Part 487

TANGENT, (Tangente, Fr.) In trigonometry, is a right line raised perpendicularly on the extreme of the diameter, and continued to a point, where it is cut by a secant, that is, by a line drawn from the centre, through the extremity of the arch, whereof it is the tangent.

TANGENT. See GUNNERY.

TANGENT scale.--·21 of an inch is the tangent of 1 degree to every foot of a gun’s length, from the base ring to the swell of the muzzle: Therefore, if the distance in feet, between these two points be multiplied by ·21, the product will be the tangent of 1 degree; from which the dispart being subtracted, will give the length of the tangent scale above the base ring for one degree of elevation for that particular gun. If the scale is to be applied to the quarter sight of the gun, of course the dispart need not be subtracted.

Tangent of one degree to the following British ordnance.

----------------+--------+---------+-------- | | Tangent,| | Length.| 1°. |Dispart. ----------------+--------+---------+-------- |Ft. In. | In. | In. 12 pr. medium | 6 6 | 1·365 | 1·475 12 pr. light | 5 -- | 1·05 | 1· 6 pr. heavy | 7 -- | 1·47 | 1·32 6 pr. light | 5 -- | 1·05 | 1· 3 pr. heavy | 6 -- | 1·26 | 1·08 10 inch howitzer| 3 11¹⁄₂| ·84 | -- 8 do. howitzer | 3 1 | ·64 | -- 5¹⁄₂ do. light | 2 2³⁄₄| ·47 | -- 4²⁄₅ do. | 1 10 | ·384 | -- ----------------+--------+---------+--------

Tangent of one degree to the following French guns.

-------+---------------------+--------------------- | Siege. | Field. +----------+----------+----------+---------- | Tangent | | Tangent | Kind. | of 1°. | Dispart. | of 1°. | Dispart. -------+----------+----------+----------+---------- |in. li. p.|in. li. p.|in. li. p.|in. li. p. 24 pr. | 2 1 5 | 1 2 4 | -- | -- 16 -- | 2 - - | 1 1 - | -- | -- 12 -- | 1 10 6 | 1 - - | 1 4 - | 1 3 2 8 -- | 1 8 3 | 1 - - | 1 2 ¹⁄₂| 1 2 - 4 -- | -- | -- | 1 - - | 1 - - 6 in.}| -- | -- | 0 5 6 | -- how’r.}| | | | -------+----------+----------+----------+----------

As the French tangent scales are marked off in inches and lines, the above dimensions are given in the same, for the more ready turning the French elevations into degrees, and thereby comparing their ranges with the English.

TANK, Ind. A pond or pool of water. A reservoir to preserve the water that falls in the rainy season.

TANNADAR, Ind. A commander of a small fort, or custom house.

TAP. A gentle blow, as a tap of the drum.

TAPABORD, Fr. A sort of cap or slouched hat made in the English fashion which the French sailors wear. Its sides hang over the shoulders, and shield them from rain in wet weather. It likewise signifies a riding-cap, a montero.

TAPE-cul, Fr. That part of a swipe or swinging gate which serves to raise and let down a draw-bridge.

TAPE-cul, Fr. A falling gate.

En TAPINOIS, Fr. Slyly, secretly.

Se TAPIR, Fr. To lie squat.

TAPIS, Fr. This word literally means carpet, and is used by the French in a figurative sense, viz.

Amuser le TAPIS, Fr. To trifle.

Mettre une affaire sur le TAPIS, Fr. To open any particular transaction, to move a business.

La TAPE, le TAPON, ou TAMPON, Fr. The tampion.

TAPER ou TAMPONNER un Canon, Fr. To put in the tampion. Détaper un Canon, Fr. To take out the tampion.

TAPPEE, Ind. The post letter carrier on the coast of Coromandel. An express.

TAPROBANE, Ind. The ancient name for the island of Ceylon. It is derived from tapoo an island, and bany, a ferry.

TAP-TOO. TAT-TOO. See DRUM.

TAR. A kind of liquid pitch used in the composition of some sorts of fireworks.

TAR and FEATHERS. A method of punishment invented in the American revolution, which consisted in pouring a bucket of tar over the head of the culprit, and loosing a bag of feathers over it. See the poem of M‘Fingal.

TARANTHE, Fr. A thick iron peg which is used to turn the screw in a press.

TARAU, Fr. An instrument which is used in making the nut of a screw. It is a round piece of steel with a spiral shape.