PORT-PIECE. An ancient piece of ordnance used in our early fleets.
PORT-PIECE CHAMBER. A paterero for loading a port-piece at the breech.
PORT-REEVE. A magistrate of certain sea-port towns in olden times.
PORT-ROPES. Those by which the ports are hauled up and suspended.
PORTS, or Port-holes. The square apertures in the sides of a ship through which to point and fire the ordnance. Also, aft and forward, as the bridle-port in the bows, the quarter-port in round-stern vessels, and stern-ports between the stern-timbers. Also, square holes cut in the sides, bow, or stem of a merchant ship, for taking in and discharging timber cargoes, and for other purposes.—Gunroom-ports. Are situated in the ship's counter, and are used for stern-chasers, and also for passing a small cable or a hawser out, either to moor head and stern, or to spring upon the cable, &c. (See [Moor] and [Spring].)—Half-port. A kind of shutter which hinges on the lower side of a port, and falls down outside when clear for action; when closed it half covers the port to the line of metal of the gun, and is firmly secured by iron hooks. The upper half-port is temporary and loose, will not stand a heavy sea, and is merely secured by two light inch-rope laniards.
PORT-SALE. A public sale of fish on its arrival in the harbour.
PORT-SASHES. Half-ports fitted with glass for the admission of light into cabins.
PORT-SHACKLES. The rings to the ports.
PORT-SILLS. In ship-building, pieces of timber put horizontally between the framing to form the top and bottom of a port.
PORT-TACKLES. Those falls which haul up and suspend the lower-deck ports, so that since the admiralty order for using the word port instead of larboard, we have port port-tackle falls.