The Sailor's Word-Book Part 81

DRAGS. Whatever hangs over the s.h.i.+p into the sea, as s.h.i.+rts, coats, or the like; and boats when towed, or whatever else that after this manner may hinder the s.h.i.+p's way when she sails, are called _drags_.

DRAG-SAIL. Any sail with its clues stopped so as when veered away over the quarter to make a stop-water when veering in emergency. The drag-sail formed by the sprit-sail course was frequently used in former wars to r.e.t.a.r.d the s.h.i.+p apparently running away until the enemy got within gun-shot.

DRAG-SAW. A cross-cut saw.

DRAG THE ANCHOR, TO. The act of the anchors coming home.

DRAKE. An early piece of bra.s.s ordnance.

DRAKKAR. A Norman pirate boat of former times.

DRAUGHT, OR DRAFT. The depth of water a s.h.i.+p displaces, or of a body of fluid necessary to float a vessel; hence a s.h.i.+p is said to draw so many feet of water when she requires that depth to float her, which, to be more readily known, are marked on the stem and stern-post from the keel upwards. Also, the old name for a chart. Also, the delineation of a s.h.i.+p designed to be built, drawn on a given scale, generally a quarter-inch to the foot, for the builders. (_See_ SHEER-DRAUGHT.)

DRAUGHT-HOOKS. Iron hooks fixed on the cheeks of a gun-carriage for dragging the gun along by _draught-ropes_.

DRAUGHTSMAN. The artist who draws plans or charts from instructions or surveys.

DRAW. A sail _draws_ when it is filled by the wind. A s.h.i.+p _draws_ so many feet of water.--_To let draw a jib_ is to cease from flattening-in the sheet.--_Draw_ is also a term for halliards in some of the northern fis.h.i.+ng-boats.--_To draw._ To procure anything by official demand from a dockyard, a.r.s.enal, or magazine.--_To draw up the courses._ To take in.--_To draw upon a s.h.i.+p_ is to gain upon a vessel when in pursuit of her.

DRAWBACK. An abatement or reduction of duties allowed by the custom-house in certain cases; as for stores to naval officers in commission.

DRAW-BELLOWS. A northern term for _limber-holes_ (which see).

DRAWING. The state of a sail when there is sufficient wind to inflate it, so as to advance the vessel in her course.

DRAWING UP. Adjusting a s.h.i.+p's station in the line; the converse of _dropping astern_.

DRAWING WATER. The number of feet depth which a s.h.i.+p submerges.

DRAWN BATTLE. A conflict in which both parties claim the victory, or retire upon equal terms.

DRAW-NET. Erroneously used for _drag-net_.

DRAWN FOR THE MILITIA. When men are selected by ballot for the defence of the country.

DRAW THE GUNS. To extract the charge of wad, shot, and cartridge from the guns.

DREDGE. An iron sc.r.a.per-framed triangle, furnished with a bottom of hide and stout cord net above, used for taking oysters or specimens of sh.e.l.ls from the bottom.

DREDGER-BOAT. One that uses the net so called, for turbots, soles, sandlings, &c.

DREDGING. Fis.h.i.+ng by dragging the dredge.

DREDGING MACHINE. A large lighter, or other flat-bottomed vessel, equipped with a steam-engine and machinery for removing the mud and silt from the bottom, by the revolution of iron buckets in an endless chain.

DREDGY. The ghost of a drowned person.

DREINT. The old word used for drowned, from the Anglo-Saxon.

DRESS, TO. To place a fleet in organized order; also, to arrange men properly in ranks; to present a true continuous line in front.--_To dress a s.h.i.+p._ To ornament her with a variety of colours, as ensigns, flags, pendants, &c., of various nations, displayed from different parts of her masts, rigging, &c., on a day of festivity.

DREW. A name in our northern isles for the _Fucus loreus_, a narrow thong-shaped sea-weed.

DRIBBLE. Drizzling showers; light rain.

DRIES. A term opposed to _rains_ on the west coast of Africa.

DRIFT. The altered position of a vessel by current or falling to leeward when hove-to or lying-to in a gale, when but little head-way is made by the action of sails. In artillery, a priming-iron of modern introduction used to clear the vent of ordnance from burning particles after each discharge. Also, a term sometimes used for the constant deflection of a rifled projectile. (_See_ DEFLECTION.)

DRIFTAGE. The amount due to lee-way. (_See_ DRIFT.)

DRIFT-BOLTS. Commonly made of steel, are used as long punches for driving out other bolts.

DRIFT-ICE. The debris of the main pack. (_See_ OPEN ICE.)

DRIFTING-UP. Is used as relating to sands which are driven by the winds.

As at Cape Blanco, on the coast of Africa, off the tail of the Desert of Zahara, where the houses and batteries have been thus obliterated.

DRIFT-MUD. Consisting chiefly of an argillaceous earth, brought down by the rivers, floated about, and successively deposited in banks; forming the alluvial and fertile European settlements of Guiana.

DRIFT-NET. A large net, with meshes of one inch, used in the pilchard fishery in August; also, for herrings and mackerel in March: used in drifting in the Chops of the Channel. Also, of strong gauze, for molluscs.

DRIFT-PIECES. Solid pieces fitted at the drifts, forming the scrolls on the drifts: they are commonly mitred into the gunwale.

DRIFTS. Detached ma.s.ses of soil and underwood torn off the sh.o.r.e by floods and floating about, often mistaken for rocks and dangers. Also, in s.h.i.+p-building, those parts where the sheer is raised, and the rails are cut off, ending with a scroll; as the drift of the quarter-deck, p.o.o.p-deck, and forecastle.

DRIFT-SAIL. A contrivance, by means of immersing a sail, to diminish the drift of a s.h.i.+p during a gale of wind. (_See_ DRAGS.)

DRIFT-WAY. Synonymous with _lee-way_.

DRILL. Systematized instruction in the practice of all military exercises.

DRILL-s.h.i.+PS. A recent establishment of vessels in which the volunteers composing the Royal Naval Reserve are drilled into practice.

DRINK-PENNY. Earnest money at rendezvous houses, &c.

DRIP-STONE. The name usually given to filters composed of porous stone.

DRIVE, TO [from the Anglo-Saxon _dryfan_]. A s.h.i.+p drives when her anchor trips or will not hold. She drives to leeward when beyond control of sails or rudder; and if under bare poles, may drive before the wind.

Also, to strike home bolts, tree-nails, &c.

DRIVER. A large sail formerly used with the wind aft or quartering. It was a square sail cut like a studding-sail, and set with a great yard on the end of the spanker-boom, across the taffrail. The name latterly has been officially applied to the spanker, both being the aftermost sails of a s.h.i.+p, the ring-tail being only an addition, as a studding or steering sail. (_See_ STEERING-SAIL.) Also, the foremost spur in the bilge-ways, the heel of which is fayed to the fore-side of the foremost poppet, and the sides of it look fore and aft. Also, a sort of fis.h.i.+ng-boat.

DRIVER-BOOM. The boom to which the driver is hauled out.

DRIVING A CHARGE. Ramming home the loading of a piece of ordnance.

DRIVING PILES. The motion of a s.h.i.+p bobbing in a head sea, compared to the vertical fall of monkeys on pile heads.