Part 20

Dead Eyes

Are a Kind of Blocks having three Holes in them, and through them the Lanyards go, which make fast the Shrouds below to the Chains; the Fore, Main and Mizon Stays of a Ship are set taught by dead Eyes, but they have only one Hole through which the Lanyards have several Turns passed through them.

Crowfoot

Has a great many Holes bored through them, wherein is reeved the Crowfoot for the Top.

Ironbound

Serves (in Case a Chain Plate gives way) with being hooked to a Shroud Ess as a Chain Plate.

Dead

Reckoning

Is that Estimation, Judgment or Conjecture which is made where a Ship is, by keeping an Account of her Way by the Logg, in knowing the Course they have steered by the Compass, and by rectifying all the Allowance for Drift, Leeway, &c. according to the Ship's Trim, so that this reckoning is without any Observation of the Sun, Moon and Stars, and is to be rectified as often as any good Observation can be had.

Riseing

Are Pieces of Timber put on the Keel one upon another Afore and Abaft; there is more or less according as the Ship is either full or lean; if the latter, the dead Wood is so put that the Floor Timbers would be within a Square.

Water

Is the Water just behind the Stern of a Ship, and if a great Eddy follows her, they say, she makes much Dead-water; this is called so, because it doth not pass away so swiftly as the Water running by her Side.

Deals Ordinary

Are used by the House Carpenters and Joyners for Flooring, making Bulk-heads, &c.

Deals Prusia

For Ships upper Works, or laying their Decks.

Deck

Is a planked Floor, on which the Guns lye, and Men walk. In great Ships there are three Decks, Upper, Middle and Gun, besides a Quarter Deck, which reaches from the Bulk-head of the Round-house, to very near the Main-mast.

Diall

A Square Piece of Wood, framed and made not unlike the Dial Plate of a Clock, whereon the Hours are painted, fixed to the Mizon-Mast, and after the Ship's Bell being struck, they put the Hand of it to the Hour.

Dipping Needle

A Magnetical Needle, so hung, that instead of playing horizontally, and pointing out N° and S°, one End dips and inclines to the Horizon, the other Points to a certain Degree of Elevation.

Division

Or Squadron, being Part of a Fleet, commanded by a Flag Officer or Commodore.

Dock

Is made by the Side of the Harbour for taking in Ships, and Men to work in, in order to build or repair them.

A Dry-Dock, the Water is kept out by Gates, 'till a Ship is built or repaired, but after that, can easily be let in to Float and Launch her.