The artillerist's manual and British soldier's compendium

by F. A. Griffiths

“In Table A, the height of the masts to the head of the maintopgallant rigging, and likewise to the maintopmast crosstrees above the surface of the water at low water mark, are given for every rate, and class of vessel.

“The distances in English yards, corresponding to the angles subtended by the masts, are given in the first column of Table B.

“Table B may also be applied to the important purpose of determining distances, making use of the ship’s own mast as the given height or side of the triangle, by marking upon it any of the heights expressed in the table, and placing an observer there when required to measure the angle A B C (vide fig.) formed by the mast when most perpendicular, and the line of sight B C.

“The Tangent practice Tables C, D, and E will frequently be found useful in pointing ordnance, when the distance is known; for by referring to that distance in the column of the table belonging to the corresponding nature of gun, the part, that should be aimed at, will be ascertained.”

TABLE A.

Heights above the water of the different parts of French ships of War,
and their masts, according to the following Rates:

	Line of battle Ships.										Frigates.				Corv- ettes.		Brigs.
	Guns.		Guns.		Guns.		Guns.		Guns.		Guns.		Guns.		Guns.		Guns.
	120.		100.		90.		86.		82.		60.		44.		24.		18.
	ft. in.		ft. in.		ft. in.		ft. in.		ft. in.		ft. in.		ft. in.		ft. in.		ft. in.
Port-sills:
Of lower deck	5	3	7	10	6	7	5	8	5	8
Middle	13	1
Upper	19	4	15	1	14	9	12	9	12	9	6	6¾	6	11	5	10	4	3
Quarter	25	7	21	3	19	8	19	2	19	2	13	9	13	4	12	0
After-part:
Of poop plank sheer	35	5	29	2	29	6	25	4	25	4							39	0
Mainmast:
Upper side of mainyard	79	0	77	1	76	5	71	0	66	0	67	0	59	0	41	0	47	0
Under side of maintop	93	6	91	10	90	2	84	0	78	0	79	0	70	0	49	0	56	0
Upper side of cap to mainmast	109	6	109	10	108	3	101	0	94	0	95	0	84	0	59	0	72	0
Upper side of maintopsail-yard	148	7	140	9	141	0	139	0	130	0	131	0	114	0	79	0	77	0
” Crosstrees to maintopmast	158	5	150	11	150	11	148	0	138	0	139	0	121	0	85	0	81	0
” Cap to maintopmast	166	4	161	8	158	9	156	0	147	0	148	0	128	0	89	0	96	0
Head of topgallant rigging	190	7	185	4	185	4	183	0	170	0	171	0	151	0	104	0	112	0
Truck	219	9	212	7	201	9	205	0	192	5	187	9	168	6	120	7	34	0
Foremast:
Upper side of foreyard	72	10	72	2	71	2	64	0	61	0	67	0	51	0	34	0	41	0
Under side of foretop	86	7	84	11	83	7	77	0	72	0	73	0	63	0	43	0	50	0
Upper side of cap to foremast	103	0	101	8	100	0	92	0	87	0	88	0	76	0	53	0	66	0
” Foretopsail-yard	136	5	128	11	129	7	128	0	117	0	118	0	101	0	70	0	70	0
” Crosstrees to foretopmast	145	8	139	1	137	9	136	0	126	0	127	0	109	0	76	0	75	0
” Cap to foretopmast	153	6	148	11	145	0	144	0	135	0	136	0	116	0	81	0	89	0
Head to topgallant rigging	173	10	170	3	169	7	168	0	156	0	157	0	136	0	95	0	103	6
Truck	200	1	194	10	184	8	188	0	176	0	172	1	152	0	109	6
Mizenmast:
Upper side of crossjack-yard	73	1	71	10	70	2	64	0	61	0	62	0	52	0	32	0
Under side of mizentop	83	4	83	7	81	4	75	0	71	0	72	0	62	0	39	0
Upper side of cap to mizenmast	93	6	96	5	93	9	85	0	82	0	83	0	71	0	47	0
” Mizentopsail-yard	121	4	116	9	117	1	110	0	107	0	108	0	94	0	56	0
” Crosstrees to mizentopmast	127	11	125	11	122	4	117	0	112	0	113	0	99	0	61	0
Head of topgallant rigging	154	2	150	11	145	8	143	0	136	0	137	0	120	0	74	0
Truck	177	9	171	7	158	9	160	0	153	0	150	0	133	6	85	0