1. The class to which a vessel belongs, is determined chiefly by the number of its masts and the arrangement and form of its sails. The smallest of ships is the Sloop, which is distinguished from other vessels by having only one mast, and by being rigged fore-and-aft; that is to say, the sails are stretched in the direction of the stem and stern, and are not spread on yards across the vessel. A ship whose sails stand across the hull is said to be square-rigged.

2. The mast of a sloop is sometimes in one piece, sometimes in two. In the latter case, the topmast is fastened to the top of the lower mast in such a way that it may be hoisted or lowered at pleasure. A sloop has usually four sails-a mainsail, a foresail, a jib, and a topsail.

3. The mainsail is behind the lower mast, and is spread out towards the stern, on two spars. The lower of these spars is called the boom, and the upper the

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gaff. This is the largest sail in the vessel. Above it is spread the topsail, which is a small sail, and is used only when the wind is light. The foresail is a triangular sail which is hauled up and down on the forestay, a rope extending from the lower mast-head to the bow. In front of this, and stretched on the bowsprit, is the jib, also a triangular sail.

4. The Cutter is simply an elegantly built sloop, and

is generally used for pleasure. It is clipper-built; that is, it has sharp lines, a smooth

hull, and a raking

mast, and is designed for fast sailing.

5. The Schooner usually carries two masts; it is rigged chiefly fore-andaft, like a sloop.

It is the most elegant and, for a small

craft, the most manageable vessel that floats. The mast nearer the stern is called the mainmast, the other the foremast. The mainmast carries the mainsail, the maintop-sail, and the maintop-mast stay-sail. The last named sail is extended upon the maintop-mast stay, which leads from the maintop-mast head to the foremast-head. The foremast carries the foresail-a repetition of the mainsail-and above it the foretop-sail. In front of the foremast are three triangular sails-the forestay-sail (the same as the foresail of a sloop), the jib, and the flyingjib. Some schooners carry one or two square-sails at the foremast.

6. The Brig is generally larger than the schooner, but its distinctive mark is that it has two masts, both of which are square-rigged. The Brigantine is squarerigged on the foremast, and sloop-rigged on the mainmast.

7. Square-sails are named after the masts to which they are attached. Each mast in a square-rigged vessel consists of three parts, which are spoken of as three distinct masts. Thus in a brig there are the following: Mainmast.

Foremast.

Foretop-mast.

'Foretop-gallant-mast.

The sails, accordingly, are:

Foresail.

Maintop-mast.

Maintop-gallant-mast.

Mainsail.

Foretop-sail.

Foretop-gallant-sail.

Maintop-sail.
Maintop-gallant-sail.

Above the highest of these sails are sometimes additional small sails, called the fore-royal and the mainroyal respectively. Double topsails are usually carried.

8. The parts of a mast are connected and secured by means of cross-trees and caps. The cross-trees are small platforms named after the masts to which they belong. That at the head of the lower mast is called the foretop or the maintop; that at the head of the topmast the foretop-mast cross-trees, or the maintopmast cross-trees. The cap is an iron band by which the parts of the mast are held together. The buttonlike objects at the summits of the masts are called trucks. Besides forming a finish to the masts, they are fitted with small pulleys, through which cords for hoisting flags (signal halyards) are rove.

9. The thick ropes that keep the masts firmly in position are called shrouds and stays. The shrouds extend from the tops to the sides of the ship, and are fastened to blocks called dead-eyes. Stays which extend forward are called fore-and-aft stays; those which lead

to the side of the vessel, back-stays. The cross ropes attached to the shrouds are called ratlines.

10. To furl a sail is to roll it up and secure it. To unfurl it is to shake it loose. Yards are spars to which square-sails are attached. The little ropes which may be observed hanging in rows on the larger sails, are called reef-points. By means of them parts of sails are gathered in and fastened to the yards, thus reducing the amount of canvas in stormy weather. Hence such expressions as "taking in a reef," or "a double-reef," and "close-reefing"-the last meaning that a sail is to be reduced as much as possible.

11. The Bark is a three-masted vessel. The mainmast is in the middle. The foremast and the mainmast are square-rigged. The mizzen mast is rigged fore-andaft like a sloop. A clipper-bark is merely a bark made for fast sailing, with a sharp bow.

12. The largest class of vessels is the full-rigged Ship, the distinctive mark of which is that it has three masts, all square-rigged. The parts and sails of the foremast and mainmast bear the same names as those of the brig. The parts of the mizzen mast are the mizzen mast proper, the mizzentop-mast, and the mizzentop-gallant-mast.

13. The sails bear corresponding names. There is, however, on the mizzen mast a fore-and-aft sail called the spanker, projecting over the quarter-deck. Above the royals in a ship are still smaller sails called sky-sails. Sometimes square-sails have additional little sails or wings on each side, which can be used when the wind is fair and light. These are called studding-sails, corrupted into stu’n-s'ls.

14. A Frigate is a man-of-war having usually two gun-decks, and carrying from thirty to fifty guns. A Sloop-of-War is smaller, carrying from sixteen to twentyfour guns, on its upper-deck. A small sloop, carrying fewer than twenty guns, is called a Corvette.

15. Iron-clads are so called, because their sides are covered with thick plates of iron or steel, capable of resisting very heavy shot. The thickness of the armorplates of the latest iron-clads varies from eighteen to twenty-four inches. As the offensive power of guns has increased, it has been found necessary to increase also the defensive power of ships.

16. The number of guns carried by these ships is very much smaller than in the case of the old threedeckers; but the weight and caliber of the few guns they carry are enormous. Some of them carry their guns in iron turrets placed on deck, which revolve by machinery, so that the guns can be fired in any direction, no matter how the ship is lying. These are called turret-ships or monitors.