Making the Course Good to Marine Surveying

In running before the wind a vessel will yaw more or less; that is, the ship's head will swing both to left and right of the compass course. To make the course good the helmsman endeavors to keep the deviations equal, so that the middle point will be the course given to him to steer.

(See Maul.)

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

A serving mallet is a wooden maul with a groove cut lengthwise in the top of the head so as to fit into a rope when the latter is being served.

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

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

To send seamen out to stand on the yards. This is done when firing a salute for and in the presence of great official notability.

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

A space just abaft the hawse holes, partitioned by a coaming or manger board, which crosses the deck, and prevents water shipped through the hawse pipes, when the vessel is at anchor and pitching, from flowing along the deck.

A hole in a tank or boiler, or in the deck leading to a coal bunker, large enough to admit the body of a man.

A document which is signed by the master and submitted to the customs authorities, showing to what port or ports the cargo is destined; giving an itemized account and description of the contents of all the packages on board, together with their distinguishing marks and numbers, also the names of the respective shippers and consignees. The manifest must be made out, and dated and signed by the master at the place or places where the goods, or any part of the goods, are taken on board the vessel.

The finest and most expensive quality of rope made (excepting cotton and silk). It is made from the fibre of the wild plantain.

(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 in the principal seaport cities, and medical officers in all seaports to administer gratuitous medicine, medical advice and services, and to afford shelter to sick seamen.

A contract entered into between the owners of a vessel or her agents, or the master on one side, and an insurance company on the other side, whereby the latter, in consideration of a certain sum of money, insures or idemnifys the vessel, or the cargo, or both, against the perils of the sea for a certain voyage, or for a certain length of time. The written instrument in which the contract of marine insurance is embodied is called a policy of insurance.

A certain distance seawards from the coast over which a government has jurisdiction, according to international law. This distance is considered to be the limit of range of effective artillery.

(See Ways.)

(See Nautical Surveying.)