figure, of that part of the ship afore the midships or dead-flat, as seen from ahead. The After Body, in like manner, is the figure of that part of the ship abaft the midships, or dead-flat, as seen from astern. The Cant Bodies are distinguished into Fore and After, and signify the figure of that part of a ship's body, or timbers, as seen from either side, which form the shape forward and aft, and whose planes make obtuse angles with the midship line of the ship; those in the Fore-cant Body being inclined to the stem, as those in the After one are to the stern-post. The Square Body comprehends all the timbers whose areas or planes are perpendicular to the keel, and square with the middle line of the ship; which is all that portion of a ship between the Cant Bodies. Bolsters. Pieces of oak timber fayed to the curvature of the bow, under the hawse-holes, and down upon the upper or lower cheek, to prevent the cable from rubbing against the cheek.

Bolsters, for the Anchor Lining, are solid pieces of oak, bolted to the ship's side, at the fore-part of the fore-chains, on which the stantions are fixed that receive the anchor lining. The fore end of the bolster should extend two feet or more before the lining, for the convenience of a man standing to assist in fishing the anchor.

Bolsters, for Sheets, Tacks, etc., are small pieces of fir, or oak, fayed under the gunwale, etc., with the outer surface rounded to prevent the sheets and other rigging from chafing.

Bolts. Cylindrical or square pins of iron or copper, of various forms, for fastening and securing the different parts of the ship, the guns, etc. The figure of those for fastening the timbers, planks, hooks, knees, crutches, and other articles of a similar nature, is cylindrical, and their sizes are adapted to the respective objects for which they are intended to secure. They have round or saucer heads, according to the purposes for which they may be intended; and the points are fore-locked or clinched on rings to prevent their drawing. for bolting the frames or beams together are generally square. Bottom. All that part of a ship or vessel that is below the wales. Hence, we use the epithet sharp-bottomed for vessels intended for quick-sailing, and full-bottomed for such as are designed to carry large cargoes.

Those

Bow. The circular part of the ship forward, terminated at the rabbet of the stem. Braces. Straps of iron, copper, or mixed metals, secured with bolts and screws

in the stern-post and bottom planks. In their after ends are holes to receive the pintles by which the rudder is hung.

Breadth. A term more particularly applied to some essential dimensions of the extent of a ship or vessel athwartships, as the BREADTH-EXTREME, and the BREADTH-MOULDED, which are two of the principal dimensions given in the building of the ship. The Extreme Breadth is the extent of the midships, or dead-flat, with the thickness of the bottom plank included. The Breadthmoulded is the same extent, without the thickness of the plank

Breadth-line. A curved line of the ship lengthwise, intersecting the timbers at their respective broadest parts.

Break. The sudden termination or rise in the decks of some merchant ships, where the aft, and sometimes the fore, part of the deck is kept up to give more height between decks, as likewise at the drifts.

Breast-hooks. Large pieces of compass timber fixed within and athwart the bows of the ship, of which they are the principal security, and through which they are well bolted. There is generally one between each deck, and three or four below the lower deck, fayed upon the plank. Those below are placed square to the shape of the ship at their respective places. The breast-hooks that receive the ends of the deck-planks are also called DECK-HOOKS, and are fayed close home to the timbers in the direction of the decks. Broken-backed or Hogged. The condition of a ship when the sheer has departed from the regular and pleasing curve with which it was originally built. This is often occasioned by the improper situation of the center of gravity, when so posted as not to counterbalance the effort of the water in sustaining the ship, or by a great strain, or from the weakness of construction. The latter is the most common circumstance, particularly in some clipper ships, owing. partly to their great length, sharpness of floor, or general want of strength in the junction of the component parts.

Bum-kin, or, more properly, Boom-kin. A projecting piece of oak or fir, on each bow of a ship, fayed down upon the false rail, or rail of the head, with its heel cleated against the knight-head in large, and the bow in small ships. It is secured outward by an iron rod or rope-lashing, which confines it downward. to the knee or bow, and is used for the purpose of hauling down the fore-tack of the fore-sail.

Burthen. The weight or measure that any ship will carry or contain when fit for sea.

Butt. The joints of the planks endwise; also, the opening between the ends of the planks when worked for caulking. Where caulking is not used, the butts are rabbeted, and must fay close.

Buttock. That rounding of the body abaft bounded by the fashion-pieces; and, at the upper part, by the wing transom.

Buttock-lines. (On the Sheer Draught.) Curves, lengthwise, representing the ship as cut in vertical sections.

C.

Camber. Hollow or arching upwards. The decks are said to be cambered when their height increase toward the middle, from stem to stern, in the direction of the ship's length.

Camel. A machine for lifting ships over a bank or shoal, originally invented by the celebrated De Witt, for the purpose of conveying large vessels from Amsterdam over the Pampus. They were introduced into Russia by Peter the Great, who obtained the model when he worked in Holland, as a common shipwright, and are now used at St. Petersburgh for lifting ships of war built there over the bar of the harbor. A camel is composed of two separate parts, whose outsides are perpendicular, and insides concave, shaped so as to embrace the hull of a ship on both sides. Each part has a small cabin, with sixteen pumps and ten plugs, and contains twenty men. They are braced to the underpart of the ship by means of cables, and entirely inclose its sides and bottom. Being then towed to the bar, the plugs are opened, and the water admitted until the camel sinks with the ship, and runs aground. Then, the water being pumped out, the camel rises, lifts up the vessel, and the whole is towed over the bar. This machine can raise the ship eleven feet, or, in other words, make it draw eleven feet less water.

Cant. A term signifying the inclination that anything has from a square or perpendicular. Hence, the shipwrights say

Cant-ribbands are those ribbands that do not lie in a horizontal or level

direction, or square from the middle line, but nearly square from the timbers, as the diagonal ribbands. (See RIBBANDS.)

Cant-timbers, are those timbers afore and abaft, whose planes are not square with, or perpendicular to, the middle-line of the ship.

Caps. Square pieces of oak, laid upon the upper blocks on which the ship is built, to receive the keel. They should be of the most freely-grained oak, that they may be easily split out when the false keel is to be placed beneath. The depth of them may be a few inches more than the thickness of the false keel, that it may be set up close to the main keel by slices, etc.

Cap Scuttle. A framing composed of coamings and head ledges, raised above the deck, with a flat or top which shuts closely over into a rabbet. Carlings. Long pieces of timber, above four inches square, which lie foreand-aft, in tiers, from beam to beam, into which their ends are scored. They receive the ends of the ledges for framing the decks. The carlings by the side of, and for the support of, the mast, which receive the framing round the mast called the partners, are much larger than the rest, and are named the MAST CARLINGS. Besides these there are others, as the PUMP CARLINGS, which go next without the mast carlings, and between which the pumps pass into the well; and also the fire-hearth carlings, that let up under the beam on which the galley stands, with pillars underneath, and chocks upon it, fayed up to the ledges for support.

Carvel work. A term applied to cutters and boats, signifying that the seams of the bottom-planking are square, and to be tight by caulking as those of ships. It is opposed to the phrase CLINCHER-BUILT, which see.