—To spring the luff, easing the helm down to receive a breeze; to bring a vessel's head closer to the wind in sailing. Thus a vessel coming up sharply to the wind under full way shoots, and may run much to windward of her course, until met by a contrary helm. —To spring a mine. To fire its charge.

SPRING-BEAM. In a steamer, a fore-and-aft beam for connecting the two paddle-beams, and supporting the outer end of the paddle-shaft.

SPRING-FORELOCK. One jagged or split at the point, thereby forming springs to prevent its drawing.

SPRING-SEARCHER. A steel-pronged tool to search for defects in the bore of a gun.

SPRING-STAYS. Are rather smaller than the stays, and are placed above them, being intended as substitutes should the main one be shot away.

SPRING-TIDE. The periodical excess of the elevation and depression of the tide, which occurs when both the sun and moon act in the same direction.

SPRIT [Anglo-Saxon, spreotas]. A small boom which crosses the sail of a boat diagonally from the mast to the upper aftmost corner: the lower end of the sprit rests in a sort of becket called the snotter, which encircles the mast at that place. These sails are accordingly called sprit-sails. Also, in a sheer-hulk, a spur or spar for keeping the sheers out to the required distance, so that their head should plumb with the centre of the ship when taking out or putting in masts.[646]

SPRIT-SAIL. A sail formerly attached to a yard which hung under the bowsprit, and of importance in naval actions of old.

SPRIT-SAIL SHEET KNOT. May be crowned and walled, or double-walled, and is often used as a stopper-knot.

SPRIT-SAIL TOP-SAIL. A sail extended above the sprit-sail by a yard, which hung under the jib-boom.—Top-gallant sprit-sail was set upon the flying jib-boom in the same manner that the sprit-sail was set upon the inner jib-boom. The sprit-sail course, top-sail, and topgallant-sail were similar in effect to those on the fore-mast, and in former times, when the bowsprit stood more erect, it was indeed the bowsprit or mast.

SPRIT-SAIL YARD. A yard slung across the bowsprit, lashed to the knight-heads, and used to spread the guys of the jib and flying jib-boom. To this yard the sprit-sail was formerly bent.

SPRIT-SAIL YARDING. A cruelty in which some fishermen wreak vengeance on sharks, dog-fish, &c., that encroach on their baits, and foul their nets. They thrust a piece of wood through the gills of the unconscious offender, and in that condition turn it adrift upon the ocean.

SPROKET-WHEEL. That at the upper extremities of the chain-pump-tubes, worked by crank-handles.

SPRUNG. Damaged in various ways. Also, the ship slued round by means of guys. In ship-building, it indicates that a plank is strained so as to crack or fly open.

SPUEING THE OAKUM. When the ship's labouring forces the caulking out of her seams.

SPUN. The being turned back or rejected, on being examined touching qualifications.

SPUNGE. A cylindrical block of wood covered with sheepskin, used to clean the interior of a gun after firing, and to extinguish any sparks that may remain behind. The rope-sponge, fixed on a strong rope instead of a staff, has a rammer-head on its opposite end: it is used for service with lower-deck guns in bad weather when the ports cannot be opened except at moments for firing.

SPUNK. A fungus (Polyporus fomentarius and others) growing on the trunks of trees, from which tinder is made.

SPUN-YARN. A small line, formed of two, three, or more old rope-yarns not laid, but twisted together by hand or winch. Spun-yarn is used for various purposes, as seizing and serving ropes, weaving mats, &c.

SPUR. A projecting portion of a cliff. In fortification, spurs are walls that cross a part of the rampart and join to the town-wall. Also, in a sheer-hulk, the same as sprit (which see).

SPURKETS, or Spirkets. The spaces between the timbers along a ship's side betwixt the upper and lower futtocks, or betwixt the rungs fore and aft.

SPURLING-LINE. The line which formed the communication between the wheel and the tell-tale: it went round a small barrel, abaft the barrel of the wheel, and made the pointer show the position of the tiller.[647] Also, a line with thimbles as fair-leaders for running rigging. Now out of use.

SPURN-WATER. A channel left above the ends of a deck, to prevent water from coming any further. The water-ways.

SPURS, or Spur-shores. Large pieces of timber in launching, the lower ends of which are fixed to the bilge-ways, and the upper ends fayed and bolted to the ship's bottom for additional security.

SPURS OF THE BEAMS. Curved pieces of timber, serving as half-beams, to support the decks, where a whole one cannot be placed, on account of the hatchways.

SPURS OF THE BITTS. The same as standards (which see).

SQUAD. A diminutive of squadron. Also, a small party of soldiers assembled for drill or inspection.

SQUADRON. A division of a fleet, as van, centre, and rear squadrons. A flying squadron may be commanded by a rear-admiral, and consist of any class of vessels. Also, a body of cavalry consisting of two troops, or from 80 to 150 men. Squadron is the ordinary unit in reckoning the cavalry force of an army.

SQUALL. A sudden gust of wind, frequently occasioned by the interruption and reverberation of the wind from high mountains. These are very frequent in the Mediterranean, particularly in the Levant. —A black squall. One attended with a dark cloud and generally heavy rain.

—A white squall. This furious and dangerous gust occurs in clear weather, without any other warning than the white foam it occasions on the surface of the sea, and a very thin haze. When this squall reaches a ship, copious rain attends it. It is very destructive to the flying-kite school, and many lives have been sacrificed by it.

SQUARE. An instrument formed by a stock and a tongue fixed at right angles. Also, in the army, a formation of infantry devised to resist cavalry. (See Hollow Square and Rallying Square. ) Also, a term peculiarly appropriated to the yards and their sails.

Thus, when the yards hang at right angles with the mast they are said to be "square by the lifts;" when perpendicular to the ship's length, they are "square by the braces;" but when they lie in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the keel, they are "square by the lifts and braces. " The yards are said to be very square when they are of extraordinary length, and the same epithet is applied to their sails with respect to their breadth. Also, a figure composed of four equal sides and four right angles, is the square of geometry.

SQUARE-BUTTED. The yard-arms of small shipping so made that a sheave-hole can be cut through without weakening the yard.

SQUARE-FRAMES. In marine architecture, implies those frames which are square with the line of the keel, having no bevelling upon them.

SQUARE IN THE HEAD. Very bluff and broad in the fore-body.

SQUARE-KNOT. The same as reef-knot.

SQUARE MAIN-SAIL. See Main-sail.[648]

SQUARE OR SQUARING MARKS. Marks placed upon the lifts and braces.

SQUARE RIBBONS. A synonym of horizontal lines, or horizontal ribbons.

SQUARE-RIGGED. Ships having chiefly square sails; a term used in contradistinction to all vessels which do not use them. It is also applied to vessels with unusually long yards. The term is also familiarly used to denote a person's being full-dressed.

SQUARE-SAIL. The flying sail, set on the fore-yard of a schooner, or the spread-yard of a cutter or sloop.

SQUARE-SAIL BOOM. A boom hooked on to an eye-bolt in the fore-part of the fore-mast of a fore-and-aft vessel, to boom out the square-sail.

SQUARE-SAILS. Colloquially applied to the courses; but the term may be used for any four-cornered sail extended to a yard suspended by the middle.

SQUARE-STERNED. Implies a stern where the wing-transom is at right angles with the stern-post. (See Pink and Round Stern.)

SQUARE-STERNED AND BRITISH BUILT. A phrase to express the peculiar excellence of our first-class merchantmen.

SQUARE TIMBERS. Those timbers which stand square with, or perpendicular to, the keel.

SQUARE-TOPSAIL SLOOP. Sloops which carry standing yards.

SQUARE TUCK. The after-part of a ship's bottom, when terminated in the same direction up and down as the wing-transom.

SQUARE YARDS! The order to attend to the lifts and braces, for going before the wind.—To square a yard. In working ship, means to bring it in square by the marks on the braces. Figuratively, to settle accounts.

SQUARING THE DEAD-EYES. Bringing them to a line parallel to the sheer of the ship.

SQUARING THE RATLINES. Seeing that all are horizontal and ship-shape.

SQUATTER. The flutter of sea-birds along the water. Also, one who settles, without a title. The hybrid but expressive Americanism absquatulate, means to clear off; the reverse of to squat.

SQUAW. A woman of the North American Indians.

SQUEEGEE. An effective swabbing implement, having a plate of gutta-percha fitted at the end of a broom handle.

SQUETEE. The Yankee name of a labrus, very common in the waters of Long Island Sound and adjacent bays, but never found in rivers.

SQUID. An animal allied to the cuttle-fish, belonging to the class Cephalopoda; the calamary or Loligo of naturalists.

SQUILGEE, or Squillagee. A small swab made of untwisted yarns. Figuratively, a lazy mean fellow.

SQUIRM. A wriggling motion like that of an eel. Also, a twist in a rope.

STABBER. A pegging awl; the same as pricker.[649]

STABILITY. A quality implying a ship's capacity to bear every motion of the sea.

STACK. A precipitous rock rising out of the sea, in northern hydrography.

STACKEN CLOUD. The same as cumulus (which see).

STADE. The Anglo-Saxon stæde, still in use. A station for ships. From stade is derived staith (which see).

STAFF. A light pole erected in different parts of a ship, whereon to hoist and display the colours; as, the ensign-staff, reared immediately over the stern; the jack-staff, fixed on the bowsprit-cap. In military affairs, the staff includes all officials not having direct and specific military command, as the adjutant-general, quartermaster-general, majors of brigade, aides-de-camp, &c. This term has been unaccountably pilfered by the admiralty lately from the army, as a prefix to a naval title.

STAFF-CAPTAIN. A designation conferred in 1863 upon masters of the fleet.

STAFF-COMMANDERS. A designation conferred in 1863 on masters of fifteen years' seniority.

STAFF-OFFICER. On the general staff of the army, or of a combined force. See Staff.

STAG. A name given to a rock that should be watched for, as off the Lizard, Castlehaven, &c.

STAGE. Planks let over the ship's sides by ropes, whereon the people may stand when repairing, &c.—A floating stage is one which does not need the support of ropes.—Stage-gangway (see Brow).

STAGER. A resident or practised person. See Old-stager.

STAGGERING UNDER IT. A ship's labouring under as much canvas as she can bear.

STAGNES. A statute term for pools of standing water.

STAITH [Anglo-Saxon stæde]. An embankment on the river bank whence to load vessels. Also, a large wooden wharf, with a timber frame of either shoots or drops, according to circumstances.

STAKES. A weir (which see) for taking fish, as black-stakes, &c.

STAL-BOAT. A peculiar fishing-boat, mentioned in statute 27 Eliz. c. 21.

STALKERS. Certain fishing-nets mentioned in old statutes.

STAMMAREEN. The after or helmsman's seat in a Shetland fishing-boat.

STAMP AND GO! The order to step out at the capstan, or with hawsers, topsail-halliards, &c., generally to the fife or fiddle.

STANCH. See Staunch.

STANCHIONS. Any fixed upright support. Also, those posts of wood or iron which, being placed pillar-wise, support the waist-trees and guns.

STANCHIONS of the Nettings. Slender bars of iron or wood, the lower ends of which are fixed in iron sockets at proper distances.