CRUISE, campaigne (croiser, Fr.), a voyage or expedition in quest of vessels or fleets of the enemy, which may be expected to sail through any particular tract of the sea at a certain season of the year. The region in which these cruises are performed, is usually termed the rendezvous or cruising-latitude. When the ships employed for this purpose, which are accordingly called cruisers, have arrived at their destined station, they traverse the sea backward and forward, under an easy sail, and within a limited space, conjectured to be nearly in the tract of their expected adversaries.
CUDDY, coqueron, a sort of cabin, or cook-room, in the fore-part, or near the stern, of a lighter or barge of burden.
CUNNING, faire gouverner, the art of directing the steersman to guide the ship in her proper course: the officer who performs this duty is either the pilot or quarter-master.
CURRENT, in navigation, courans, (currens, Lat.) a certain progressive movement of the water of the sea, by which all bodies floating therein are compelled to alter their course, or velocity, or both, and submit to the laws imposed on them by the current.
In the sea, currents are either natural and general, as arising from the diurnal rotation of the earth about its axis; or accidental and particular, caused by the waters being driven against promontories, or into gulfs and streights; where, wanting room to spread, they are driven back, and thus disturb the ordinary flux of the sea.
“Currents are various, and directed towards different parts of the ocean, of which some are constant, and others periodical. The most extraordinary current of the sea is that by which part of the Atlantic or African ocean moves about Guinea from Cape Verd towards the curvature or bay of Africa, which they call Fernando Poo, viz. from west to east, contrary to the general motion. And such is the force of this current, that when ships approach too near the shore, it carries them violently towards that bay, and deceives the mariners in their reckoning.
“There is a great variety of shifting currents, which do not last, but return at certain periods; and these do, most of them, depend upon, and follow the anniversary winds or monsoons, which by blowing in one place may cause a current in another[[8]].” Varenius.
In the streights of Gibraltar the currents almost constantly drive to the eastward, and carry ships into the Mediterranean: they are also found to drive the same way into St. George’s-channel.
The setting, or progressive motion of the current, may be either quite down to the bottom, or to a certain determinate depth.
As the knowledge of the direction and velocity of currents is a very material article in navigation, it is highly necessary to discover both, in order to ascertain the ship’s situation and course with as much accuracy as possible. The most successful method which has been hitherto attempted by mariners for this purpose, is as follows. A common iron pot, which may contain four or five gallons, is suspended by a small rope fastened to its ears or handles, so as to hang directly upright, as when placed upon the fire. This rope, which may be from 70 to 100 fathoms in length, being prepared for the experiment, is coiled in the boat, which is hoisted out of the ship at a proper opportunity, when there is little or no wind to ruffle the surface of the sea. The pot being then thrown overboard into the water, and immediately sinking, the line is slackened till about seventy or eighty fathoms run out, after which the line is fastened to the boat’s stem, by which she is accordingly restrained, and rides as at anchor. The velocity of the current is then easily tried by the log and half-minute glass, the usual method of discovering the rate of a ship’s sailing at sea. The course of the stream is next obtained by means of the compass provided for this operation.