Part 531

WARDEN, or lord Warden of the Cinque ports. A magistrate that has the jurisdiction of those havens in the east part of England, commonly called the cinque ports, or five havens, where he is invested with all that jurisdiction which the admiral of England has in places not exempt. According to Cowel, from whom this explanation is taken, the reason why one magistrate should be assigned to these havens seems to be, because, in respect to their situation, they formerly required a more vigilant care than other havens, being in greater danger of invasion. On this account the lord chief warden of the cinque should be an officer of some experience, well skilled in the art of defence, and equal to the superintendance of so important a range of coast, upon which France had cast a jealous eye from time immemorial, and where Cæsar made a successful landing. It is, however, little more than a sinecure situation, and a snug retreat for ex-ministers.

By act the 26th of Geo. III. it has been enacted, that the warden of the cinque ports, two ancient towns, and their members, and in his absence his lieutenant or lieutenants, may put in execution, within the said ports, towns and members, all the powers and authorities given and granted by this act, in like manner as lieutenants of counties and their deputy lieutenants, may do, and shall keep up and continue the usual number of soldiers in the said ports, towns and members, unless he or they find cause to lessen the same. The militia of the ports is, according to this act, to remain separate from the militia of the counties, and may be called out, pursuant to an act passed in the 13th and 14th years of king Charles the Second, notwithstanding the pay advanced may not have been reimbursed.

WARDER. A guard; a truncheon by which an officer at arms forbade fight.

WARFARE. Military service, state of war.

To WARFARE. To lead a military life.

WARHABLE. WARLIKE. Military; fit for war.

WARLIKE virtues, are, love of our country, courage, valor, prudence, intrepidity, temperance, disinterestedness, obedience, wisdom, vigilance, and patience. In the last celebration of the anniversary of the destruction of the Bastille, which took place at Paris on the 14th of July, 1789, the French characterized these eleven virtues by the following emblems:--a pelican, a lion, a horse, a stag, a wolf, an elephant, a dog, a yoked ox, an owl, a cock, and a camel.

WARNED. Admonished of some duty to be performed at a given time or place. Thus officers and soldiers are warned for guard, &c.

WARRANT. A writ of authority inferior to a commission: thus quarter-masters are warrant officers.

To WARRAY. To make war upon any state or body of men. An obsolete word.

WARREN. A kind of park for rabbits.

WARREN, at Woolwich, England, so called from the spot having formerly been stocked with rabbits. It now comprehends the head-quarters for the royal artillery, the royal foundery, the royal laboratory, and royal military academy; also famous for proofs and experiments of artillery, and great apparatus of war.

WARRIOR. A soldier; one who fights in war.

WAR-Whoop. A signal of attack among the Indians. See WHOOP.

WARWOLF. In ancient military history, an engine for throwing stones and other great masses.

WAR-WORN. Worn out in the service.

WASELAAT, Ind. Collections made.

WASEL Baky, Ind. Collections made, and balances struck.

WASHER. A flat circular ring put on the axle-tree, between the linch-pin and small end of the nave, to prevent the nave rubbing against the linch-pin and wearing it, as likewise to diminish the friction of the nave.

WASSYOUT Nama, Ind. A will or last testament

To WATCH. To keep guard; to be attentive and vigilant; to observe the conduct of any one.

WATCH. A duty performed on board of ship. It likewise means the person who performs that duty.

Serjeant of the WATCH. A non-commissioned officer belonging to the marines or other troops on board, who does duty for a stated period. At sea, the term watch denotes a measure or space of four hours, because half the ship’s company watch and do duty in their turns, so long at a time: and they are called the starboard watch and larboard watch.

The following instructions have been published respecting the watch duty which is to be done by troops embarked in transports, &c.

At eight o’clock in the evening, every man is to be in his birth, except the men on watch: the officer of the watch to go round with a lanthorn, to see that the above has been complied with.

The whole to be divided into three watches, both subaltern officers and men; the watch gives all the sentries, &c. &c.

A captain of the day to be appointed, to whom the subaltern of the watch will make his reports; and the captain to the commanding officer; if there be a superior officer on board.

The whole watch to be always on deck, except when rain obliges them to go down for shelter; and, in fine weather, every man should be upon deck the whole day.