O.
OCCIDENT, or Ouest, the west.
OCEAN, a name generally given in France, to the Western, or Atlantic Ocean.
OCTANT, the octant, or quadrant invented by Hadley.
OEIL, Yeux, ou Trous, the holes in the clews of a sprit-sail to let out the water which falls into its cavity when the ship pitches.
Oeil de bœuf. See Yeux.
Oeil de bouc, a water-gall, or weather-gall.
Oeil de pie, or Yeux de pie, the eye-let holes wrought in the reef of a sail, through which the points are reeved.
Oeil de roue, the hole in the truck, or wheel of a gun-carriage, through which the axle passes.
OEILLET, an eye-splice on the end of any rope.
Oeillet d’étai, the eye of a stay which goes over the mast-head.
OEILLETS de la tournevire, the eyes in the two ends of a voyal, which are lashed together with a laniard when the voyal is brought to the capstern.
OEILS, the eyes, or hauses of a ship. See Ecubiers.
OEUVRE-mortes, the dead-work of a ship, or all that part which is above water, comprehending the fore-castle, quarter deck, and poop.
Oeuvre vives, the quick-work, or all that part of a ship which is under water.
OEUVRES de marée, the graving, calking, or repairing a ship’s bottom, when, having been laid on the ground, the tide has ebbed from her, so as to leave the bottom dry.
OFFICIERS bleu. See Bleu.
Officiers-généraux, the general officers in the French navy, as the admirals, vice-admirals, rear admirals, and commodores.
Officiers de port, the officers of a dock-yard, appointed to see that the shipping are properly moored, masted, rigged, repaired, calked, and otherwise equipped with whatever is necessary, according to their destination.
Officiers de santé, officers who superintend the affairs of the quarantine in a port.
Officiers-majors, the superior, or commissioned officers in a ship of war, as the captain, lieutenants, and ensign.
Officiers-mariniers, the mechanical or warrant-officers in a ship of war, of which the principal are, the master, boatswain, gunner, carpenter, and sail-maker; as distinguished from the military officers, called Officiers-majors. See the preceding article.
O! du navire, hola! hoa the ship, a hoay! the manner of hailing or calling to a ship whose name is not known.
O! du Soleil Royal hola! hoa, the Royal Sun ahoay!
O! d’en haut, yoa-hoa, aloft there! mast-head there! &c. the cry from the deck to those who are aloft, to attend to some order.
O! hisse, O! hale, O! saille, O! ride, the method of singing out, as a signal to hoist, haul, or rouse together, on a tackle or rope.
OINT, stuff, tallow, or such like material, used to pay the masts, tyes of the top-sail-yards, &c.
OLOFÉE, the act of spring the luff, or of hauling close upon a wind.
ORAGE. See Tempete.
ORDRE de bataille, the line or order of battle in a naval engagement.
Ordre de marche, the order of sailing.
Ordre de retraite, the order of retreat.
ORDRES des vaisseaux, the classes into which each rate of ships is subdivided, in the French navy. See Rang.
OREILLE de lievre, a three-sided, or triangular sail; as the stay-sails.
OREILLES de l’ancre, the broad parts of the fluke of an anchor.
ORGANEAU, the ring of an anchor. See Arganeau.
ORGUES, an organ, or machine, sometimes used in a sea-fight by privateers: it contains several barrels of musketoons, or small-arms, fixed upon one stock, so as to be all fired together.
ORIENTER les voiles, to trim the sails, or place them in the most advantageous manner, to receive the wind, and accelerate the ship’s course.
ORIN, the buoy-rope of an anchor.
ORSE, the larboard-side, in the dialect of Provence. Also the order to luff.
ORSER, to row against the wind, or row head-to-wind. This is likewise the language of the gallies.
ORTODROMIE, a course which lies upon a meridian or parallel.
OSSEC, the water-way, or well-room of a boat.
OSSIERES. See Haussieres.
OUAGE, the track or wake of a ship. See Houaiche.
Tirer en OUAICHE, to take a ship in tow a-stern when she is disabled.
Trainer un pavillon ennemi en Ouaiche, to drag the colours or ensign of an enemy after the ship, so as to sweep the water therewith, as a sign of victory.
OVERLANDRES, small vessels navigated on the Rhine and Meuse.
OUEST, or Occident, the west point of the compass or horizon.
OUEST-nord-ouest, &c. See Rose de vents.
OURAGAN, an hurricane.
OUVERT, etre ouvert, to have any object open in sailing past it; or to be opposite to any place, as a road, the entrance of a harbour, or river, &c.
OUVERTURE, an opening, or valley between two hills, beheld from the sea, and serving frequently as a land-mark.
OUVRIERS, the artificers, &c. in a dock-yard; or riggers of a ship.
OUVRIR, to open, or discover two objects separately at sea, when sailing at some distance from them.