Lascar. In the East Indies, signifies properly a camp-follower, but is generally applied to native sailors on board of British ships. The Lascars make good seamen, but being of an excessively irritable and revengeful nature, are generally kept in the minority in a ship’s crew.
Lash. To tie or bind with a rope or cord; to secure or fasten by a string.
Lashes. Formerly a general court-martial could sentence a soldier to receive a certain number of lashes. This mode of punishment is prohibited in the U. S. service. See Appendix, [Articles of War], [98].
Lashing-rings. Are fixed on the sides of artillery traveling-carriages, to lash the tarpaulin, as also to tie the sponge, rammer, and ladle.
Lasso. A rope or cord with a running noose, used by men on horseback in Spanish America, Texas, and Southern California for catching cattle, wild horses, grizzly bears, etc. It is said that the lasso was used by the ancient Sarmatians and Parthians. Certain Patagonians use a lasso with a stone tied to the end,—instead of a noose.
Laswarree. A town of Hindostan, in Delhi, which was the scene of the defeat of the Mahrattas by Lord Lake, November, 1803.
Latham House. In Lancashire, England; it was heroically defended for three months against the Parliamentarians, by Charlotte, countess of Derby. She was relieved by Prince Rupert, May, 1644. The house was, however, surrendered December 4, 1645, and dismantled.
Lathe. In the manufacture of ordnance, lathes are machines for turning cannon, gun-barrels, etc.
Latrines. Conveniences for soldiers in camps and barracks. Much attention has of late been devoted to their construction; a large percentage of the army sickness having been traced to their defective and impure condition.
Lauenberg. A duchy of Northern Germany, but formerly united with the crown of Denmark; was conquered from the Wends by Henry the Lion of Saxony about 1152; ceded to Hanover, 1689, and seized along with Hanover by the French in 1803. It was afterwards, with some change of boundary, made over to Prussia, and by Prussia transferred to Denmark in 1815, with reservation of rights. In 1870 it was re-annexed to Prussia.