivel-gun.
CLEF _de pompe_, a sort of wooden pump-bolt, to confine the brake
within the cheeks or ears of the pump. See CHEVILLE _de potence_.
CLEF _des étains_, or _contre-port_, a triangular cheek of timber,
formerly used to connect the fashion-pieces with the stern-post.
CLEF _de ton du mât_, or CLEF _de mât de hune_, the iron or wooden fid
of a top-mast.
CLEFS _des guindas_, the cheeks of the windlas.
CLERC _du guet_, the clerk who assembles and musters the militia
appointed to guard the sea-coast.
CLERCS _de la secretaire_, or _du gresse de l’amirauté_, the
messengers of the admiralty.
CLINCAR, a sort of flat-bottomed clinker-built pram, or lighter, of
Sweden and Denmark.
CLOCHE _de plongeurs_, a diving-bell.
CLOISSON, a range of stanchions to support the bulk-heads, or
partitions, which separate one cabin from another.
CLOPOTEUSE, turbulent or agitated; an epithet given to the sea when it
runs high.
CLOU, an iron spike, or nail, of any size.
CLOUS _à river_, a rivet, or riveting-nail to be clenched at both
ends.
CLOUS _des sabords_, doubling-nails, to line the gun ports.
CO-BOURGEOIS, a co-partner in, or part-owner of, a ship.
COCHES _d’assut de bord_, the notches or steps of a sea-carriage.
COEFFÉ, aback. _Un vaisseau_ COEFFÉ, a ship laid aback.
COEFFER, to back a sail, to lay aback, or to the mast.
COFFRE _à feu_, a powder-chest, fixed on the deck or side of a ship,
to-be discharged upon a boarding enemy.
COFFRE _à gargousses_, a cartridge-chest, which contains the filled
cartridges in a ship’s magazine.
COFFRE _de bord_, a sea-chest, a sailor’s chest.
COINS _d’arrimage_, the quoins or coins used in the stowage of a
ship’s hold, &c.
COINS _de chantier_, the wedges driven between the blocks and the
keel, when a ship is building.
COINS _de mât_, the wedges of a mast, by which it is confined in the
partners, or in the cap.
COITES, the ways, or cradles, upon which a ship gradually descends,
when she is launched into the water.
COITES _de guindas_, the cheeks or bits of the windlas. See CLEF _de
guindas_.
COLLET _d’étai_, the eye of a stay placed over a mast-head.
COLLIER _d’étai_, the collar or lower part of a stay.
COLLIER _du ton_, or _du chouquet_, the iron clamp of a French cap. As
the caps of English vessels are formed wholly of wood, this clamp is
not in use amongst our shipping.
COLLIERS _de défense_, the puddening of a boat’s stem.
COLOMBIERS, two shoars employed to launch a ship into the water.
COLONNE, a line of ships, a line of battle.
COLTIS, the breast or front of a ship’s fore-castle, comprehended
between the two cat-heads athwart, and descending from the top of
the fore-castle to the platform of the head.
COMBAT _naval_, a general or particular sea-fight.
COMBUGER _les sutailles_, to fill the water-casks of a ship with fresh
water.
COMITE, an under-officer of a galley, who commands the slaves.
COMMANDANT, a commodore. See CHEF _d’escadre_.
COMMANDE, holloa! the answer given by the sailors to the master,
boatswain, or other officer, when he calls to them by the name of
the place where they are; as, “Fore-castle, there! main-top, there!
main-top, hoay!” &c.
COMMANDEMENT, the order or command to do any thing relative to the
working of a ship.
COMMANDER _à la route_, to order or direct the course of a ship.
COMMANDES, knittles or seizings.
COMMANDEUR, the master or commander of a ship.
COMMIS, the supercargo of a merchant-vessel.
COMMIS _des bureaux des douanes_, the surveyors of the customs who
visit shipping.
COMMIS _du munitionnaire_, or COMMIS _à la distribution des vivres_, a
clerk or steward to the commissary or purser of a ship of war.
COMMIS _général des convois & congés_, an overseer or inspector of the
customs with regard to shipping.
COMMISSAIRE _de la marine_ imports in general a civil officer, or
commissioner of the marine, of which there are several: as,
COMMISSAIRE _général à la suite des armées navales_, an officer who
receives the orders and instructions of the _intendant_ of a fleet
of men of war, and performs his duty when he is absent. See
INTENDANT _des armées navales_.
COMMISSAIRE _général de la marine_, the principal officer under the
_intendant de marine_, in his department. It is his duty, 1. To
execute the orders of the admiral, or commissioners of the
admiralty, with regard to the number of ships which are ordered to
be taken into the service of the state; to provide for their being
equipped, manned, and victualled, for the expedition to which they
are destined; to press the masters and mates who refuse to serve,
and to break, or disband and return, those who will not do their
duty. 2. To measure the ships which attend a fleet; to give them
orders, either to sail with the fleet, or to join it according to
the regulations which have been made; to keep account of those who
have been discharged from duty, and send them back in due time to
the appointed place. 3. To attend the affairs of the dock-yards and
harbours, and controul the clerks, artificers, and ordinary-men; to
administer the oath of allegiance to them; to review the shipping,
and take an inventory of the prizes. 4. To take care that the oldest
and best seasoned timber is first used; and that the bolts, nails,
and other iron-works, have their due proportions, and conform to
their dimensions. 5. To examine, once every fortnight, the
muster-roll of the artificers, signed by the clerks. 6. To observe
that the master-shipwrights do in nowise depart from the draught
which has been established by the council of construction, of which
he is always possessed of a copy. 7. To inspect whatever concerns
the port, and to take care that the ordonnances relative thereto are
faithfully executed; and to see that the ships are properly
situated, and each one moored in the birth assigned.
It is also the office of the _commissaire général_ to keep a list of
the sea-officers and sailors, able and ordinary; and to minute the
ships in which they have served, and upon what footing they have
been paid. With respect to the youths, officers servants, and other
boys, their names, privileges, and time of service, are enrolled in
a particular list; and each of them is furnished with a certificate,
representing these articles.
The _commissaire général_ is not, however, always charged with these
several employments himself. There are under his department, in
different places, or according to the times, other commissaries, who
share such services with him: as, COMMISSAIRE _ordinaires de la
marine_; COMMISSAIRES _ayant inspection sur les vivres d’un port_,
an agent victualler; COMMISSAIRE _préposé pour l’enrôlement des
matelots_, clerk of the cheque; COMMISSAIRE _pour les constructions
des vaisseaux_; and COMMISSAIRE _des ports_, master-attendant.
COMMISSAIRE _général de la marine ambulant_, an officer whose duty
resembles that of the former, but who has no particular residence,
being intended to visit any one port or harbour occasionally.
COMMISSAIRE _de l’artillerie de la marine_, an officer who, under the
orders of the intendant, has the charge of the foundery, the proof
of cannon and mortars, and of all other arms, gunpowder, ammunition,
instruments, and implements of war. He has also the command of the
gunners, matrosses, and bombardiers, maintained in a royal port, who
are divided into squads, commanded by _lieutenants de marine_, or
lieutenants of bomb-ketches. There are two of these COMMISSAIRES
_généraux_, one for the western ports of France, and the other for
Provence, or the eastern ports.
COMMISSAIRE _ordinaire de la marine_, an officer whose duty it is to
superintend the ordinary, the several clerks in a dock-yard, the
store-keepers accounts in a port, and the out-fits and return of
stores of a fleet.
COMMISSAIRE _ordînaire de l’artillerie de la marine_, an officer who
performs the duty of the COMMISSAIRE _général de l’artillerie de la
marine_, when he is absent. He keeps the keys of the naval magazine
and artillery store rooms jointly with the _garde-magazin_. He has
also a key of the arsenal, wherein the fire-arms are disposed
according to their length and calibre; and he keeps a register of
all the artillery within the warren where he resides. This register
contains principally the matter and fabric of such artillery.
COMMISSION, an order given by the king to an admiral, vice-admiral, or
other superior officer, to cruise against, and seize, the enemy’s
ships, &c.
COMPAGNE, the cabin of the steward of a row-galley.
COMPAGNIE _de navires_, or CONSERVE, a convoy or fleet of vessels.
COMPAGNONS, a general name for sailors, mariners, or whoever forms a
part of a ship’s crew.
COMPAS _azimutal_, an azimuth-compass.
COMPAS, _de carte_, or COMPAS _marin_, a pair of compasses, or
dividers, used to prick a chart, or discover courses and distances
thereon.
COMPAS _de route_, or _de mer_, a common sea-compass.
COMPAS _de variation_, an amplitude-compass.
COMPAS _mort_, a compass whose needle has lost its magnetical virtue.
COMPAS _renversé_, a swinging compass whose face is downwards; it is
usually hung over-head in the great cabin, to shew the ship’s course
to the captain.
COMPASSER. See POINTER _la carte_.
COMPOST, a tide-duty, or revenue; arising from shipping.
CONFLUENT, the place where two rivers are united.
CONGÉ, a pass, or permission, granted to the master of a
merchant-ship, by the office of admiralty, when he is ready to sail.
CONNOISSANCE, the skill and intelligence of a pilot; also a prospect
of the land and sea-coasts.
CONNOISSEMENT, a ship´s bill of lading, or the manifest of her cargo.
CONSEIL _de construction_, a council held in any of the king’s ports,
consisting of the _intendant_ (or commissioner), _le commissaire
général_, and the principal officers, for the construction or
repairing of ships of war. These last are usually styled the
builders, and sometimes _les charpentiers-constructeurs_, the
shipwrights.
CONSEIL _de guerre_, a council of war.
CONSEIL _de l’amirauté_ a jurisdiction exercised under the name and
authority of the lord-admiral, who has certain claims called the
dues of the admiralty. The officers of the admiralty have their
patents from the king, but they are nominated by the lord-admiral.
The admiralty of France consists of a lieutenant-general, who is
president, a _lieutenant particulier_, three counsellors, an
advocate, and a royal proctor; of a register in chief, and two
serjeants or bailiffs.
CONSEIL _de marine_, a secret council held by the king and his
ministers, to which he usually summons the princes and the chief
officers of his fleet, to deliberate with them about the affairs of
naval war.
CONSERVE, a fleet or convoy of ships, associated for their mutual
defence and safety. See COMPAGNIE.
CONSOLE, a bracket, or part where two pieces of timber are united by a
bracket.
CONSOMMATION, the consumption of a ship during a sea-voyage,
comprehending whatever has been expended, as cordage, canvas,
ammunition, &c.
CONSTRUCTION _des vaisseaux_, the art of ship-building, or the
practical part of naval architecture.
CONSUL, a consul established in foreign parts, for the protection of
the commerce of his country.
CONTINENT, a continent, or vast tract of land.
CONTRAT _à la grosse_. See BOMERIE.
CONTRE-AMIRAL, the rear-admiral of France.
CONTRE-BANDE, prohibited goods.
CONTRE-BITTES, the standards which support the cable-bits.
CONTRE-BRASSER, to brace about the yards.
CONTRE-CAPION _de pouppe_, the upper part of the salse=post of a
row-galley, which is a crooked piece of timber placed on the
fore-side of the stern-post to support it. See CONTRE-RODE _de
pouppe_.
CONTRE-CAPION _de proue_, the upper part of the stemson of a galley.
See CONTRE-RODE _de proue_.
CONTRE-CARENE, the kelson of a galley. See CARLINGUE.
CONTRE-ÉTAMBOT, the knee of the stern-post, by which it is attached to
the keel.
CONTRE-ÉTAMBOT, or FAUX-ÉTAMBOT, is also the false stern-post.
CONTRE-ÉTRAVE, the apron; a piece of timber which supports the scarf
of the stem.
CONTRE-MAITRE, the boatswain of a ship.
CONTRE-MARCHE, the general tacking of a division of ships, arranged on
the same line, so as to preserve the line in its former disposition
on the other tack.
CONTRE-MARÉE, a spring-tide.
CONTRE-QUILLE, the dead-wood placed on the keel fore and aft. See
FAUSSE-QUILLE.
CONTRE-RODE _de pouppe_, the lower part of the false-post, or
counter-stern-post of a row-galley. See CONTRE-CAPION _de pouppe_.
CONTRE-RODE _de proue_, the lower part of the stemson of a galley. See
CONTRE-CAPION _de proue_.
CONTRE-SABORDS. See MANTELETS.
CONTRE-SALUT, the return of a salute at Sea.
CONTROLEUR _de la marine_, an officer of the marine, who attends and
controuls all the purchases and sales held in a royal dock-yard,
assists at the general musters, reviews the artificers, and keeps a
register of their names.
CONVERSO, the waist, or main-deck, of a ship.
CONVOI, the convoy or escort of ships of war, used to guard a fleet of
merchantmen.
CONVOYER, to convoy or accompany a fleet of merchant-men as their
escort.
COQ, the cook of a ship.
COQUE, a kink, or round twist, in a new rope.
COQUERON, the cook-room, fore-castle, or cuddy, of a lighter or hoy.
COQUET, a cock-boat, a sort of small boat which passes between
Normandy and Paris.
COQUETER, to navigate or manage a boat by paddling, or rowing in the
boat’s stern with a paddle.
CORADOUX. See COURADOUX.
CORALINE, a light small long-boat, or lanch, employed in the Levant,
to fish coral.
CORBEAU, a sort of sheer-hook or fire-grappling.
CORBEILLON, or CORBILLON, a small kid, or tub, to contain the biscuit
or sea-bread daily distributed to the several messes.
CORDAGE, cordage, a general name for all the ropes employed to rig or
work a ship: the cables, or ground-tackling, are sometimes
comprehended in this term. See CABLE, MANOEUVRES.
CORDAGE _blanc_, white, or untarred cordage.
CORDAGE _étuvé_, cordage which has passed through a stove, to
discharge its moisture or watery humour.
CORDAGE _goudronné_, tarred cordage.
CORDAGE _raque_, or _raqué_, cordage which has been well rubbed, in
order to take off the hulks, straw, or roughness of the hemp from
the surface.
CORDAGE _refait_, twice-laid cordage.
CORDAGES _de rechange_, spare-ropes, spare-cordage.
CORDE, a rope of any kind.
CORDE _de retenue_, a guy, used to steady a heavy bale, cask, &c. when
hoisted into a ship.
CORDE _de retenue_ is also pendant of a relieving tackle, employed to
prevent a ship from over-setting, or falling down more than is
necessary in the careen; and to right her, or pull her upright, when
the careen is finished. See ATTRAPE.
CORDE _de retenue_ likewise implies a stern-fast, or large rope used
to ease a ship gradually off the stocks, or to prevent her from
launching too quick. This is meant of vessels launched head
foremost, a method never practised in England.
CORDES _de défense_, fenders of junk or old cable.
CORDELLE, a warp or tow-line.
CORDERIE, a ropery or rope-walk, the rope-yard of a dock.
CORDIER, a rope-maker, or roper.
CORDON, a strand of rope-yarns. See TORON.
CORNE _de vergue_, the crutch or cheeks at the inner end of a gaff, or
boom which embraces and slides along the mast of a small vessel, as
the sail is hoisted or lowered.
CORNET _de mât_, a step and partners peculiar to the masts of some
small vessels, being open at the after-part, so that the mast may
occasionally be lowered over the stern. See CARLINGUE.
CORNETTE, a broad pendant, displayed at the mast-head of a commodore.
CORPS _de bataille_, the center division of a fleet of ships of war.
CORPS _de garde d’un vaisseau_, the half-deck; that part of a ship
which is under the quarter-deck and before the bulk-head of the
steerage.
CORPS _de pompe_, the chamber of a pump.
CORPS _d’un vaisseau_, the hull of a ship, without her rigging.
CORRECTIONS, the methods of correcting the errors of a dead reckoning,
by observations and allowances, as prescribed by the rules of
navigation.
CORSAIRE, a privateer, also a pirate.
CORVETTE, a sloop of war.
COSSE, a thimble; also a bull’s eye, or traveller. See MARGOUILLET.
COTE, the sea-coast, the shore.
CÔTE _en écore_, a bluff or bold shore.
CÔTE _qui court nord-sud ou est-ouest_, a coast which lies north and
south, or east and west.
CÔTE _saine_, a safe coast, where there is neither rocks or
sand-banks, that may render the access dangerous to shipping.
_Donner à la_ CÔTE, _ranger la_ CÔTE. See DONNER and RANGER.
CÔTÉ _du vaisseau_, the side of a ship.
_Presenter le_ CÔTÉ, _mettre le_ CÔTÉ, _du vaisseau en travers_, to
bring the broad-side to bear upon. See EFFACER.
_Mettre un vaisseau sur le_ CÔTÉ, to lay a ship on the careen. See
ABATTRE.
_Faux_-CÔTÉ, lap-sided.
CÔTÉ _du vent_, the weather-side, to windward.
CÔTÉ _sous le vent_, to leeward, the lee-side.
COTES, or MEMBRES, _d’un vaisseau_, the timbers, or ribs of a ship,
from the keel, upwards.
COTIER, a coaster, or coasting vessel.
COTONNINE, a species of thick sail-cloth, used in galleys and vessels
of the Levant: it is formed by a mixture of hemp and cotton, the
woof being of the former, and the warp of the latter.
COTONS, fishes of the mast. See JUMELLE.
COTTIMO, a duty or exaction of so much per cent. which the consuls, by
order of their courts, or by the consent of merchants, demand of the
shipping of their nation, when they enter a port where such consuls
are established.
COUBAIS, a barge or galley of Japan, greatly ornamented, and rowed
with forty oars.
COUCHE, the pillow of a stay, or the piece of wood upon which it
rests.
COUDRAN, a mixture of tar and some other ingredients, used to prevent
ropes from rotting. See GOUDRON.
COUETS, the tacks of the main-sail and fore-sail. See AMURER.
COUETS _à queue de rat_, tacks which taper to the point.
COUILLARD, an old term signifying the clue of a sail.
COULADOUX, shroud-tackles, which are used in the galleys, and some
other vessels of the Mediterranean, in the place of dead-eyes and
laniards.
COULANTES, or COURANTES, the running rigging. See MANOEUVRES
_courantes_.
COULÉE, that part of a ship’s bottom which lies between the
floor-heads and the keel, which is somewhat concave on the outside.
COULER _à fond_, to sink at sea. See also SANCER.
COULER _bas d’eau_, to sink deeper in the water; expressed of a ship
when her leaks gain upon the pump, or when she receives more water
than the pumps can discharge.
COULOIRS, certain gangways fixed on the sides of undecked vessels;
also the grating-gangways on the sides of such vessels as have their
decks arched very high in the middle, as xebecks, &c.
COULOIRS likewise imports the passages that lead to the several cabins
or store-rooms of a ship.
COUP _d’assurance_, a gun fired by a ship on her entrance into a port,
when she displays her colours, as a sign of peace. See ASSURANCE.
COUP _de gouvernail_, the whole force of the helm.
COUP _de mer_, the shock of a wave of the sea, striking a ship
violently, and rushing over her deck.
COUP _de partance_, a farewel-gun, a gun fired as signal for sailing.
COUP _de vent_, a sudden squall or gust of wind.
COUPS _de canon à l’eau_, shot received under water, or between wind
and water.
COUPS _de canon en bois_, shot received in the upper works of a ship.
COUPER _la lame_, to cut the sea, to divide the waves.
COUPER _le cable, ou le mâts_, to cut the cable, or cut away the
masts.
COUPER, _l’ennemi_, to thwart or cross the enemy’s course, in giving
chase to him.
COUPLE _de haubans_, a pair of shrouds.
COUPLE _du lof_, or _du balancement_, the loof-frame or loof-timbers.
COUPLES, the timbers of a ship, or the frames. See GABARI.
COURADOUX, between decks, the space between any two decks of a ship;
also the place where the soldiers sleep in a galley. See ENTRE-PONT.
COURANT, a current or stream at sea.
COURBATONS, small knees used, in the upper part of a ship, for the
same purposes as the _courbes_ are, in the lower parts.
COURATONS _de l’éperon_. See HERPES _de poulains_ and MONTANS.
COURBE _capucine_, the standard which fastens the cut-water to the
stem.
COURBES, a general name for the larger knees of a ship.
COURBES _d’arcasse_, the transom-knees, or sleepers.
COURBES _de bittes_, the knees of the cable-bits. See CONTRE-BITTES.
COURBES _d’écubier_, the cheeks of the head. See JOTTEREAUX.
COURBES _d’équerre_, or _à fausse équerre_, knees which are
right-angular, and knees which are within, or without a square.
COURCIVE, or COURCITE, a half-deck, formed in a vessel which is not
wholly decked.
COUREAU, a small yawl of the Garonne.
COURÉE, COUROI, or COURET, a composition, or stuff, used to pay a
ship’s bottom at the time of docking or breaming.
COURIR, imports in general, to sail, to run at sea, to stand onward.
COURIR _à l’autre bord_, to stand upon the other tack.
COURIR _au large_, to stand off. See TIRER _à la mer_.
COURIR _au plus près_, to run close upon a wind.
COURIR _en latitude_, to run down latitude.
COURIR _en longitude_, to run down longitude.
COURIR _la bouline_, to run the gauntlope.
COURIR _la mer_, to infest or scour the sea; to cruise up and down
therein.
COURIR _le bon bord_, to make a lucky cruise; a cant phrase peculiar
to cruisers or pirates, and alluding to the capture or plunder of
merchant-ships.
COURIR _même bord_, to stand upon the same tack as some other ship in
sight.
COURIR _nord, sud, &c._ to stand to the northward, southward, &c.
COURIR _sur la terre_, to stand in shore, or on shore.
COURIR _sur un vaisseau_, to chase or pursue a ship.
COURIR _sur son ancre_, to run over, or foul of, the anchor.
COURIR _terre à terre_. See RANGER _la côte_.
COURIR _une bordée_, or _bord sur bord_. See LOUVIER.
COURONNEMENT, the after-part of a ship’s taffarel, which is usually
ornamented with sculpture.
COURROI. See COURÉE.
COURS, or COURSE, a cruise at sea. Hence _faire_ COURS, to go upon a
cruise.
COURS _du vaisseau_, the course or run of a ship; also the wake, or
track marked on the surface of the water behind her.
COURSIER, a bow-chase, or great brass cannon in the head of a
row-galley.