STRIKE SOUNDINGS, To. To gain bottom, or the first soundings, by the deep-sea lead, on coming in from sea.

STRING [Anglo-Saxon stræng]. In ship-building, a strake within side, constituting the highest range of planks in a ship's ceiling, and it answers to the sheer-strake outside, to the scarphs of which it gives strength.

STRINGERS. A name sometimes applied to shelf-pieces (which see). Also, heavy timber similarly carried round a ship to fortify her for special heavy service, as whaling, [663]&c.

STRIPPED TO THE GIRT-LINE. All the standing-rigging and furniture having been cleared off the masts in the course of dismantling.

STRIPPING. An inconvenient fault of many lead-coated projectiles—the throwing off portions of their coating on discharge from the gun.

STRIP THE MASTS, To. To clear the masts of their rigging.

STROKE. A pull or single sweep of the oars in rowing; hence the order, "Row a long stroke," which is intended to move the boat forward more steadily.

STROKE-OAR. The aftermost oar in a boat, from which the others take their time.

STROKE OF THE SEA. The shock occasioned to a vessel by a heavy sea striking her.

STROKE-SIDE of a Boat. That in which the after starboard rowlock is placed, or where the after oar is rowed if single-banked.

STROKESMAN. The man who rows the aftmost oar in a boat.

STROM. An archaism of storm or tempest.

STROMBOLO. Bits of ampelite or cannel-coal found on our southern coasts, charged with bitumen, sulphur, and salt. The name is referred to the Island of Stromboli, but the Brighton people insist that it is from the Flemish strom-bollen, meaning stream or tide balls.

STRONG-BACK. The same with Samson's post (which see). Also, an adaptation of a strong piece of wood over the windlass, to lift the turns of a chain-cable clear of it.

STRONG BREEZE. That which reduces a ship to double-reefed top-sails, jib, and spanker.

STRONG GALE. That strength of wind under which close-reefed top-sails and storm-staysails are usually carried when close-hauled.

STROP, or Strap. A piece of rope, spliced generally into a circular wreath, and used to surround the body of a block, so that the latter may be hung to any particular situation about the masts, yards, or rigging. Strops are also used occasionally to fasten upon any large rope for the purpose of hooking a tackle to the eye or double part of the strop, in order to extend or pull with redoubled effort upon the same rope; as in setting up the rigging, where one hook of the tackle is fixed in a strop applied to the particular shroud, and the other to its laniard.

STROP-BOUND BLOCK. A single block used in the clue of square-sails for the clue-lines to lead through; it has a shoulder left on each side to prevent the strop from chafing.—Iron-strop, a hoop of iron, in lieu of rope, round the shell of a block.

STRUCK BY A SEA. Said of a ship when a high rolling wave breaks on board of her.

STRUT. A stanchion or sustaining prop to the lower beams.

STUBB, or Dogg. The lower part of a rainbow visible towards the horizon, and betokening squally weather: it is fainter than the wind-gall. On the banks of Newfoundland they are considered precursors of clearer weather, and termed fog-dogs.[664]

STUD, or Bar. A small piece of cast-iron introduced across the middle of each link of the larger chain-cables, where, acting as a strengthener, it prevents collapse, and keeps the links endways to each other.

STUDDING-SAIL BOOM. A spar rigged out for the purpose of setting a studding-sail, and taking its name from the sail it belongs to.

STUDDING-SAILS. Fine-weather sails set outside the square-sails; the term "scudding-sails" was formerly used.—Top-mast and top-gallant studding-sails. Those which are set outside the top-sails and topgallant-sails. They have yards at the head, and are spread at the foot by booms, which slide out on the extremities of the lower and top-sail yards, and their heads or yards are hoisted up to the top-sail and top-gallant yard-arms.

STUDDING-SAIL YARD. The spar to which the head of the studding-sail is extended.

STUFF. A coat of stuff, a term used for any composition laid on to ships' spars, bottom, &c. Also, square timber of different thicknesses.

STUFFING-BOX. A contrivance on the top of a steam cylinder-cover, packed with hemp, and kept well soaked with tallow, to prevent steam from passing through while the piston-rod is working.

STUMP. A derogatory but well-known name in navigating our eastern coasts for the beautiful tower of Boston church. (See Snags.)

STUMP TOPGALLANT-MASTS. Those without a royal pole.

STUN-SAILS. A corruption of studding-sails (which see).

STURGEON. Acipenser sturio, a large fish; it has a cartilaginous skeleton, with a small circular and tubular mouth. It is found in the European seas and larger rivers. The roes are made into caviare, and the sounds and muscular parts into isinglass. It is a royal fish in England.

STURRE-MANNE. An old name for a sea-captain.

SUBALTERNS. All commissioned army officers ranking below captains.

SUB-LIEUTENANT. A rank lately reproduced, to which a midshipman is entitled on passing for lieutenant; formerly styled mate.

SUBMARINE BANK. An extensive sandy plateau with deep water over it.

SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH. Consists of a steel wire-rope, containing a heart of gutta-percha and other soft materials, in which are inclosed the copper wires through which the communication by electricity is conveyed. Rapid progress has been made in the art of making and handling this rope, as is proved by the existence of two cables between Ireland and America, one of which was recovered from the deep sea by creeping.

SUBMARINE THERMOMETER. An instrument for trying the temperature of the sea at different depths. It consists of a hollow weighted cylinder in which a Six's thermometer is placed; the cylinder being provided with a valve at each end, opening upwards, so that as it sinks the valves open, allowing a free course of water through the cylinder: when it reaches the required depth the line is checked and the valves close; it is then hauled gently in, and the thermometer reaches the surface surrounded by water of the required depth, indicating its temperature.[665]

SUBSIDY. A stipulated sum of money paid by one ruler to another, in pursuance of a treaty of alliance for offensive and defensive war. Also, a sum allowed for the conveyance of mails.

SUBSISTENCE. The amount to be issued to troops as daily pay, after making the regulated deductions for rations, necessaries, &c.

SUCCADES. Sweetmeats entered at the custom-house; formerly a large part of the cargo of Spanish West Indiamen.

SUCCOUR. An enterprise undertaken to relieve a place besieged or blockaded, by either forcing the enemy from before it, or throwing in supplies.

SUCKING. The action of the pump when the well is nearly dry, or at least so low at the pump-foot as to admit air.

SUCK-STONE. An archaic name for the remora.

SUCK THE MONKEY, To. To rob the grog-can. (See Monkey.)

SUCTION. The rising of a fluid by the pressure of the atmosphere into a space where a vacuum has been created.

SUFFERANCE. A permission on the custom-house transire (which see.)

SUFFERANCE WHARF. See Wharf.

SUFFOLK BANG. A very poor and hard kind of cheese, which was indignantly refused in our North Sea fleet. It was, as farmer's boy Bloomfield admitted, "too hard to bite."

SUGAR-LOAF. A term applied to conical hills along a sea-coast.

SUGAR-LOAF SEA. High turbulent waves with little wind.

SUGG, To. To move or rock heavily on a bank or reef.

SUIT OF SAILS. The whole of the sails required to be bent for a vessel.

SULLAGE. The deposition of mud and silt by water.

SULLIT. A broad Dutch fishing-boat.

SULPHUR. A mineral which forms a principal ingredient in the manufacture of gunpowder, and greatly increases the rapidity of its combustion.

SUMMER-BLINK. A transient gleam of sunshine in bad weather.

SUMMER COUTS. A northern name for the aurora borealis.

SUMMER SOLSTICE. See Cancer.

SUMP. A bog or swamp. Also, a patent fuse used in mining.

SUMPIT. An arrow blown from the sumpitan, in Borneo. The sumpitan is about 7 feet long; the arrow has been driven with some force at 130 yards. Some suppose it to be poisoned.

SUN. The central body of our planetary system, and the source of light and heat; it is 850,000 miles in diameter. —With the sun, i. e. from left to right.

—Against the sun, from right to left.

SUN AND MOON IN DISTANCE. When the angle between those bodies admits of measurement for lunars (about 130°).

SUNDAY. Ought to be a day of rest at sea as well as on shore, when religious services might generally be performed. Though called the negro's holiday, it often brings but little cessation from work in some merchantmen; they sail on a Sunday, not because of exigency, but because it is otherwise a leisure day, and thereby gained to the owners.[666]

SUN-FISH. The Orthagoriscus mola, a whimsical-looking creature, like the head of a large fish severed from its body. Also, a name in the south for the basking shark, from its habit of lying in the sunshine.

SUNKEN ROCK. That which lies beneath the surface of the sea, and is dangerous to navigation.

SUNK LAND. Shallows and swamps.

SUN-STAR. The Solaster papposus, one of the largest and handsomest of our radiated star-fishes.

SUPERANNUATED. Applied to such as have permission to retire from the service on a stated pension, on account of age or infirmity.

SUPER-CARGO. A person charged with the accounts and disposal of the cargo, and all other commercial affairs in the merchant-ship in which he sails.

SUPER-HEATED. Said of steam, the heat of which has been raised after being generated.

SUPER-HEATER. A contrivance for increasing the temperature of the steam to the extent that it would lose on its way from the boiler, until exhausted from the cylinder.

SUPERIOR CONJUNCTION. When an inferior planet is situated in the same longitude as the sun, and has that luminary between it and the earth, it is said to be in superior conjunction.

SUPERIOR PLANETS. Those which revolve about the sun as a centre, outside the earth's orbit; the opposite of inferior.

SUPERIOR SLOPE. The inclined upper surface of a parapet.

SUPERNATANT PART OF A SHIP. That part which, when afloat, is above the water. This was formerly expressed by the name dead-work.

SUPERNUMERARIES. Men over and above the established complement of a ship, who are entered on a separate list in the ship's books for victuals and wages.

SUPPLEMENT OF LONGITUDE. The term usually applied to its complement, or what it wants of 180°.

SUPPORT A FRIEND, To. To make every exertion to assist a vessel in distress, from whatever cause. Neglect of this incurs punishment.

SUPPORTERS. Circular knee-timbers placed under the cat-heads for their support and security.

SURA. The drink otherwise called toddy (which see).

SURDINY. An old name for the fish sardine.

SURE, or Shore. See Shore.

SURES. Peculiar southerly winds which blow on the coasts of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, accompanied by a fog or vapour, called sures pardos.

SURF. The swell and foam of the sea, which breaks upon the shore, or any rock lying near the surface. The most violent surfs are those which break upon a flat shore, as on the Coromandel and African coasts.

SURFACE CURRENT. A current which does not extend more than 8 or 10 feet below the surface. Also, fresh water running over salt at the mouths of great rivers.[667]

SURF-BOAT. A peculiar kind of flat-bottomed boat, varying according to local exigencies, for landing men, or goods, in surf. (See Masulah Boats.)