BOMB-BED BEAMS. The beams which support the bomb-bed in bomb-vessels.
BOMB-BEDS. See Bed of a Mortar.
BOMBO. Weak cold punch.
BOMB-SHELL. A large hollow ball of cast-iron, for throwing from mortars (distinguished by having ears or lugs, by which to lift it with the shell-hooks into the mortar), and having a hole to receive the fuze, which communicates ignition to the charge contained in the shell. (See Fuze.)
BOME-SPAR [a corruption of boom]. A spar of a larger kind.
BOMKIN. See Bumkin.
BONA FIDE. In good faith; without subterfuge—Bona fides is a condition necessary to entitle to the privilege of pre-emption in our admiralty courts.
BONAVENTURE. The old outer mizen, long disused.
BONDING. See Warehousing System.
BONDING-POND. An inclosed space of water where the tide flows, for keeping timber in.
BOND-MAN. A harsh method in some ships, in keeping one man bound for the good behaviour of another on leave.
BOND OF BOTTOMRY. An authority to borrow money, by pledging the keel or bottom of the ship. (See Bottomry.)
BONE, To. To seize, take, or apprehend. A ship is said to carry a bone in her mouth and cut a feather, when she makes the water foam before her.
BON GRACE. Junk-fenders; for booming off obstacles from a ship's sides or bows. (See Bowgrace.)
BONITO. The Thynnus pelamys, a fish of the scomber family, commonly about 2 feet long, with a sharp head, small mouth, full eyes, and a regular semi-lunar tail.
BONI-VOCHIL. The Hebridean name for the great northern diver (Colymbus glacialis).
BONNET. An additional part laced to the foot of the jibs, or other fore-and-aft sails, in small vessels in moderate weather, to gather more wind. They are commonly one-third of the depth of the sails they belong to. Thus we say, "Lace on the bonnet," or "Shake off the bonnet." Bonnets have lately been introduced to secure the foot of an upper-topsail to a lower-topsail yard. The unbonnetted sail is for storm service. Bonnet, in fortification, is a raised portion of the works at any salient angle, having the same plan, but 10 or 12 feet more command than the work on which it is based. It assists in protecting from enfilade, and affords a plunging fire.
BONNET-FLOOK. A name of the well-known flat-fish, brill, pearl, or mouse-dab; the Pleuronectes rhombus.
BONXIE. The Shetland name for the skua-gull (Cataractes vulgaris). Also a very general northern term for sea-birds.
BONY-FISH. One of the names of the hard-head (which see).
BOOBY. A well-known tropical sea-bird, Sula fusca, of the family Pelecanidæ. It is fond of resting out of the water at night, even preferring an unstable perch on the yard of a ship. The name is derived from the way in which it allows itself to be caught immediately after settling. The direction in which they fly as evening comes on often shows where land may be found.
BOOBY-HATCH. A smaller kind of companion, but readily removable; it is in use for merchantmen's half decks, and lifts off in one piece.
BOOK. A commercial term for a peculiar packing of muslin, bast, and other stuffs.—Brought to book, made to account.
BOOKING. A reprimand.
BOOKS. (See Ship's Books.) Official documents.
BOOM. A long spar run out from different places in the ship, to extend or boom out the foot of a particular sail; as, jib-boom, flying jib-boom, studding-sail booms, driver or spanker boom, ringtail-boom, main-boom, square-sail boom, &c. A ship is said to come booming forwards when she comes with all the sail she can make. Boom also denotes a cable stretched athwart the mouth of a river or harbour, with yards, top-masts, or stout spars of wood lashed to it, to prevent the entrance of an enemy.—To top one's boom, is to start off.—To boom off, to shove a boat or vessel away with spars.
BOOMAGE. A duty levied to compound for harbour dues, anchorage, and soundage.
BOOM-BOATS. Those stowed on the booms.
BOOM-BRACE PENDANT. A rope attached to the extremity of a studding-sail boom, and leading down on deck; it is used to counteract the pressure of the sail upon the boom.
BOOM-COVER. The tarpaulin, or painted, cover over the spars.
BOOMING. Sound of distant guns; it is often, but wrongly, applied to the hissing or whistling of shot.
BOOM-IRONS. Are metal rings fitted on the yard-arms, through which the studding-sail booms traverse; there is one on each top-sail yard-arm, but on the lower yards a second, which opens to allow the boom to be triced up; it is one-fourth from the yard-arms, and holds down the heel of the boom when it is rigged out.
BOOM-JIGGER. A tackle used in large ships, for rigging out or running in the top-mast studding-sail booms.
BOOMKIN. See Bumkin.
BOOM-MAINSAIL. See Main-sail.
BOOMS. A space where the spare spars are stowed; the launch being generally stowed between them.
BOOPAH. A Tongatabou canoe with a single out-rigger.
BOOTHYR. An old term, denoting a small river vessel.
BOOT-TOPPING. The old operation of scraping off the grass, slime, shells, &c., which adhere to the bottom, near the surface of the water, and daubing it over with a mixture of tallow, sulphur, and resin, as a temporary protection against worms. This is chiefly performed where there is no dock or other commodious situation for breaming or careening, or when the hurry of a voyage renders it inconvenient to have the whole bottom properly trimmed and cleansed. The term is now applied to sheathing a vessel with planking over felt.
BOOTY. That sort of prize which may be distributed at the capstan-head, or at once.
BOOZE. A carouse; hence, boozy, elevated by liquor.
BORA. A very violent wind experienced in the upper part of the Adriatic Sea, but which fortunately is of no great duration.
BORACCHIO [Sp. borracho, drunk]. A skin for holding wine or water, usually a goat's. Used in the Levant. A skin-full; literally, gorged with wine.
BORASCA. A storm, with thunder and lightning.
BORD. The sea-coast, an old term. Formerly meant the side, edge, or brim; hence, as applied to a ship, to throw overboard, is to cast anything over the side of the vessel.
BORDELS. An old word for houses built along a strand. In the old play called the "Ladies' Privilege," it is said:—"These gentlemen know better to cut a caper than a cable, or board a pink in the bordels than a pinnace."
BORDER. A term referring to the nature of the vegetation on the margin of a stream or lake, or to artificial works constructed along the banks.