VIDETTE. See [Vedette].
VI ET ARMIS. With force of arms.
VIGIA [Sp. look-out]. A hydrographical warning on a chart to denote that the pinnacle of a rock, or a shoal, may exist thereabout.
VINTINER [from vigintinarius]. An officer in our early fleet who commanded a company of twenty men.
VIOL, or Voyol. A large messenger formerly used to assist in weighing an anchor by the capstan.
VIOL OR VOYOL BLOCK. A large single-sheaved block through which the messenger passed when the anchor was weighed by the fore or jeer capstan; its block was usually lashed to the main-mast. This voyol-purchase was afterwards improved thus: the voyol-block was securely lashed to the cable at the manger-board, the jeer-fall rove through it, and brought to the jeer-capstan, and the standing part belayed to the bitts; thus a direct runner purchase instead of a dead nip was obtained. It was only used when other means failed, and, after the introduction of Phillipps' patent capstan, was disused.
VIOLENCE. The question in tort, as to the amount of liability incurred by the owners for outrages and irregularities committed by the master.
VIRE. The arrow shot from a cross-bow; also called a quarril.
VIRGILIÆ. A denomination of the Pleiades.
VIRGO. The sixth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about the 21st August. Spica, α Virginis, is a star of the first magnitude.