Top-chain. See the article Chain.
Top-lanthorn, fanal de hune, a large lanthorn placed in the after part of the top, in any ship where an admiral or commodore is personally aboard. It is supported on each side by iron braces r, as expressed in fig. 3. plate [VI].
Top-mast, mât de hune, the second division of a mast; or that part which stands between the upper and lower pieces. See the article Mast.
Top-rope, guinderesse, a rope employed to sway-up a top-mast or top-gallant mast, in order to fix it in its place; or to lower it in tempestuous weather, or when it is no longer necessary. The rope used on this occasion for the top-masts is, on account of their great weight, furnished with an assemblage of pullies, at its lower end, called the top-tackle, to hoist or lower the mast with greater facility. The whole of this is particularly explained in the article Mast, and the plate therein referred to.
Top-sails, certain large sails extended across the top-masts, by the top-sail-yard above, and by the yard attached to the lower mast beneath; being fastened to the former by robands, and to the latter by means of two great blocks fixed on its extremities, through which the topsail-sheets are inserted, passing from thence to two other blocks fixed on the inner part of the yard close by the mast: and from these latter the sheets lead downwards to the deck, where they may be slackened or extended at pleasure. See the article Sail. N. B. The top-gallant sails are expanded above the topsail-yard, in the same manner as the latter are extended above the lower yard.
The several parts of the machinery by which the top-sails are managed, as the bowlines, braces, haliards, lifts, and sheets, being copiously defined in their proper places, it would be superfluous to repeat their explanations.
TOPPING, apiquer, the act of pulling one of the extremities of a yard higher than the other, by slackening one of the lifts, and pulling upon the opposite one, so as to place the yard at a greater or lesser obliquity with the mast.
Topping-lift, balancine de gui, a large and strong tackle, employed to suspend or top the outer end of a gaff, or of the boom of a main-sail and fore-sail; such as are used in brigs, sloops, or schooners. See Square.
TORNADO, travade, a violent squall or gust of wind rising suddenly from the shore, and afterwards veering round the compass like a hurricane. These are very frequent on the coasts of Guinea and South Barbary. See Wind.
TOUCHING, the state of a ship’s sails when they first begin to shiver, with their edges in the direction of the wind. It is either occasioned by a sudden alteration of the ship’s course, or by a change of the wind, in which it blows more obliquely along the surface of the sails, instead of falling into their cavities from behind, according to its usual direction. See Full and by.