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LACING.

One of the principal pieces that compose the knee of the head, which runs up to the top of the hair-bracket, and to which the figure and rails of the head are secured.

LADDERS.

Ladders are in a ship for the same purpose as stairs in a house, for the convenience of ascending or descending from one deck to another.

LADDER-WAYS.

The openings in the decks wherein the ladders are placed.

LANDING-STRAKE, in BOATS.

The upper strake but one.

LANTERNS.

The machines made of tin and glass, to contain candles for the transmission of light to those parts of the ship where an unscreened candle cannot be placed, or where it would be dangerous, as on the poop, in the magazine, store-rooms.

To LAP OVER or UPON.

The mast carlings are said to lap upon the beams by reason of their great depth, and head-ledges at the ends lap over the coamings.

LAPS.

The remaining part of the ends of carlings. which are to bear a great weight or pressure, such as the capstan-step.

LAP-SIDED.

A term expressive of the condition of a vessel when she will not swim upright, owing to her sides being unequal.

LARBOARD-SIDE, (PORT-SIDE)

The left-hand side of the ship, when looking forward from the stern.

LAUNCH.

The slip or descent whereon the ship is built, including the whole of the machinery used in launching.

LAUNCH.

A large boat now mostly used instead of the LONG BOAT.

LAUNCHING.

The act of sending the ship from off the slip into the water.

LAUNCHING-PLANKS.

A set of planks mostly used to form the platform on each side of the ship, whereon the bilgeways slide for the purpose of launching.

LAYING-OFF, or LAYING DOWN.

The act of delineating the various parts of the ship, to its true size, upon the mould-loft floor, from the draught given, for the purpose of making the moulds.

LEDGES.

Oak or fir scantling used in framing the decks, which are let into the carlings athwartships. The ledges for gratings are similar, but arch or round up agreeable to the head-ledges.

LENGTHENING.

The operation of separating a ship athwartships, and adding a certain portion to her length. It is performed by clearing or driving out all the fastenings in wake of the butts of those planks which may be retained, and the others are cut through. The after-end is then drawn apart to a limited distance equal to the additional length proposed. The keel is then made good, the floors crossed, and a sufficient number of timbers raised to fill up the vacancy produced by the separation. The kelson is then replaced to give good shift to the new scarps of the keel, and as many beams as may be necessary are placed across the ship in the new interval, and the planks on the outside are replaced with a proper shift. The clamps and foot-waling within the ship are then supplied, the beams kneed, and the ship completed in all respects as before.

LET-IN, To

To fix or fit one timber or plank into another, as the ends of carlings into the beams, and the beams into the clamps, scores being made in each to receive the other.

LEVEL,

HORIZONTAL; or as a base square with a perpendicular.

LEVEL LINES.

Lines determining the shape of a ship's body horizontally, or square from the middle line of the ship.

LEVELED-OUT.

A line continued out, in a horizontal direction, from the intersection of an angle; or, where the cant-timbers may intersect the diagonal or rib band lines.

LEVER.

A bar of iron or wood to raise weights. The first and most simple of the mechanic powers.

LIEUTENANT'S STORE-ROOM.

An apartment fitted up with shelves, bins, and lockers, on the starboard side of the after platform, for the use of the first lieutenant.

LIGHT-ROOM.

A small place parted off from the magazine, and in which the lights for lighting the magazine are contained.

LIMBER-PASSAGE.

A passage or channel formed throughout the whole length of the floor, on each side of the kelson, for giving water a free communication to the pumps. It is formed by the LIMBER-STRAKE on each side, a thick strake wrought next the kelson, from the upper-side of which the depth in the hold is always taken. This strake is kept about eleven inches from the kelson, and forms the passage fore and aft, which admits the water with a fair run to the pump-well. The upper part of the limber passage is formed by the LIMBER BOARDS, which are made to keep out all dirt and other obstructions. These boards are composed of short pieces of oak plank, one edge of which is fitted into a rabbet into the limber-strake, and the other edge beveled with a descent against the kelson. They are fitted in short pieces for the convenience of taking up one or more, readily, in order to clear away any obstruction in the passage. When the limber boards are fitted, care should be taken to have the butts in those places where the bulkheads come, as there will be then no difficulty in taking those up which come near the bulkheads. A hole is bored in the middle of each butt to admit the end of a crow for prizing it up when required. To prevent the boards from being displaced, each should be marked with a figure corresponding with one on the limber-strake.

LIMBER-HOLES

are square grooves cut through the underside of the floor-timber, about nine inches from the side of the keel on each side, through which water may run toward the pumps, in the whole length of the floors. This precaution is requisite in merchant ships only, where small quantities of water, by the heeling of the ship, may come through the ceiling and damage the cargo. It is for this reason that the lower futtocks of merchant ships are cut off short of the keel.

LINE, To.

To cover one piece with another. Also to mark out the work, or make lines upon the floor with a chalked line.

LIPS OF SCARPS.

The substance left at the ends, which would otherwise become sharp, and be liable to split; and, in other cases, could not bear caulking as the scarps of the keel, stem.

LOBBY.

A name sometimes given to an apartment close before the great cabin bulkhead.

LOCKERS.

Small compartments, built of deal, in the cabins and store-rooms.

LONG BOAT.

The largest and stoutest belonging to a ship.

LONG TIMBERS.

Those timbers afore and abaft the floors, which form the floor and second futtock in one.

LOOP-HOLES.

Small apertures through the bulk-heads, coamings, head-ledges, and other parts of merchant ships, through which the small arms are fired on an enemy who boards at close quarters.

LOUVERED BATTENS.

The battens that enclose the upper part of the well, which are fixed at such an angle as to admit air, and yet prevent any dirt from being thrown into the well.

LOVER-WISE or LOVER-WAYS.

To place battens or boards at a certain angle, so as to admit air but not wet. The louvered or battened parts of ships'-wells are fixed in this manner to admit air and prevent persons from throwing filth of any kind into the well.

LUFFER LOOF.

The fullest or roundest part of the bow.

MAGAZINE.

The apartment used to lodge the powder in; which, in large ships, is situated forward, and in small ships abaft. It should always be situated as low down as possible.

MAIN.

Chief or principal, as opposed to any thing secondary or inferior. Thus the main-mast is used in contradistinction to the fore or mizzen-mast; the main-keel, main-wales, main-hatchway. are in like manner distinguished from the false-keel, channel-wales, and the fore and after hatchways.

MAIN-BREADTH.

The broadest part of the ship at any particular timber or frame, which is distinguished on the sheer-draught by the upper and lower heights of breadth lines.

MAIN HALF-BREADTH.

Half of the main-breadth, and thus called, because it is necessary to lay down on the plan but half of the figure of the ship, both sides being exactly alike.

MAIN-KEEL.

The term of distinction between the keel and the false-keel.

MAIN-POST.

The same with STERN POST, and used to distinguish it from the false-post and the inner-post.

MAIN-WALES.

The lower wales, which are generally placed on the lower breadth, and so that the main-deck knee-bolts may come into them.

MALLET.

A sort of wooden hammer, too well known to need description. The mallet used by caulkers to drive the oakum into the seams is in general very different from that of shipwrights, as it is longer and more cylindrical, and is hooped with iron at each end of the head, to prevent its splitting and wearing in the exercise of caulking. North-country shipwrights, who generally practice both branches, use the last-mentioned mallet upon all occasions.

MANGER.

An apartment extending athwart the ship immediately within the hawse-holes. It serves as a fence to interrupt the passage of water which may come in at the hawse-holes, or from the cable when heaving in; and the water thus prevented from running aft is returned into the sea by the manger scuppers, which are larger than the other scuppers on that account.

MARGIN-LINE.

A line or edge parallel to the upper-side of the wing-transom, and about five inches below it, at which place terminate all the butts of the bottom planks abaft. The latter are made good by the tuck-rail.

MARINE CLOTHING ROOM.

An apartment built on the larboard side of the after platform to receive the clothing of the marines.

MAST-CARLINGS.

Those large carlings which are placed at the sides of the mast-rooms for the purpose of framing the partners.

MASTS.

The long cylindrical pieces of timber, elevated upon the keel, and to which the yards and sails. are attached.

MAULS.

Large hammers used for driving treenails, having a steel face at one end, and a point or pen drawn out at the other, and hence called a pin-maul. Double-headed mauls have a steel face at each end, of the same size, and are used for driving of bolts.

MESSENGER.

A large cable laid rope used to heave in the cable by the main capstan.

MET A-CENTRE.

That point in a ship above which the centre of gravity must by no means be placed; because, if it were, the vessel would be liable to overset. The meta-centre, which has also been called the shifting-centre, depends upon the situation of the centre of cavity; for it is that point where a vertical line drawn from the centre of cavity cuts a line passing through the centre of gravity, and is perpendicular to the keel.

MIDDLE LINE.

A line dividing the ship exactly in the middle. In the horizontal or half-breadth plan it is a right line bisecting the ship from the stem to the stern-post; and, in the plane of projection, or body-plan, it is a perpendicular line bisecting the ship from the keel to the height of the top of the side.

MIDDLE TIMBER.

That timber in the stern which is placed in midships.

MIDDLE WALES.

The three or four thick strakes worked along each side, between the lower and middle deck ports in three-decked ships.

MIDSHIPS.

The middle of the ship, either with regard to her length or breadth.

MIDSHIP-BEND, or FRAME.

That bend which is called Dead-Flat.

MITERED.

If two pieces of wood. be joined so as to make a right angle, and the two ends be put together so as to form a line making an angle of 45 degrees, the joint is said to be mitered.

MIZEN-MAST.

That mast, in a three-masted vessel, which is nearest the stern.

MONKEY.

A machine composed of a long pig of iron, traversing in a groove, which is raised by a pulley, and let fall suddenly on the head of large bolts, for driving them in when the weight of mauls would be insufficient; such, for instance, as the dead-wood bolts, or the bolts that are driven in the knee of the head. This sort of monkey generally has a frame with handles, with a groove on the underside; it slides upon a ridge of iron fixed in a bed, and is drawn backwards and forcibly forwards by a rope on each side.

MOOTING.

Making a treenail exactly cylindrical to a given size or diameter called the moot. Hence, when so made, it is said to be mooted.

MORTISE.

A hole or hollow made of a certain size and depth in a piece of timber. in order to receive the end of another piece with a tendon fitted exactly to fill it.

MOULDS.

Pieces of deal or board made to the shape of the lines on the mould loft floor, as the timbers, harpins, rib bands. for the purpose of cutting out the different pieces of timber. for the ship. Also the thin flexible pieces of pear-tree or box, used in constructing the draughts and plans of ships, which are made in various shapes; viz. to the segments of circles from one foot to 22 feet radius, increasing six inches on each edge, and numerous elliptical curves with other figures.

MOLDED.

Cut to the mould. Also the size or bigness of the timbers that way the mould is laid.

MOLDING.

The act of marking out the true shape of any timber from the mould. Also any ornamental projections, as the rails, finishing.

MOULD-LOFT.

A place in building yards appropriated for laying off ships to their full size, for the purpose of making the moulds from which the whole frame. is provided. The floor is one large even flat surface, and in general painted black, that the various lines may more easily be discerned. Some in laying off ships rase the lines in with a pointed instrument, while others only chalk them in. The size of mould-lofts are various, those in the royal yards are very large and commodious, but those in merchant yards are generally about 100 feet long and 30 feet wide.

MUNIONS or MIMTONS .

The pieces that divide the lights in the stern and quarter galleries.

NAILS.

Iron pins of various descriptions for fastening board, plank, or iron work; viz. Deck Nails, or Spike nails, which are from 4 inches and a half to 12 inches long, have snug heads, and are used for fastening planks and the flat of the decks. Weight Nails are similar to deck nails, but not so fine, have square heads, and are used for fastening cleats. Rib band Nails are similar to weight nails, with this difference, that they have large round heads, so as to be more easily drawn. They are used for fastening the rib bands. Clamp Nails are short stout nails, with large heads, for fastening iron clamps. Port Nails, double and single, are similar to clamp nails, and used for fastening iron work. Rudder Nails are also similar, but used chiefly for fastening the pintles and braces. Filling Nails, are generally of cast iron, and driven very thick in the bottom planks instead of copper sheathing. Sheathing Nails [cf. ditto herein below] are used to fasten wood sheathing on the ship's bottom, to preserve the plank, and prevent the filling nails from tearing it too much. Nails of sorts are 4, 6, 8, 10, 24, 30, and 40 penny nails, all of different lengths, and used for nailing board. Scupper Nails are short nails, with very broad heads, used to nail the flaps of the scuppers. Lead Nails are small round-headed nails for nailing of lead. Flat Nails are small sharp-pointed nails, with flat thin heads, for nailing the scarps of moulds. Sheathing Nails [cf. ditto herein above] for nailing copper sheathing are of metal, cast in moulds, about one inch and a quarter long; the heads are flat on the upper side and counter-sunk below: the upper side is polished to obviate the adhesion of weeds. Boat Nails, used by boat-builders, are of various lengths, generally rose-headed, square at the points, and made both of copper and iron.

NAVAL-HOODS.

Broad pieces of oak, from 6 to 10 inches thick, according to the size of the ship,) worked afore the hawse-holes on the outside of the ship, and likewise above and below them, in those ships which have no cheeks to support a bolster; the naval-hoods thus formed answering the same purpose.

NECKING.

A small neat molding at the foot of the taffarel over the light.

NEWELL.

An upright piece of timber to receive the tendon of the rails that lead from the breast hook to the gangway.

NOG.

A treenail projecting from the bottom of the ship as a stop to the heads of shores. Also a treenail driven through the heels of shores into the slip to secure them.

NOGGING.

The act of securing the heels of the shores.

NORMAN.

A square fid of oak, or short carling, fixed through the head of the rudder of East India ships, to prevent the loss of the rudder in case of its being unship.

OAKUM.

Old rope, untwisted and loosened like hemp, in order to be used in caulking.

OBTUSE, BLUNT, or DULL;

in opposition to acute or sharp. As an obtuse angle, which is said to be without a square or right angle. Such angles are called by shipwrights standing beveling.

ORLOP.

A temporary deck below the lower deck of large ships, chiefly for the convenience of stowing away the cables. There is also a platform in the midships of smaller ships, called the orlop, and for the same purpose.

OVER-HANGING.

Projecting over; as over the stern.

OVER-LAUNCH, To

To run the butt of one plank to a certain distance beyond the next butt above or beneath it, in order to make stronger work.

OUT-BOARD.

On the outside of the ship, as "the out-board works,"

OUT-SQUARE.

Any obtuse angle or standing beveling is said to be "out-square." This term is however mostly applied to knee-timber, when the angle the arms make is greater than 45 degrees.

OUT OF WINDING.

Not twisting; as the surface of a timber or plank when it is a direct plane.

PALLETING.

A slight platform, made above the bottom of the magazine, to keep the powder from moisture.

PALLS.

Stout pieces of iron, so placed near a capstan or windlass as to prevent a recoil, which would overpower the men at the bars when heaving.

PANEL.

A square or pane of thin board, framed in a thicker one, called a stile, and generally composed of two or more joined together. Such are the partitions by which the officers' cabins are formed on the lower deck; and such likewise are the framings of the great cabin bulkheads. which consist of rails, stiles, and panels.

PARTNERS.

Those pieces of thick plank. fitted into a rabbet in the mast or capstan carlings for the purpose of wedging the mast and steadying the capstan. Also any plank that is thick, or above the rest of the deck, for the purpose of steadying whatever passes through the deck, as the pumps, bowsprits.