CATRAIA. The catraia of Lisbon and Oporto, or pilot surf-boats, are about 56 feet long, by 15 feet beam, impelled by sixteen oars.
CAT-RIG. A rig which in smooth water surpasses every other, but, being utterly unsuited for sea or heavy weather, is only applicable to pleasure-boats who can choose their weather. It allows one sail only—an enormous fore-and-aft main-sail, spread by a gaff at the head and a boom at the foot, hoisted on a stout mast, which is stepped close to the stem.
CAT-ROPE. A line for hauling the cat-hook about: also cat-back-rope, which hauls the block to the ring of the anchor in order to hook it.
CAT'S-PAW. A light air perceived at a distance in a calm, by the impressions made on the surface of the sea, which it sweeps very gently, and then passes away, being equally partial and transitory. Old superstitious seamen are seen to scratch the backstays with their nails, and whistle to invoke even these cat's-paws, the general forerunner of the steadier breeze. Cat's-paw is also a name given to a particular twisting hitch, made in the bight of a rope, so as to induce two small bights, in order to hook a tackle on them both. Also, good-looking seamen employed to entice volunteers.
CAT'S-SKIN. A light partial current of air, as with the cat's-paw.
CAT'S-TAIL. The inner part of the cat-head, that fays down upon the cat-beam.
CAT-STOPPER, or Cathead-stopper. A piece of rope or chain rove through the ring of an anchor, to secure it for sea, or singled before letting it go.
CAT-TACKLE. A strong tackle, used to draw the anchor perpendicularly up to the cat-head, which latter is sometimes called cat.
CATTAN. See Katan.
CAT THE ANCHOR. When the cat is hooked and "cable enough" veered and stoppered, the anchor hangs below the cat-head, swings beneath it; it is then hauled close up to the cat-head by the purchase called the cat-fall. The cat-stopper is then passed, and the cat-block unhooked.
CATTING. The act of heaving the anchor by the cat-tackle. Also, sea-sickness.
CATTY. A Chinese commercial weight of 18 ozs. English. Tea is packed in one or two or more catty boxes, hence most likely our word tea-caddy.
CAUDAL FIN. The vertical median fin terminating the tail of fishes.
CAUDICARIÆ. A kind of lighter used by the Romans on the Tiber.
CAUL. The membrane encompassing the head of some infants when born, and from early antiquity esteemed an omen of good fortune, and a preservative against drowning; it was sought by the Roman lawyers with as much avidity as by modern voyagers. Also, a northern name for a dam-dike. Also, an oriental license. (See Kaule.)
CAULK, To. (See Caulking.) To lie down on deck and sleep, with clothes on.
CAULKER. He who caulks and pays the seams. This word is mistaken by many for cawker (which see).
CAULKER'S SEAT. A box slung to a ship's side whereon a caulker can sit and use his irons; it contains his tools and oakum.
CAULKING of a Ship. Forcing a quantity of oakum, or old ropes untwisted and drawn asunder, into the seams of the planks, or into the intervals where the planks are joined together in the ship's decks or sides, or rends in the planks, in order to prevent the entrance of water. After the oakum is driven in very hard, hot melted pitch or rosin is poured into the groove, to keep the water from rotting it. Among the ancients the first who made use of pitch in caulking were the inhabitants of Phæacia, afterwards called Corfu. Wax and rosin appear to have been commonly used before that period; and the Poles still substitute an unctuous clay for the same purpose for the vessels on their navigable rivers.
CAULKING-BUTT. The opening between ends or joints of the planks when worked for caulking.
CAULKING-IRONS. The peculiar chisels used for the purpose of caulking: they are the caulking-iron, the making-iron, the reeming-iron, and the rasing-iron.
CAULKING-MALLET. The wooden beetle or instrument with which the caulking-irons are driven.
CAURY. Worm-eaten.
CAVALIER. In fortification, a work raised considerably higher than its neighbours, but generally of similar plan. Its object is to afford a plunging fire, especially into the near approaches of a besieger, and to shelter adjacent faces from enfilade. Its most frequent position in fortresses is at the salient of the ravelin, or within the bastion; and in siege-works in the advanced trenches, for the purpose of enabling the musketry of the attack to drive the defenders out of the covered way.
CAVALLO, by some Carvalhas. An oceanic fish, well-known as the bonito or horse-mackerel.
CAVALOT. A gun carrying a ball of one pound.
CAVALRY. That body of soldiers which serves and fights on horseback.
CAVER. See Kaver.
CAVIARE. A preparation of the roe of sturgeons and other fish salted. It forms a lucrative branch of commerce in Italy and Russia.
CAVIL. A large cleat for belaying the fore and main tacks, sheets, and braces to. (See Kevels.)
CAVITY. In naval architecture signifies the displacement formed in the water by the immersed bottom and sides of the vessel.
CAWE, or Cawfe. An east-country eel-box, or a floating perforated cage in which lobsters are kept.
CAWKER. An old term signifying a glass of strong spirits taken in the morning.
CAY, or Cayos. Little insulated sandy spots and rocks. The Spaniards in the West Indies called the Bahamas Los Cayos, which we wrote Lucayos. (See Key.)
CAZE-MATTE. See Casemate.
CAZERNS. See Casernes.
C.B. The uncials of Companion of the most honourable Order of the Bath. This grade was recently distributed so profusely that an undecorated veteran testily remarked that if government went on thus there would soon be more C.B.'s than A.B.'s in the navy.
CEASE FIRING. The order to leave off.
CEILING. The lining or planks on the inside of a ship's frame: these are placed on the flat of the floor, and carried up to the hold-beams. The term is a synonym of foot-waling (which see).
CELLS. See Sills.
CELOCES, or Celetes. Light row-boats, formerly used in piracy, and also for conveying advice.
CEMENT, Roman. For docks, piers, &c. See Pozzolana.
CENTIME. See Franc.
CENTINEL. See Sentinel.
CENTRAL ECLIPSE. See Eclipse.
CENTRE (usually Center). The division of a fleet between the van and the rear of the line of battle, and between the weather and lee divisions in the order of sailing.
CENTRE of Cavity, of Displacement, of Immersion, and of Buoyancy, are synonymous terms in naval architecture for the mean centre of that part of a vessel which is immersed in the water.
CENTRE OF GRAVITY, or Balancing Point. See Gravity.
CENTRE OF MOTION. See Motion (Centre of).
CENTURION. A military officer who commanded one hundred men, in the Roman armies.
CEOLA. A very old term for a large ship.
CERADENE. A large fresh-water mussel.
CERCURI. Ancient ships of burden fitted with both sails and oars.
CERTIFICATE. A voucher or written testimony