The Sailor's Word-Book Part 252

lay them in the boat from the rowlocks; "uns.h.i.+p the capstan bars," &c.

UNWHOLESOME s.h.i.+P. One that will neither hull, try, nor ride, without labouring heavily in a sea. Also applied to a sugar s.h.i.+p diverted from her former trade, and not properly cleansed, even before taking in a cargo of timber.

UP ALONG. Sailing from the mouth of the channel upwards.

UP ANCHOR. Pipe to weigh; every man to his station.

UP AND DOWN. The situation of the cable when it has been hove in sufficiently to bring the s.h.i.+p directly over the anchor. (_See_ RIGHT UP AND DOWN.)

UP-AND-DOWN TACKLE. A purchase used in bowsing down the eyes of the lower rigging over the mast-heads; lifting objects from the hold; getting anchors over the side, &c.

UP BOATS! The order to hoist the boats to the stern and quarter davits.

UP COURSES! The order to haul them up by the clue-garnets, &c.

UPHAND-SLEDGE. A large sledge-hammer used in blacksmith's work, and lifted with both hands, in contradistinction to the short stroke by the master smith.

UPHROE. _See_ UVROU.

UPMAKING. Pieces of plank or timber piled on each other as filling-up in building, more especially those placed between the bilge-ways and s.h.i.+p's bottom preparatory to launching.

UPPER COUNTER. The counter between the wing transom and the rail. (_See_ COUNTER.)

UPPER DECK. The highest of those decks which are continued throughout the whole length of a s.h.i.+p without falls or interruptions, as the quarter-deck, waist, and forecastle of frigates, &c.

UPPER FINIs.h.i.+NG. _See_ FINIs.h.i.+NGS.

UPPER MASTS. The top-mast, topgallant-mast, and royal-mast; any spars above these are termed poles. (_See_ POLE-MASTS.)

UPPER STRAKE OR WASH OF BOATS. A strake thicker than those of the bottom, wrought round the gunwales, and lined within the poppets.

UPPER OR TOP-RIDER FUTTOCKS. These timbers stand nearly the same as _breadth-riders_, and very much strengthen the top-side.

UPPER TRANSIT. The pa.s.sage of a circ.u.mpolar star over the meridian above the pole; the opposite of the _lower transit_.

UPPER-WORKS. That part of a s.h.i.+p which rises from the water's surface when she is properly trimmed for a voyage.

UP SCREW! The order in steamers to lift the screw on making sail.

UP WITH THE HELM. Put it a-weather; that is, over to the windward side, or (whichever way the tiller is s.h.i.+pped) so as to carry the rudder to leeward of the stern-post.

URANOGRAPHY. The delineation of constellations, nebulae, &c., on celestial charts or globes.

URANOSCOPUS. _See_ SKY-GAZER.

URa.n.u.s. A superior planet discovered by the elder Herschel in 1781; it has four known satellites, but possibly six, according to the impression of the discoverer.

URCA. An armed Spanish fly-boat.

URSA MAJOR. One of the ancient northern constellations.

URSA MINOR. An ancient northern constellation, in which the north polar star is situated.

USAGES. Besides the general laws of merchants, there are certain commercial and seafaring usages which prevail in particular countries with the force of law. Underwriters are bound by usages; and they are legal precedents, binding in courts-martial.

USHANT TEAM. The sobriquet given to that portion of the Channel fleet which blockaded Brest.

UTLAGHE. An outlaw; whence by corruption _laggers_, people transported by sentence of law.

UVROU. The circular piece of wood, with holes in it, by which the legs of a crow-foot are extended for suspending an awning.

V.

VACUUM. A s.p.a.ce utterly empty, even of air or vapour.

VADMEL. Coa.r.s.e woollen manufacture of the Orkneys. (_See_ WADMAREL.)

VAIL, TO. An old word signifying to lower, to bend in token of submission; as, "Vail their top-gallants." Thus in the old play _George a-Green_, "Let me alone, my lord; I'll make them vail their plumes."

VAKKA. A large canoe of the Friendly Islands, with an out-rigger.

VALE, OR DALE (which see). Also, gunwale.--_To vale_, was an old term for "dropping down," as in a river.

VALUATION. In cases of rest.i.tution after property has been sold, and account of sales cannot be obtained, it may be taken at the invoice price, and 10 per cent profit; but this mode of estimating it does not include freight, even though the s.h.i.+p and cargo belong to the same person.

VALUED POLICY. Is where a value has been set upon the s.h.i.+ps or goods insured, and this value inserted in the policy in nature of liquidated damages, to save the necessity of proving it, in case of a total loss.

VALVES. See under their respective particular names.

VAMBRACE. Armour for the front of the arm.

VAN [formerly _vant_, contracted from _avant_]. That part of a fleet, army, or body of men, which is advanced in the first line or front.--_Vanguard._ The advanced division.

VANE. A piece of buntin extended on a wooden stock, which turns upon a spindle at the mast-head; it shows the direction of the wind.--_A distinguis.h.i.+ng vane_, denotes the division of a fleet to which a s.h.i.+p of the line belongs, according to the mast on which it is borne.--_Dog-vane._ A small light vane, formed of thin slips of cork, stuck round with feathers, and strung upon a piece of twine. It is usually fastened to the top of a half-pike, and placed on the weather side of the quarter-deck, in order to show the helmsman the direction of the wind.

VANES. The sights of cross-staffs, fore-staffs, quadrants, &c., are pieces of bra.s.s standing perpendicularly to the plane of the instrument; the one opposite to the fore horizon-gla.s.s is the foresight-vane, the other the backsight-vane.

VANE-SPINDLE. The pivot on which the mast-head-vane turns; it should never be made of metal, lest it attract lightning, unless the masts be fitted with Sir W. Snow Harris's conductors.

VANFOSSE. A wet ditch at the outer foot of the glacis.

VANG. A rope leading from the end of the gaff to the rail, one on each side, so that the two form guys attached to the outer ends of the gaffs to steady them, and when the sails are not set keep them amids.h.i.+ps.

VANGEE. A contrivance for working the pumps of a vessel by means of a barrel and crank-breaks.