CHAIN-PUMP. See the article Pump.
CHAINS, cadenes, strong links or plates of iron, the lower ends of which are bolted through the ship’s side to the timbers.
They are placed at short distances from each other on the ship’s out-side, as being used to contain the blocks called dead-eyes, by which the shrouds of the masts are extended. The disposition of the chains, and that of their channels, is represented by the letters I, I, in the plane of Elevation, plate [I]. as also by fig. 16, plate [II].
CHAIN-SHOT, a particular kind of shot formed by fastening two cannon-balls together with a short chain, and designed to mangle and ruin a ship’s sails and rigging, or to destroy her masts and yards. See Shot.
Top CHAIN, a chain to sling the sail-yards in the time of battle, in order to prevent them from falling down when the ropes, by which they are hung, happen to be shot away, or rendered incapable of service.
CHAIN-WALE. See Channel.
CHANNEL, manche, in hydrography, the deepest part of a river, harbour, or streight, which is most convenient for the track of shipping.
CHANNELS, or Chain-Wales of a ship, porte bossoirs, broad and thick planks projecting horizontally from the ship’s out-side, a-breast of, and somewhat behind, the masts. See plate [II]. fig. 16.
They are formed to extend the shrouds from each other, and from the axis or middle line of the ship, so as to give a greater security and support to the masts, as well as to prevent the shrouds from damaging the gun-wale, or being hurt by rubbing against it. See also Shroud.
Every mast has its chain-wales, which are either built above or below the second deck-ports in a ship of the line: they are strongly connected to the side by knees, bolts, and standards, besides being confined thereto by the chains, whose upper ends pass through notches on the outer edge of the chain-wales, so as to unite with the shrouds above.