F.

FACTOR, in commerce, an agent, or correspondent, residing beyond the seas, or in some remote part, and commissioned by merchants to buy or sell goods on their account, or assist them to carry on their trade. Hence any place where a considerable number of factors reside, to negociate for their masters, or employers, is called a factory; as the factories of Lisbon, of Leghorn, of Calcutta, &c.

FAG-END, the end of any rope, or cord, which is become untwisted and loosened by frequent use. To prevent this effect, the ends of ropes are generally well fastened by winding a piece of small line, or pack-thread, around them, which operation is called whipping.

FAIR, a general term for the disposition of the wind, when it is favourable to a ship’s course, in opposition to that which is contrary or foul.

This term, when applied to the wind, is much more comprehensive than large, since the former seems to include about eighteen points of the compass, or at least sixteen; whereas large is confined to the beam or quarter, that is, to a wind which crosses the keel at right angles, or obliquely from the stern, but never to one right a-stern. See the articles Large and Scant.

FAIR-CURVE, a winding line, used in delineating ships, whose shape is varied according to the part of the ship it is intended to describe: this curve is not answerable to any of the figures of conic sections, although it occasionally partakes of them all.

FAIR WAY, the path or channel of a narrow bay, river, or haven, in which ships usually advance in their passage up and down; so that if any vessels are anchored therein, they are said to lye in the fair-way.

FAKE, one of the circles, or windings, of a cable, or hauser, as it lies disposed in the coil. See the article Coiling. The fakes are greater or smaller in proportion to the extent of space which a cable is allowed to occupy where it lies.

FALL, garant, the loose end of a tackle; or that part upon which the people pull, or hoist, to produce the required effect. See the article Tackle.

To Fall aboard. See the article Aboard.

To Fall a-stern, (tomber en arriere,) to be driven backwards; to retreat with the stern foremost: expressed of the motion of a ship either under sail or at anchor.

To Fall calm, pacifier, a phrase expressed of the weather, implying to fall into a state of rest by a total cessation of the wind.

To Fall down, in navigation, to sail, or be conducted from any part of a river, towards some other nearer to its mouth or opening.

FALLING-OFF, abatíe, the movement or direction of the ship’s head to leeward of the point whither it was lately directed, particularly when she sails near the wind, or lies by.

Cat Fall. See the article Cat.

Falling-off, is also the angle contained between her nearest approach towards the source of the wind, and her farthest declination from it, when Trying. See that article.

FASHION-PIECES, estains, the aft-most or hind-most timbers of a ship, which terminate the breadth, and form the shape of the stern. They are united to the stern-post, and to the extremity of the wing-transom by a rabbit, and a number of strong nails, or spikes, driven from without. See their connection with the stern post and transom, in plate [X]. fig. I. as explained in the article Stern.

FATHOM, bras, a measure of six feet, used for a variety of purposes at sea; as to regulate the length of the rigging, cables, &c. and to divide the log lines, and sounding-lines.

To FAY, to fit any two pieces of wood so as to join close together. The plank is said to fay to the timbers, when it bears, or lies, close to all the timbers. Murray’s Ship-building.

FENDERS, (from fend,) certain pieces of old cable, timber, faggots, or other materials, hung over the side of a ship or vessel, to prevent it from striking or rubbing against a wharf, or key: as also to preserve the smaller vessel from being damaged by the larger ones.

To FETCH Way, to be shaken or agitated from one side to another. It is usually applied to a mast, bowsprit, &c. when it is not sufficiently wedged, being loose in the partners: it is also said of a cask, box, or such body which moves by the rocking of the ship at sea, as not being well secured and enclosed.

FETCHING the pump, the act of pouring a can of water into the upper-part of it, to expel the air which is contained between the lower box, or piston, and the lower-end of the pump that rests upon the ship’s floor; and accordingly to make the water, poured into the chamber, communicate with that in the bottom of the pump-well, so as to be thrown out above by striking with the brake, or handle. See Pump.

FID, clef de ton, a square bar of wood, or iron, with a shoulder at one end, as represented in plate [IV]. fig. I. It is used to support the weight of the top-mast, when erected at the head of the lower-mast, by passing through a mortise in the lower end of the former, and resting its ends on the tressel-trees, which are sustained by the head of the latter. The fid, therefore, must be withdrawn every time the top-mast is lowered. The top-gallant-mast is retained at the head of the top-mast in the same manner. See the article Mast.

Fid, (fitta, Ital.) is also a large pin of hard wood, tapering to a point, and used for splicing of cables or large cordage.

Sea-FIGHT. See the article Engagement.

To FILL, in navigation, faire servir, to brace the sails in such a manner, as that the wind, entering their cavities from behind, dilates them so as to advance the ship in her course, after the sails had for some time been shivering, or braced aback. See those articles.

FIRE-ARROW, a steel dart used by privateers and pirates to fire the sails of the enemy in battle: these machines are particularly described in the article Engagement.

FIRE-SHIP, brulot, an old vessel filled with combustible materials, and fitted with grappling-irons to hook, and set fire to, the enemies ships in battle, &c.

As there is nothing particular in the construction of this ship, except the apparatus by which the fire is instantly conveyed from one part to another, and from thence to the enemy, it will be sufficient to describe the fire-room, where these combustibles are enclosed, together with the instruments necessary to grapple the ship intended to be destroyed.

The fire-room is built between-decks, and limited on the after-part by a bulk-head, I, behind the main-mast, from which it extends quite forwards, as represented in fig. 2, plate [IV]. The train enclosed in this apartment is contained in a variety of wooden troughs, D, G, which intersect each other in different parts of the ship’s length; being supported at proper distances by cross-pieces and stanchions. On each side of the ship are six or seven ports, H, about eighteen inches broad, and fifteen inches high, and having their lids to open downward, contrary to the usual method.

Plate. iv.

Against every port is placed an iron chamber[[24]], which, at the time of firing the ship, blows out the port-lid, and opens a passage for the flame. Immediately under the main and fore shrouds is fixed a wooden funnel, M; whose lower-end communicates with a fire-barrel[[25]], by which the flame passing through the funnel is conducted to the shrouds. Between the funnels, which are likewise called fire-trunks, are two scuttles, or small-holes in the upper-deck, serving also to let out the flames. Both funnels must be stopped with plugs, and have sail-cloth, or canvas, nailed close over them, to prevent any accident happening from above to the combustibles laid below.

The ports, funnels, and scuttles, not only communicate the flames to the out-side and upper-works of the ship, and her rigging, but likewise open a passage for the inward air, confined in the fire-room, which is thereby expanded so as to force impetuously through those out-lets, and prevent the blowing up of the decks, which must of necessity happen, from such a sudden and violent rarefaction of the air as will then be produced.

On each side of the bulk-head behind is cut a hole L, of sufficient size to admit a trough of the same dimensions as the others. A leading trough, L I, whose foremost-end communicates with another trough within the fire-room, is laid close to this opening, from whence it extends obliquely to a sally-port, I, cut through the ship’s side. The decks and troughs are well covered with melted rosin. At the time of firing either of the leading troughs, the flame is immediately conveyed to the opposite side of the ship, whereby both sides burn together.

The spaces N, O, behind the fire-room, represent the cabins of the lieutenant and master, one of which is on the starboard, and the other on the larboard side. The captain’s cabin, which is separated from these by a bulk-head, is exhibited also by P.

Proportion of Stores for one Fire-ship,
Number of stores of each nature.Interior diameter of each end.Interior diameter at the bulge.Height of the composition.Greatest height.Weight empty.Length of one.Diameter of the breadth of one.Composition.
Swedish pitch.Tallow.Corn powder.Salt petre.Rosin.Sulphur.Mealed powder.
Feet.Inches.Feet.Inches.Feet.Inches.Feet.Inches.℔℥ʒFeet.Inches.Feet.Inches.C.Qr.℔C.Qr.℔C.Qr.℔C.Qr.℔C.Qr.℔C.Qr.℔C.Qr.℔
Fire barrels,818½29½2124 33 6
Curtains,30 3939
Bavins,200 46
Port fires,24
Reedslong,150 35 5 24 6 1 8 36 12
short,75 26 4½
short double dipped75 26 4½
Composition in barrels, for firing,3½ 122 6 112 316
Quick match in barrels,1
Hand grenadoes,60
Chambers for ports,12

Four of the eight fire-barrels are placed under the four fire-trunks; and the other four between them, two on each side the fire-skuttles, where they are securely cleated to the deck. The longest reeds[[26]] are put into the fore and aft troughs, and tied down: the shortest reeds are laid in the troughs athwart, and tied down also. The bavins[[27]], dipped at one end, are tied fast to the troughs over the reeds and the curtains are nailed up to the beams, in equal quantities, on each side of the fire-room.

The remainder of the reeds are placed in a position nearly upright, at all the angles of every square in the fire-room, and there tied down. If any reeds are left, they are to be put round the fire-barrels, and other vacant places, and there tied fast.

Instructions to prime.

Take up all your reeds, one after another, and strow a little composition at the bottom of all the troughs under the reeds, and then tye them gently down again: next strow composition upon the upper part of the reeds throughout the fire-room, and upon the said composition lay double quick-match[[28]] upon all the reeds, in all the troughs: the remainder of the composition strow over all the fire-room, and then lay your bavins loose.

Cast off all the covers of the fire-barrels, and hang the quick-match loose over their sides, and place leaders of quick-match from the reeds into the barrels, and from thence into the vent of the chambers, in such a manner as to be certain of their blowing open the ports, and setting fire to the barrels. Two troughs of communication from each door of the fire-room to the sally-ports, must be laid with a strong leader of quick-match, four or five times double: also a cross-piece to go from the sally-port, when the ship is fired, to the communication trough, laid with leaders of quick-match, that the fire may be communicated to both sides at once.

What quick-match is left, place so that the fire may be communicated to all parts of the room at once, especially about the ports and fire-barrels, and see that the chambers are well and fresh primed.

N. B. The port-fires[[29]] used for firing the ship, burns about twelve minutes. Great care must be taken to have no powder on board when the ship is fired.

The sheer-hooks represented by fig. 3, plate [IV]. are fitted so as to fasten on the yard-arms of the fire-ship, where they hook the enemies rigging. The fire-grapplings, fig. 4, are either fixed on the yard-arms, or thrown by hand, having a chain to confine the ships together, or fasten those instruments wherever necessary.

When the commanding officer of a fleet displays the signal to prepare for action, the fire-ships fix their sheer-hooks, and dispose their grapplings in readiness. The battle being begun, they proceed immediately to prime, and prepare their fire-works. When they are ready for grappling, they inform the admiral thereof by a particular signal.

To avoid being disabled by the enemy’s cannon during a general engagement, the fire-ships continue sufficiently distant from their line of battle, either to windward or to leeward.

They cautiously shun the openings, or intervals, of the line, where they would be directly exposed to the enemy’s fire, from which they are covered by lying on the opposite side of their own ships. They are attentively to observe the signals of the admiral, or his seconds, in order to put their designs immediately in execution.

Although no ship of the line should be previously appointed to protect any fire-ship, except a few of the smallest particularly destined to this service, yet the ship before whom she passes in order to approach the enemy, should escort her thither, and assist her with an armed boat, or whatever succour may be necessary in her situation[[30]].

The captain of the fire-ship should himself be particularly attentive that the above instructions are punctually executed, and that the yards may be so braced, when he falls along-side of the ship intended to be destroyed, that the sheer-hooks and grapplings fastened to the yardarms, &c. may effectually hook the enemy. He is expected to be the last person who quits the vessel, and being furnished with every necessary assistance and support, his reputation will greatly depend on the success of his enterprise.

FISH, a machine employed to hoist or draw up the flukes of the ship’s anchor towards the top of the bow in order to stow it, after having been heaved up by the cable. It is composed of four parts, viz. the pendant, the block, the hook, and the tackle; which, together with their several uses, are described in the article Davit.

Fish, jumelle, is also a long piece of oak, convex on one side, and concave on the other. It is used to fasten upon the outside of the lower masts, either as an additional security, to strengthen them when it becomes necessary to carry an extraordinary pressure of sail, in pursuit of, or flight from, an enemy, or to reinforce them after they have received some damage in battle, tempestuous weather, &c.

The fishes are also employed for the same purpose on any yard, which happens to be sprung or fractured. Thus their form, application, and utility are exactly like those of the splinters applied to a broken limb in surgery.

FISH-GIG, foesne, an instrument used to strike fish at sea, particularly dolphins. It consists of a staff, three or four barbed prongs, and a line fastened to the end, on which the prongs are fixed: to the other end is fitted a piece of lead, which serves to give additional force to the stroke when the weapon flies, and to turn the points upward after the fish is penetrated.

FITTING-OUT, equiper, the act of providing a ship with a sufficient number of men, to navigate and arm her for attack or defence: also to furnish her with proper masts, sails, yards, ammunition, artillery, cordage, anchors, and other naval furniture; together with sufficient provisions for the ship’s company.

FLAG, pavillon, (flag, Dutch) a certain banner or standard, by which an admiral is distinguished at sea from the inferior ships of his squadron; also the colours by which one nation is distinguished from another.

In the British navy flags are either red, white, or blue, and are displayed from the top of the main-mast, fore-mast, or mizen-mast, according to the rank of the admiral.

The first flag in Great Britain is the royal standard, which is only to be hoisted when the king or queen are aboard the vessel: the second is that of the anchor of hope, which characterizes the lord high admiral, or lords commissioners of the admiralty: and the third is the union flag, in which the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew are blended. This last is appropriated to the admiral of the fleet, who is the first military officer under the lord high admiral.

When a flag is displayed from the flag-staff on the main-mast, the officer distinguished thereby, is known to be an admiral; when from the fore-mast, a vice-admiral; and when from the mizen-mast, a rear-admiral.

The next flag after the union is that of the white squadron, at the main-mast, and the last, which characterizes an admiral, is the blue, at the same mast-head.

For a vice-admiral, the first flag is the red; the second, the white; the third, the blue, at the flag-staff on the fore-mast.

The same order proceeds with regard to the rear-admirals, whose flags are hoisted on the top of the mizen-mast: the lowest flag in our navy is accordingly the blue on the mizen-mast.

FLAG-OFFICER, a term synonimous to admiral.

FLAG-SHIP, the ship on which any flag is displayed.

FLAG-STAFF, baton, a pole erected at the head of a top-gallant-mast, or top-mast, whereon to hoist and display the flag or pendant.

FLAKE, echafaud, a sort of scaffold or platform, formed of hurdles and supported by stanchions, and used for drying cod-fish in Newfoundland. These flakes are usually placed near the shores of fishing-harbours.

FLAT, plain, a level ground lying at a small depth under the surface of the sea, and otherwise called a shoal or shallow.

To Flat-in, the action of drawing in the aftmost lower-corner, or clue of a sail towards the middle of the ship, to give the sail the greater power of turning the vessel. Thus if the mizen, or after-sails are flatted-in, it is evident that the intention is to carry the stern to leeward, and turn the head nearer to the direction of the wind: and if the head-sails are slatted-in, the intention is accordingly to make the ship fall off, when by design or accident she has come so near the wind as to make the sails shiver. Hence

Flat-in forward, traverse misaine, is the order to draw in the fore-sheet, jib-sheet, and fore-stay-sail-sheet, towards the middle of the ship. This operation is seldom performed, except in light breezes of wind, when the helm has not sufficient government of the ship.

FLEET, vaisseaux du roi, (flota, Sax.) a general name given to his majesty’s navy, or to any part thereof destined on a particular enterprise or expedition: also a convoy or company of merchant ships, flotte, conserve, with or without ships of war to defend them.

The admirals of his majesty’s fleet are classed into three squadrons, viz. the red, the white, and the blue. When any of these officers are invested with the command of a squadron or detachment of men of war, the particular ships are distinguished by the colours of their respective squadron: that is to say, the ships of the red squadron wear an ensign, whose union is displayed on a red field; the ensigns of the white squadron have a white field; and those of the blue squadron, a blue field; the union being common to all three. The ships of war therefore are occasionally annexed to any of the three squadrons, or shifted from one to another.

Of whatsoever number a fleet of ships of war is composed, it is usually divided into three squadrons; and these, if numerous, are again separated into divisions. The admiral, or principal officer, commands the centre; the vice-admiral, or second in command, superintends the van-guard; and the operations of the rear are directed by the rear-admiral, or the officer next in rank. See the article Division.

The disposition of a fleet, while proceeding on a voyage, will in some measure depend on particular circumstances; as the difficulty of the navigation; the necessity of dispatch, according to the urgency or importance of the expedition; or the expectation of an enemy in the passage. The most convenient order is probably to range it into three lines or columns, each of which is parallel to a line close-hauled according to the tack, on which the line of battle is designed to be formed. This arrangement is more used than any, because it contains the advantages of every other form, without their inconveniences. The fleet being thus more inclosed, will more readily observe the signals, and with greater facility form itself into the line of battle; a circumstance which should be kept in view in every order of sailing.

FLEETING, the act of changing the situation of a tackle, when the blocks are drawn together; or what is called block and block by sailors. The use of fleeting is accordingly to replace the mechanical powers into a state of action; the force by which they operated before being destroyed by the meeting of the blocks or pullies.

Fleeting therefore is nearly similar to the winding up of a watch or clock. See the article Tackle.

FLOAT, a raft, or quantity of timber fastened together across, to be wafted along a river with the tide or current.

FLOATING, (flotter, Fr.) the state of being borne up, or wafted along with the tide on the surface of the water, the theory of which is explained in the article Trim.

FLOOR, the bottom of a ship; or all that part on each side of the keel, which approaches nearer to an horizontal, than a perpendicular situation, and whereon she rests when aground. Thus it is common to say, a sharp floor, a flat floor, a long floor, &c. Whence

Floor-timbers, varangues, are those parts of the ship’s timbers which are placed immediately across the keel, and upon which the bottom of the ship is framed: to these the upper parts of the timbers are united, being only a continuation of floor-timbers upwards. See Naval Architecture.

FLOWING, the position of the sheets, or lower corners of the principal sails, when they are loosened to the wind, so as to receive it into their cavities in a direction more nearly perpendicular than when they are close-hauled, although more obliquely than when the vessel is sailing before the wind.

A ship is therefore said to have a flowing sheet when the wind crosses the line of her course nearly at right angles: that is to say, a ship steering due north, with the wind at east, or directly on her side, will have a flowing sheet; whereas if the sheets were extended close aft, she would sail two points nearer the wind, viz. N. N. E. See the articles Close-hauled, Large, and Trim.

FLY of an ensign, battant, the breadth or extent from the staff to the extremity or edge that flutters loose in the wind.

FLY-BOAT, or FLIGHT, a large flat-bottomed Dutch vessel, whose burthen is generally from four to six hundred tons. It is distinguished by a stern remarkably high, resembling a Gothic turret, and by very broad buttocks below.

Plate. v.

FOOT of a sail, fond de voile, lower edge or bottom.

Foot-rope, the rope to which the foot of a sail is sewed. See Bolt-Rope.

Foot-ropes are also the same with horses of the yards. See that article.

FOOT-WALEING, the whole inside planks or lining of a ship, used to prevent any part of the ballast or cargo from falling between the floor-timbers. See Midship-Frame.

FORE, the distinguishing character of all that part of a ship’s frame and machinery which lies near the stem.

Fore and Aft, throughout the ship’s whole length, or from end to end.

Fore Bowline, the bowline of the fore-sail. See Bowline.

Fore-castle, gaillard d’avant, a short deck placed in the fore part of the ship, above the upper deck. It is usually terminated, both before and behind, by a breast-work in vessels of war; the foremost end forming the top of the beak-head, and the hind part reaching to the after part of the fore-chains.

Fore-cat-harpings, a complication of ropes used to brace in the upper part of the fore-shrouds. See Cat-harpings.

Fore-foot, brion, a piece of timber which terminates the keel at the fore end. It is connected by a scarf to the extremity of the keel, of which it makes a part: and the other end of it, which is incurvated upwards into a sort of knee or crotch, is attached to the lower end of the stem, of which it also makes a part, being also called the gripe.

As the lower arm of the fore-foot lies on the same level with the keel, so the upper one coincides with the middle line of the stem: its breadth and thickness therefore correspond to the dimensions of those pieces, and the heel of the cut-water is scarfed to its upper end.

The form of this piece, and its disposition and connexion with the adjacent pieces, appears by the letter i, in plate [I]. Pieces of the Hull.

Fore-Hooks, the same with breast-hooks, which see.

Foreland, a cape or promontory projecting into the sea; as the North or South Forelands.

Fore-Lock, clavette, a little flat-pointed wedge of iron, used to drive through a hole in the end of a bolt, to retain it firmly in its place.

Fore-Jears.SeeJears.
Fore-Mast.Mast.
Fore-Sail.Sail.
Fore-Shrouds.Shrouds.
Fore-Stay.Stay.
Fore-Top.Top.
Fore-Top-mast.Top-mast.
Fore-Top-gallant-mast.Top-gallant-mast.
Fore-Tye.Tye.
Fore-Yard, &c.Yard, &c.

N B. By referring to the articles Top-mast and Top-gallant-mast, we mean to comprehend all the apparatus thereto belonging, as their yards, sails, &c.

Fore-reaching upon, the act of advancing before, or gaining ground of, some other ship or ships in company.

FORGING OVER, the act of forcing a ship violently over a shoal, by the effort of a great quantity of sail.

FORMING the Line. See the article Line.

FORWARD, avant, towards the fore part of the ship. See Afore.

FOTHERING, a peculiar method of endeavouring to stop a leak in the bottom of a ship while she is afloat, either under sail or at anchor. It is usually performed in the following manner: a basket is filled with ashes, cinders, and chopped rope-yarns, bonette lardeé, and loosely covered with a piece of canvas; to this is fastened a long pole, by which it is plunged repeatedly in the water, as close as possible to the place where the leak is conjectured to lie. The oakum, or chopped rope-yarns, being thus gradually shaken through the twigs, or over the top of the basket, are frequently sucked into the hole along with the water, so that the leak becomes immediately choaked, and the future entrance of the water is thereby prevented.

FOUL, empecheé, as a sea-term, is generally used in opposition to clear, and implies intangled, embarrassed, or contrary, in the following senses:

A ship ran foul of us in the river, i. e. entangled herself amongst our rigging.

Foul, when expressed of a ship’s bottom, denotes that it is very dirty; as being covered with grass, sea-weeds, shells, or other filth which gathers to it during the course of a long voyage. When understood of the ground or bottom of a road, bay, sea-coast, or harbour, mal sain, it signifies rocky, or abounding with shallows, or otherwise dangerous.

When spoken of the hawse, it means that the cables are turned round each other, by the winding or turning about of the ship while she rides at anchor. See Elbow and Hawse.

Foul, when applied to the wind, is used to express that it is unfavourable, or contrary to the ship’s course, as opposed to large or fair.

To FOUNDER, sancir, to sink at sea, as being rendered, by the violence and continuation of a storm, and the excess of the leaks, unable to keep the ship afloat above the water.

FOX, a sort of strand, formed by twisting several rope-yarns together, and used as a seizing, or to weave a mat or paunch, &c.

FRAME. See Timber.

FRAPPING, the act of crossing and drawing together the several parts of a tackle, or other complication of ropes, which had already been straitened to their utmost extent: in this sense it exactly resembles the operation of bracing up a drum, &c. The frapping always increases the tension, and of course adds to the security acquired by the purchase. Hence the cat-harpings are no other than frappings to the shrouds.

Frapping a ship, ceintrer, the act of passing three, four, or five turns of a cable round the hull, or frame of a ship, in the middle, to support her in a great storm, when it is apprehended that she is not strong enough to resist the violent efforts of the sea. This expedient however is rarely put in practice, unless in very old ships, which their owners are willing to venture to sea as long as possible, by ensuring them deeply.

FREEING, affranchir, the act of pumping, or otherwise throwing out the water which has leaked into a ship’s bottom at sea, &c.

FREEZING, a sort of ornamental painting on the upper part of a ship’s quarter, stern, or bow. It consists generally of armour, instruments of war, marine emblems, &c.

FREIGHT, or fraight of a ship (affretement) the hire, or a part thereof, usually paid for the carriage and conveyance of goods; or the sum agreed, upon between the owner and the merchant for the hire and use of a vessel.

Freight also implies the lading or cargo which she has aboard.

FRESH, when applied to the wind, generally signifies strong, but not violent or dangerous: hence when the gale increases, it is said to freshen.

To FRESHEN the hawse, refraichir, to relieve that part of the cable which for some time has been exposed to the friction in one of the hawse-holes, produced by the rocking and pitching of a ship as she rides at anchor in a high sea.

When a ship remains in such a situation, it is always necessary to wrap some old canvas, mat, leather, or such like material, round that part of the cable which rubs against the stem, &c. The matter used for this purpose is called service: but as the violent agitation of the ship, produced by the tempest, or sea, as she rides in an open road, must communicate a great friction to the cable, the service will consequently be soon worn through: it is necessary therefore to have it frequently renewed by a fresh application of the like materials, behind the former, for the preservation of the cable, on which every thing depends; and this renewal of service is called freshening the hawse, a circumstance which cannot be too vigilantly observed.

FRESHES, souberme, imply the impetuosity of an ebb-tide, increased by heavy rains, and flowing out into the sea, which it often discolours to a considerable distance from the shore; inasmuch as the line, which divides the two colours, may be perceived distinctly for a great length along the coast.

FRIGATE, (fregate, Fr.) in the navy, a light nimble ship built for the purposes of sailing swiftly. These vessels mount from twenty to thirty-eight guns, and are esteemed excellent cruizers.

Frigate-built, fregaté, implies the disposition of the decks of such merchant ships as have a descent of four or five steps from the quarter-deck and fore-castle into the waist, in contra-distinction to those whose decks are on a continued line for the whole length of the ship, which are called galley-built. See the article Flush.

Formerly the name of frigate was only known in the Mediterranean, and applied to a kind of long vessel, navigated in that sea with sails and oars. The English were the first who appeared on the ocean with those ships, and equipped them for war as well as commerce.

FULL AND BY, pres & plein, the situation of a ship with regard to the wind, when she is close-hauled, and sailing in such a manner as neither to steer too nigh the direction of the wind, nor to deviate to leeward; both of which movements are unfavourable to her course, as in the former her sails will shiver, and render the effort of the wind precarious and ineffectual; and in the latter she will advance in a direction widely distant from her real course. Hence, keep her full! defie du vent! is the order from the pilot or other officer to the helmsman, not to incline too much to windward, and thereby shake the sails so as to retard the course.

FURLING, (ferler, Fr.) the operation of wrapping or rolling a sail close up to the yard, stay, or mast to which it belongs, and winding a gasket or cord about it to fasten it thereto. And hence

FURLING-LINE denotes a cord employed in this office: those which are used for the larger sails are generally flat, and are known by the name of gaskets.

FUTTOCKS, the middle division of a ship’s timbers; or those parts which are situated between the floor and the top-timbers. See this fully explained in the article Timber.

As the epithet hooked is frequently applied in common language to any thing bent or incurvated, and particularly to several crooked timbers in a ship, as the breast-hooks, fore-hooks, after-hooks, &c. this term is evidently derived from the lowest part or foot of the timber, and from the shape of the piece. Hence

Futtock-Shrouds, or rather Foot-hook Shrouds. See the article Shrouds.