The Sailor's Word-Book Part 96

FIs.h.i.+NG-TAUM. A northern designation of an angling line, or angling gear.

FIs.h.i.+NG-VESSELS. A general term for those employed in the fisheries, from the catching of sprats to the taking of whales.

FISH-LEEP. An old term for a fish-basket.

FISH-ROOM. A s.p.a.ce parted off by bulk-heads in the after-hold, now used for waste stores, but formerly used for stowing salt fish--an article of food long discontinued. In line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps, a small store-room near the bread-room, in which spirits or wine, and sometimes coals, were stowed, with the stock-fish.

FISH-SPEAR. An instrument with barbed spikes.

FISH-TACKLE. A tackle employed to hook and draw up the flukes of a s.h.i.+p's anchor towards the top of the bow, after catting, in order to stow it; formerly composed of four parts, viz. the pendant, the block, the hook, and the tackle, for which see DAVIT.

FISH THE ANCHOR, TO. To turn up the flukes of an anchor to the gunwale for stowage, after being catted.--_Other fish to fry_, a common colloquialism, expressing that a person has other occupation demanding his attention.

FISH-WIFE, OR FISH-WOMAN. A female carrier and vendor of fish in our northern cities.

FIST, TO. To handle a rope or sail promptly; thus _fisting_ a thing is readily getting hold of it.

FIT FOR DUTY. In an effective state for service.

FIT RIGGING, TO. To cut or fit the standing and running rigging to the masts, &c.

FIT-ROD. A small iron rod with a hook at the end, which is put into the holes made in a vessel's side, to ascertain the length of the bolts or tree-nails required to be driven in.

FITTED FURNITURE. Rudder-chocks, bucklers, hawse-plugs, dead-lights, pump-boxes, and other articles of spare supply, sent from the dockyard.

FITTERS. Persons in the north who vend and load coals, fitting s.h.i.+ps with cargoes, &c.

FITTING OUT A s.h.i.+P. The act of providing a s.h.i.+p with sufficient masts, sails, yards, ammunition, artillery, cordage, anchors, provisions, stores, and men, so that she is in proper condition for the voyage or purpose to which she is appointed.

FIUMARA. A term common to the Italian coasts for a mountain torrent.

FIVE-FINGERS. The name given to the _Asterias_, or star-fish, found on our sh.o.r.e. c.o.c.ker in 1724 describes it thus: "_Five-fingers_, a fish like a spur-rowel, destructive to oysters, to be destroyed by the admiralty law." They destroy the spat of oysters.

FIVE-SHARE MEN. In vessels, as whalers, where the men enter on the chances of success, &c., in shares.

FIX BAYONETS! s.h.i.+p them ready for use.

FIXED AMMUNITION. Is, complete in each round, the cartridge being attached to the projectile, to facilitate simultaneous loading. In the British service it is only used for small mountain-pieces, but in the French for field-artillery in general. It does not stow conveniently.

FIXED BLOCKS. Solid pieces of oak let through the sides of the s.h.i.+p, and fitted with sheaves, to lead the tacks, sheets, &c., of the courses in-board.

FIXED STAR. _See_ STARS (FIXED).

FIZZ. The burning of priming.

FLABBERGAST, TO. To throw a person aback by a confounding a.s.sertion; to produce a state of extreme surprise.

FLADDERMUS. A base silver German coin of four kreutzers' value.

FLAG. A general name for the distinguis.h.i.+ng colours of any nation. Also, a certain banner by which an admiral is distinguished at sea from the inferior s.h.i.+ps of his squadron. The flags of the British navy were severally on a red, white, or blue field, and were displayed from the top of the royal pole of the main, fore, or mizen mast, according to the rank of the admiral, thus indicating nine degrees. This diversity of colour has now been long done away with. The white field, with the red St. George's cross, and the sinister upper corner occupied by the union, is now alone used in the British navy--the blue being a.s.signed to the reserve, and the red to the mercantile navy. An admiral still displays his flag exclusively at the main truck; a vice-admiral at the fore; a rear-admiral at the mizen. The first flag in importance is the royal standard of Great Britain and Ireland, hoisted only when the king or queen is on board; the second is the anchor of hope, for the lord high-admiral, or the lords-commissioners of the admiralty; and the third is the union flag, for the admiral of the fleet, who is the next officer under the lord high-admiral. The various other departments, such as the navy board, custom-house, &c., have each their respective flags.

Besides the national flag, merchant s.h.i.+ps are permitted to bear lesser flags on any mast, with the arms or design of the firm to which they belong, but they "must not resemble or be mistaken for any of the flags or signals used by the royal navy," under certain penalties. When a council of war is held at sea, if it be on board the admiral's s.h.i.+p, a flag is hung on the main-shrouds; if the vice-admiral's, on the fore-shrouds; and if the rear-admiral's, on the mizen-shrouds. The flags borne on the mizen were particularly called gallants. There are also smaller flags used for signals. The word _flag_ is often familiarly used to denote the admiral himself. Also, the reply from the boat if an admiral is on board--Flag!

FLAG-OFFICER. A term synonymous with _admiral_.

FLAG OF TRUCE. A white flag, hoisted to denote a wish to parley between the belligerent parties, but so frequently abused, with the design of obtaining intelligence, or to cover stratagems, &c., that officers are very strict in its admission. It is held sacred by civilized nations.

FLAG-SHARE. The admiral's share (one-eighth) in all captures made by any vessels within the limits of his command, even if under the orders of another admiral; but in cases of pirates, he has no claim unless he partic.i.p.ates in the action.

FLAG-s.h.i.+P. A s.h.i.+p bearing an admiral's flag.

FLAG-SIDE OF A SPLIT FISH. The side without the bone.

FLAG-STAFF. In contradistinction to mast-head, is the staff on a battery, or on a s.h.i.+p's stern, where the colours are displayed. (_See_ FLARE.)

FLAKE. A small s.h.i.+fting stage, hung over a s.h.i.+p's side to caulk or repair a breach. (_See_ FISH-FLAKE.)

FLAM. Wedge-shaped. Also, a sudden puff of wind. Also, a shallow.

FLAM-FEW. The brilliant reflection of the moon on the water.

FLAN. An old word, equivalent to a flaw, or sudden gust of wind from the land.

FLANCHING. The bellying out; synonymous with _flaring_.

f.l.a.n.g.e. In steamers, is the projecting rim at the end of two iron pipes for uniting them. (_See_ PORT-f.l.a.n.g.e.)

FLANK, TO. To defend that part; incorrectly used sometimes for firing upon a flank.

FLANK OF AN ARMY. The right or left side or end, as distinguished from the front and rear--a vulnerable point. Also, the force composing or covering that side. In fortification, a work constructed to afford flank defence.

FLANK-COMPANIES. The extreme right and left companies of a battalion, formerly called the grenadiers and light infantry, and wearing distinctive marks in their dress; now the t.i.tle, dress, and duties of all the companies of a battalion are the same.

FLANK-DEFENCE. A line of fire parallel, or nearly so, to the front of another work or position.

FLANKED ANGLE. In fortification, a salient angle formed by two lines of flank defence.

FLAP. The cover of a cartridge-box or scupper.

FLAPPING. The agitation of a sail with sheet or tack carried away, or the sudden jerk of the sails in light winds and a heavy swell on.

FLARE. In s.h.i.+p-building, is flanching outwards, as at the bows of American s.h.i.+ps, to throw off the bow-seas; it is in opposition to tumbling home and wall-sided.

FLARE. A name for the skate, _Raia batis_.

FLARE, TO. To rake back, as of a fas.h.i.+on-piece or knuckle-timber.

FLASH. The laminae and grain-marks in timber, when cut into planks. Also, a pool. Also, in the west, a river with a large bay, which is again separated from the outer sea by a reef of rocks.--_To make a flash_, is to let boats down through a lock; to flash loose powder at night to show position.

FLAs.h.i.+NG-BOARD. To raise or set off.