another. This phrase is equally applied when the ships bear. against each other, or when they are at a small distance; the tranverse position of the former to the latter being principally understood.

AWNING, a canopy of canvass extending over the decks of a ship in hot weather, for the convenience of the officers and crew, and to preserve the decks from being cracked or split, ebaroui, by the heat of the sun. The awning is supported by a range of light posts, called stanchions, which are erected along the ship's side on the right and left; it is also suspended in the middle by a complication of small cords, called a crowfoot.

BALLAST, a certain portion of stone, iron, gravel, or such like materials, deposited in a ship's hold, when she has either no cargo, or too little to bring her sufficiently low in the water. It is used to counterbalance the effort of the wind upon the masts, and give the ship a proper stability, that she may be enabled to carry sail without danger of oversetting.

There is often great difference in the proportion of ballast required to prepare ships of equal burthen for a voyage; the quantity being always more or less, according to the sharpness or flatness of the ship's bottom, which seamen call the floor.

The knowledge of ballasting a ship with propriety is certainly an article deserves the attention of the skilful mariner; for although it is known that ships in general will not carry a sufficient quantity of sail, till they are laden so deep that the surface of the water will nearly glance on the extreme breadth amidships; yet there is more than this general knowledge required; since, if she has a great weight of heavy ballast, as lead, iron, &c. in the bottom, it will place the centre of gravity too low in the hold; and although this will enable her to carry a great sail, she will nevertheless sail very heavily, and run the risk of being dismasted by her violent rolling.

To ballast a ship, therefore, is the art of disposing those materials so that she may be duly poised, and maintain a proper equilibrium on the water, so as neither to be too stiff, nor too crank, qualities equally pernicious: as in the first, although the ship may be fitted to carry a great sail, yet her velocity will not be proportionably increased; whilst her masts are more endangered by her

sudden jerks and excessive labouring: and in the last, she will be incapable of carrying sail without the risk of oversetting.

Stiffness in ballasting, is occasioned by disposing a great quantity of heavy ballast, as lead, iron, &c. in the bottom, which naturally places the centre of gravity very near the keel; and that being the centre about which the vibrations are made, the lower it is placed, the more violent will be the motion of rolling.

Crankness, on the other hand, is occasioned by having too little ballast, or by disposing the ship's lading so as to raise the centre of gravity too high, which also endangers the mast in carrying sail when it blows hard; for when the masts loose their perpendicular height, they strain on the shrouds in the nature of a lever, which increases as the sine of their obliquity; and a ship that loses her masts is in great danger of being lost.

The whole art of ballasting, therefore, consists in placing the centre of gravity to correspond with the trim and shape of the vessel, so as neither to be too high or too low; neither too far forward nor too far aft; and to lade the ship so deep, that the surface of the water may nearly rise to the extreme breadth amidships; and thus she will be enabled to carry a good sail, incline but little, and ply well to the windward,

BANIAN-DAYS, a cant term among common sailors, denoting those days on which they have no flesh-meat: it seems to be derived from the practice of a nation amongst the eastern Indians, who never eat flesh.

BARK, a general name given to small ships: it is however peculiarly appropriated by seamen to those which carry three masts without a mizen-top-sail. Our northern mariners, who are trained in the coal trade, apply this distinction to a broad-sterned ship, which carries no ornamental figure on the stem or prow.

BEAMS, strong thick pieces of timber, stretching across the ship from side to side, to support the decks, and retain the sides at their proper distance.

in

BEARING-UP, or BEARING-AWAY, in navigation, the act of changing the course of a ship, in order to make her run before the wind, after she had sailed some time with a side wind, or close hauled it is generally performed to arrive to some port under the lee, or to avoid some imminent danger occasioned by a violent storm, leak, or an enemy in sight.

This phrase, which is absurd enough, seems to have been de rived from the motion of the helm, by which this effect is partly produced; as the helm is then bore up to the windward, or weather side of the ship. Otherwise, it is a direct contradiction in terms, to say that a ship bears up, when she goes before the wind; since the current of the wind, as well as that of a river, is always understood to determine the situation of objects or places within its limits. In the first sense we say, up to windward and down to leeward; as in the latter we say, up or down the river. This expression, however, although extremely improper, is commonly adopted in the general instructions of our navy, printed by authority, instead of bearing-down or bearing-away.

BEATING, in navigation, the operation of making a progress at sea against the direction of the wind, in a zig-zag line, or traverse, like that in which we ascend a steep hill. As this method of sailing will be particularly explained under the term Tacking, the reader is referred to that article.

To BECALM, to intercept the current of the wind, in its passage to a ship, with any contiguous object, as a shore above her sails, a high sea behind, or some other ship. At this time the sails remain in a state of rest, and are consequently deprived of their power to govern the motion of the ship.

BINACLE, a wooden case or box, which contains the compasses, log-glasses, watch-glasses, and lights to shew the compass at night.

There are always two binacles on the deck of a ship of war, one being designed for the man who steers, and the other for the person who superintends the steerage, whose office is called conning, or cunning.

BIRTH, or BERTH, the station in which a ship rides at anchor, either alone or in a fleet; or the distance between the ship and any adjacent object; comprehending the extent of the space in which she ranges at the length of her cables; as, she lies in a good birth, i. e. in a convenient situation, or at a proper distance from the shore and other vessels; and where there is good anchoring ground, and shelter from the violence of the wind and sea.

BIRTH, also signifies the room or apartment where any particular number of the officers or ship's company usually mess and re

side. In a ship of war, there is generally one of these between every two guns.

BLOCK, a machine known in mechanics by the name of pully, and used for various purposes in a ship, particularly to increase the mechanical power of the ropes employed in contracting, dilating, or traversing the sails. The ends of these ropes, being arranged in certain places upon the deck, may thus be readily found whenever they are wanted. The blocks, which are for these purposes disposed in various places upon the masts, yards, and sails, and amongst the rigging, are also. of various sizes, shapes, and powers, according to the effect they are calculated to produce. They are single, double, or treble, being so denominated from the number of wheels they contain. They are even some of them five, six, and seven fold, but these are only employed to raise or move some very weighty bodies, and are not used about the yards or sails.

BOARDING, an assault made by one ship upon another, by entering her in battle with a detachment of armed meu ; either because the efforts of the artillery and musquetry have proved ineffectual, or because she may have a greater number of men, and be better equipped for this attack than the enemy who defends herself against it.

This stratagem, however, is chiefly practised by privateers upon merchant ships, who are not so well provided with men, and rarely attempted in the royal navy; the battle being generally decided in ships of war by the vigorous execution of a close canonade.

BOAT, a small open vessel, conducted on the water by rowing or sailing. The construction, machinery, and even the names of boats, are very different, according to the various purposes for which they are calculated, and the services on which they are to be employed.

Thus they are occasionally slight or strong; sharp or flat bottommed; open or decked; plain or ornamented; as they may be designed for swiftness or burthen; for deep or shallow water; for sailing in a harbour or at sea; and for convenience or pleasure.

The largest boat that usually accompanies a ship, is the longboat, chaloupe, which is generally furnished with a mast and

sails: those which are fitted for ships of war, may be occasionally decked, armed, and equipped, for cruising short distances against merchant ships of the enemy, or smugglers, or for impressing seamen, &c.

The barges are next in order, which are longer, slighter, and narrower: they are employed to carry the principal sea officers, as admirals, and captains of ships of war, and are very unfit for

sea.

Pinnaces exactly resemble barges, smaller, and never row more than properly never rows less than ten. tion of the lieutenants, &c..

only that they are somewhat eight oars; whereas a barge These are for the accommoda

Cutters of a ship, are broader, deeper, and shorter than the barges and pinnaces; they are fitter for sailing, and are commonly employed in carrying stores, provisions, passengers, &c. to and from the ship. In the structure of this sort of boats, the lower edge of every plank in the side over-lays the upper-edge of the plank below, which is called by shipwrights clinch-work.

Yawls are something less than cutters, nearly of the same form, and used for similar services; they are generally rowed with six oars...

The above boats more particularly belong to ships of war; as merchant ships seldom have more than two: viz. a long-boat and yawl: when they have a third, it is generally calculated for the countries to which they trade, and varies in its construction accordingly.

Merchant ships employed in the Mediterranean find it more convenient to use a launch, which is longer, more flat bottomed, and better adapted every way to the harbours of that sea, than a long-boat.

A wherry, is a light sharp boat, used in a river or harbour for carrying passengers from place to place.

Punts, are a sort of oblong flat-bottomed boats, nearly resembling floating stages; they are used by shipwrights and caulkers for breaming, caulking, or repairing a ship's bottom.

A moses is a very flat broad boat, used by merchant ships amongst the Carribee-islands, to bring hogsheads of sugar off from the sea beach to the shipping which are anchored in the ads.