M

(See Hotchkiss, Gatling.)

A petty officer of the first class, who stands watch in the engine-room when the vessel is…

A vessel with a large foresail, jigger and spritsail.

Small rounded patches of clouds.

A double reflecting instrument employed for measuring the distance of inaccessible objects.

Dark sports on the face of the sun.

A made mast is composed of different pieces, likewise a made block. Topmasts and topgallant…

An apartment on board a man-o'-war in which explosives are stored. Also a chamber in a…

A faucet contrivance connected with the outside of the vessel for flooding the magazine in…

A worsted frock and shoes of canvas-metal of whatever nature being absent.

A repeating rifle. The magazine is detachable in the rifle used in the U.S. Navy, and the…

An alleyway in the magazine.

A screen of thick cloth arranged so as to prevent sparks from entering the scuttle in the…

The scuttleway in the magazine passage through which the charges are passed.

Star clusters near the south pole of the heavens.

A substance which attracts iron. A natural magnet is an ore, generally of a gray color, and…

The bearing by compass of a heavenly body at rising and setting from the east and west points…

The direction of the polarization of the magnetic needle.

The bearing by compass of a heavenly body when above the horizon, from the north or south…

The bearing of an object by compass.

The inclination towards the earth of one of the poles (points) of a magnetic needle.

A line drawn through those points on the earth's surface where the magnetic dipping needle…

The power possessed by a magnet of communicating its properties to a bar of steel in its near…

The direction assumed by a magnetic needle when suspended so as to turn freely, and removed…

A magnetic bar of steel balanced on a pivot so as to turn freely and settle in the magnetic…

Two places on the earth's surface, approximate to the north and south poles, where a dipping…

The power of magnetic attraction; the power of a magnet to attract iron.

A tube fitted with convex glasses or lens by which the apparent magnitude of an object seen…

Comparative brightness; the stars are of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and…

A round turn around a spar, the turn itself being jammed by a half hitch. (See engraving.)

(See engravings.)

The broadest part of the ship at any particular timber or frame, which is distinguished on the…

(See Chains.)

The hatch between the fore and main masts, just forward of the latter.

That part of the interior of a vessel which is in the vicinity of the main hatch.

The piece of timber of which the rudder head is composed.

The shrouds and ratlines of the main lower mast.

The sail that on a square-rigger is bent to the main yard, but the sail that on a…

The shrouds on the main lower mast.

The hemp or wire rope leading from the mainmast head to the foremast near the deck, where it…

A triangular sail that hoists between the fore and mainmasts, both on square-rigged vessels…

The lower wales, which are generally placed on the lower breadth, and so that the main deck…

The lowest yard on the mainmast of a brig, bark or ship.

The mast next abaft the foremast on a vessel carrying two or more masts, but the name given to…

The order given to the crew to swing the main yards around when tacking ship--properly…

An order to the crew to set the sails.

The first appearance of the shore. (See Landfall.)

When a vessel leaks she is said to make water.

At 8 a. m. the vessel's ensign (also the club pennant and private signal, if a yacht) is…

Spreading the sails.

At sundown the colors are struck (hauled down), and this is known as making sunset.

In running before the wind a vessel will yaw more or less; that is, the ship's head will swing…

To sight the land from a distance when coming from seawards.

(See Maul.)

A caulking mallet is a wooden maul with a short handle, and a long head, iron bound. A serving…

A whirlpool off the Norwegian coast caused by the tides.

The ropes hanging down a vessel's side from the rail, and which are used to assist in…

To send seamen out to stand on the yards. This is done when firing a salute for and in the…

Bits of pie, cake, and pudding left over from the officer's meals; the scourings of the cabin…

This consists of gun-metal with the addition of a small proportion of ferro-manganese. This…

A space just abaft the hawse holes, partitioned by a coaming or manger board, which crosses…

An apartment extending athwart the ship immediately within the hawseholes. It serves as a…

An opening in a boiler large enough to admit a man to examine and repair. It is closed with a…

A hole in a tank or boiler, or in the deck leading to a coal bunker, large enough to admit the…

A document which is signed by the master and submitted to the customs authorities, showing to…

A pipe or chamber to which are connected several branch suction pipes with their valves and…

The finest and most expensive quality of rope made (excepting cotton and silk). It is made…

A knot made in the ropes used for ascending and descending a vessel's side. (See engraving.)

The duty of the marine corps is to furnish a guard to ships of war and to garrison navy yards.…

(See Ship's Business.)

An English gutta-percha composition used instead of pitch or putty in caulking decks.

A national institution for the benefit of disabled and sick merchant seamen, having hospitals…

A contract entered into between the owners of a vessel or her agents, or the master on one…

A certain distance seawards from the coast over which a government has jurisdiction, according…

(See Ways.)

Vessels of war constructed with a projecting "snout" or "spur," with which to ram and sink an…

The common vegetable sponge, employed to wipe out the chamber of the gun after firing.

(See Nautical Surveying.)

An experienced seaman. Sometimes the term is used in a broader sense to include all men who…

(See Compass.)

A magnetic instrument used on board vessels which indicates the cardinals and the intermediate…

Pertaining to the sea.

Relating to the sea.

The latitude and longitude of certain places on the sea-coast.

Marks I, II and III are intended to express the difference in the dimensions of chamber and…

A distinguishing boat at the turning point in the course over which vessels are racing.

A small boat, such as the dingey used by the stewards to bring off marketing.

(See Hand Lead.)

(See Part I.)

To hitch marline, spun yarn, etc., around the parcelling in order to keep it in place while it…

(Pronounced mar-lin.) Two yarns laid up left-handed and used for fine seizing. It is finer…

A pointed iron instrument used in splicing to separate the strands of a rope and as a heaver…

A peculiar but simple way of catching the marline-spike in the seizing stuff, whereby it may…

A simple hitch used in marling.

To sew the ends of two ropes together temporarily so that there will be no bulge, and so that…

Sometimes called martingale boom. A short spar hanging down from an eye-bolt in the bowsprit…

(See Back Ropes.)

Lengths of rope hooked or seized to the outer part of the jib-boom and leading to the lower…

(See Coat.)

A hole in the deck of a vessel, or in the thwart of an open boat, for the mast to go through.

A wooden hoop that goes around a mast and to which the luff of a fore-and-aft sail is seized…

A rope used in swaying up or in striking (sending down) a mast.

(See Winch.)

The title of a merchant ship captain. In order to command a vessel of the United States the…

A captain in the merchant service who has passed a successful examination in seamanship,…

The chief petty officer on board a man-o'-war. The ship's corporals are subordinate to him,…

(See Manifest.)

The top part of a mast; that part of a mast from the cross-trees to the cap. To masthead a man…

A bright white light carried in front of the foretopmast head by steamships when under way;…

Determining the position in which the masts of a vessel are to be placed; also the mechanical…

Spars rising above the deck of a vessel perpendicularly, and which support the yards, booms,…

A mat woven from strands of old rope and used to prevent chafing.

An officer under a master. There are first, second, third, and fourth Mates.

A line officer who is not eligible for promotion, and ranks about the same as a warrant…

A knot named after the originator. It is used on dead-eye lanyards. (See engraving.)

A heavy iron hammer, employed in driving bolts, etc.

Large hammers used for driving treenails, having a steel face at one end and a point or pen…

A square flag hoisted at the starboard spreader, or in the rigging, to signify that the…

A red flag hoisted on the port side of a vessel, signifying that the forward hands are at mess.

The middle point between low water at the neap (low) and low water at the spring (high) tides.

When the mean sun crosses the meridian.

The average altitude obtained by dividing the aggregate of the observed altitudes by the…

The average time, obtained by dividing the aggregate of the several times by the figure…

The average pressure in a steam cylinder from the beginning to the end of a stroke.

The refraction for various altitudes calculated for a barometer standing at 30 inches and a…

Time measured by the motion of the mean sun. Clocks and chronometers represent mean solar time.

An imaginary sun conceived to move uniformly in the equator, so as to give a value of 24 hours…

Same as mean solar time.

The rule by which the length, etc., of a vessel is determined.

The medical corps of the U.S. Navy consists of one surgeon-general with the relative rank of…

A personal examination made to determine the physical and mental health of a person.

An order to the helmsman directing that he should put the tiller so as to check the swing of…

To mend the furl is to partly refurl the sails after they have been tied up slovenly, or have…

(See Merchant Service.)

(See Chart.)

A portion of the sphere represented on a plane, both the meridians and parallels being…

To shape a course and find the distance between two points by employing the meridional parts…

The mercantile marine.

A vessel employed in transporting freight and passengers.

In the year 1854 what is known as the Merchant's Shipping Act was passed in Great Britain,…

(See Barometer.)

The highest point of the great circle which the sun describes from rising to setting, and…

The altitude of a heavenly body when on the meridian--when it bears true north and south.

A terrestrial meridian, or a meridian as drawn on the surface of the earth.

An altitude of the sun, moon or planets when on the meridian.

The passage of a heavenly body over the meridian.

Sailing due north or south-opposed to parallel sailing.

The complement of the meridian altitude, or what that altitude lacks of 90 deg.

The amount representing the same proportion to the difference of latitude that the difference…

According to Mercator's system, parts of the projected meridian which correspond to each…

A projection of a sphere, the plane of projection being parallel to the meridian.

In the direction of the meridian.

A fabulous sea woman having the body of a human from the head to the waist, and the form of…

The openings between the cords in a net of any kind, as a fish net, boarding netting, etc.

A number of officers or forward hands who eat together.

A number of officers, petty officers, seamen or marines who take their meals together.…

A sailor's table-cloth--a tarpaulin spread on the deck and designed to protect the latter from…

Pots, pans, plates, spoons, forks, knives, etc.

An endless rope used for heaving in a cable by a capstan (Obsolete.)

A boy who carries message to various parts of the ship from the quarter-deck, being under the…

The one who waits on the officer's table on a merchant steamship.

A member of the same mess on shipboard.

That point in a ship above which the centre of gravity must by no means be placed; because if…

(See Shooting Stars.)

(See Shooting Stars.)

The unity of the French measure in length, being equal to 39-37 English inches.

A measuring instrument used in connection with the crusher gauge.

To double a rope in two equal parts.

The point situated midway on a north and south line between two parallels; middle latitude is…

Shaping a course and finding the distance between two points by considering that the parallel…

A line dividing the ship exactly in the middle. In the horizontal or half-breadth plan, it is…

When a vessel is hove-to she will come up and fall off continually. The point midway between…

In high northern and southern latitudes during the summer season of the year the sun does not…

The timber at the broadest part of the ship.

An additional tack found on the middle of the foot of some courses. It is employed in calms…

A cadet both on board merchant, revenue and naval vessels.

A line officer one rank lower than an ensign, and one grade higher than a cadet midshipman.

(See engraving.)

(See Amidships.)

Black and green spots on sails caused by dampness.

A measure of distance; the common mile is called a statute mile--5,280 feet; the nautical,…

Masts designed to support military tops.

Tops encircled with a barbette of steel, from behind which machine guns are worked when the…

A white, luminous band of irregular form stretching across the heavens, which, viewed through…

In French measure a thousandth part of a metre, or .03937 of an English inch. Hotchkiss guns…

A diplomatic agent of the government representing it, and attending to its interest abroad.

(See Planet.)

The sixtieth part of one hour and the sixtieth part of a degree; a mile of latitude is…

A minute of angular measure; a minute division on the quadrant, octant, sextant, etc.

An optical phenomenon arising from excessive refraction. From this cause the image of a ship…

When a vessel fails to go around in tacking she is said to miss stays.

A northwest wind experienced in the Mediterranean Sea.

A Gatling gun. (See Gatling Gun.)

The after fore-and-aft sail; the spanker.

(See Chains.)

The aftermast on a three-masted vessel.

The shrouds of the mizzen lower mast, together with their ratlines.

The shrouds on the mizzen lower mast.

The hemp or wire rope leading from the mizzen masthead to the mainmast near the deck, where it…

(See Torpedo.)

The large room in a shipbuilder's establishment used for laying down the lines of a vessel by…

The breadth of a vessel to the outside of her frame timbers at the widest part.

The process of marking out a vessel's timbers by the employment of the molds made in the mold…

A pattern by which the frames of a vessel are shaped.

The plural of momentum. Momentum of a heavy body, or of any extent considered as a heavy body,…

The turreted ironclad vessel designed by Mr. John Ericsson in 1861 was named the Monitor, and…

A small money bag purse hung around the neck by a string, and much worn by seamen.

A small block containing one sheave and stropped with a swivel.

The light gaff situated above the spanker gaff on the mizzen mast of a ship, and projecting…

A light rail raised above the regular quarter rail of the vessel; an extra height given to the…

(See Starting Valve.)

Winds in the Indian Ocean which blow from the southwest from April to October, and from…

(See Calendar, Synodical and Anomolistic Month.)

Diameter about 2,160 miles; mean distance from the earth, 238,800 miles; average velocity of…

A star coming to the meridian at the same time with the moon.

Time elapsed since the last conjunction--given for every day of the month in the nautical…

The moon's greatest distance from the earth.

The moon's least distance from the earth.

The moon's passage over the meridian.

A small sail once carried by very lofty ships. It set above the skysail.

A ship is moored when she has two anchors down.

The gun fired from the flagship announcing daybreak.

The planet Venus when it rises before the sun; when it appears in the west just after sunset…

A very short piece of ordnance possessing a large bore, and used for throwing shells at an…

A small gun used by the Life Saving Service to shoot a line over a stranded vessel so that the…

The circular platform on which the mortar rests.

A vessel designed for carrying and working a mortar, and resembling a platform or raft.

A block made out of a single piece of wood by having a hole chiseled through it for the sheave…

A hole or hollow made of a certain size and depth in a piece of timber, etc., in order to…

A flat-bottom boat of the West Indies used for lightering hogsheads of sugar.

A collection of small craft.

A name applied to the stormy-petrel by sailors, who have a superstitious reverence for the…

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

Pieces of deal or board made to the shape of the lines on the mould loft floor, as the…

A vessel mounts ten guns, i.e., carries ten guns. When a gun is placed on its carriage it is…

The Pampero, which blows chiefly in the summer season from the Andes across the pampas of…

A kind of washer put over a chain or rope to prevent the latter from slipping further through…

Small stuff, like rope yarns, seized across a hook so that it may not unhook by the lowering…

A flat-bottomed boat fitted with machinery for dredging out harbors and rivers. (See Dredge.)

(See Mud Scow.)

A receptacle in which the mud and sediment settles in a water tube boiler, to which the bottom…

(See Mud Digger.)

A large, open, flat-bottomed boat (a companion to a mud-digger) for receiving the contents of…

Oars are muffled when soft chafing gear is fastened around their looms so that they will not…

Several stars appearing in close proximity to each other so as to form a cluster.

The pieces that are placed up and down to divide the panels in framed bulkheads.

The peculiar shape resembling a mushroom found attached to the breech plug in all rifled…

An iron shape used for moorings. It is bowl-shape, with an iron upright rod welded in the…

The continuation of the mushroom, which passes through the plug, and to which the firing…

A term sometimes applied to sails.

A term applied to a line officer who entered the navy from the merchant service instead of…

To assemble the crew.

To assemble; to call together for inspection.

A covering placed over the muzzle of a gun to exclude water.

A lashing used to steady the muzzle of a gun.

A gun which is charged at the muzzle instead of the breech.