EARINGS, rabans, certain small cords employed to fasten the upper corners of a sail to its respective yard; for which purpose one end of the earing is spliced to the cringle, fixed in that part of the sail; and the other end of it is passed six or seven times round the yard-arm and through the cringle, thereby fastening the latter to the former. Two of the turns are intended to stretch the upper-edge of the sail tight along the yard; and the rest to draw it close up to it. The former are therefore called outer, and the latter inner turns, as being passed without, or within the rigging, on the yard-arms.
EASE the ship! the command given by the pilot to the steersman, to put the helm close to the lee-side, or, in the sea-phrase, hard-a-lee, when the ship is expected to pitch or plunge her fore-part deep in the water, while close-hauled. The reason usually given for this practice is, that the sudden movement of the helm prevents the ship’s head from falling with so much weight and rapidity into the hollow of the sea, as it would do otherwise: which is presuming that the flow, and uncertain effect of the helm is sufficient to retard the certain and violent action of gravity: a position that necessarily infers a very singular theory of mechanics. We shall not endeavour to advance any argument in favour of this practice; only to remark, that it is most religiously observed, both in merchant-ships and his majesty’s navy.
To Ease off, or Ease away, molir, filer, to slacken gradually any single rope, or complication of ropes, formed into a tackle.
EBB, jussant, the reflux of the tide, or the return of it into the sea after the highest of the flood, usually termed full-sea, or high-water.
EDDY, remoux, (ed, backward, again, and ea, water, Sax.) the water that, by some interruption in its course, runs contrary to the direction of any river, or current, and appears like the motion of a whirlpool.
To EDGE away, in navigation, abattre, to decline gradually from the shore, or from the line of the course which the ship formerly steered: it is particularly applied when a ship changes her course, by sailing nearer the direction of the wind; or, in the lea-language, by sailing larger, or more afore the wind, than she had done before that operation.
ELBOW in the hause, a particular twist in the cables by which a ship rides at anchor. In this situation each of the cables, after crossing the other before the stem, is directed outwards on the same bow from which it issued: that is to say, the starboard cable grows out on the starboard bow, and the larboard cable on the larboard bow, as exhibited in fig. 36, plate [II]. where a expresses the fore-castle, b the stem, c c the larboard cable, and d d the starboard one. See the article Hawse.
EMBARGO, in commerce, arret (embargar, Span.), an arrest laid on ships or merchandise by public authority, or a prohibition of state, commonly issued on foreign ships, to prevent their putting to sea in time of war; and sometimes to prevent their coming in, and otherwise both to prevent their entrance and departure.
EMBAYED, encapé, (from bay,) the situation of a ship when she is inclosed between two capes or promontories. It is particularly applied when the wind, by blowing strongly into any bay or gulf, makes it extremely difficult, and perhaps impracticable, for the vessel thus enclosed, to claw off from the shore, so as to weather the capes and arrive into the offing.
ENGAGEMENT, in a naval sense, implies a particular or general battle at sea; or an action of hostility between single ships, or detachments, or squadrons of men of war.