SHIP, a general name for all large vessels with sails, fit for navigation on the sea; except galleys, which go with oars, and smack-sails.
To whom the world is indebted for the invention of ships, is, like all other things of equal antiquity, uncertain.
A very small portion of art or contrivance was seen in the first ships: they were neither strong nor durable; but consisted only of a few planks laid together, without beauty or ornament, and just so compacted as to keep out the water. In some places they were only the hulks or stocks of trees hollowed, and then consisted only of one piece of timber. Nor was wood alone applied to this use; but any other buoyant materials, as the Egyptian reed papyrus; or leather, of which the primitive ships were frequently composed; the bottom and sides being extended on a frame of thin battens or scantlings, of flexible wood, or begirt with wickers, such as we have frequently beheld amongst the American savages. In this manner they were often navigated upon the rivers of Ethiopia, Egypt, and Arabian Arabia, even in latter times. But in the first of them, we find no mention of any thing but leather or hides sewed together. In a vessel of this kind, Dardanus secured his retreat to the country afterwards called Troas, when he was compelled by a terrible deluge to forsake his former habitation of Samothrace. According to Virgil, Charon's infernal boat was of the same composition.
But as the other arts extended their influence, naval architecture likewise began to emerge from the gloom of ignorance and barbarism; and as the ships of those
ages were increased in bulk, and better proportioned for commerce, the appearance of those floating citadels of unusual form, full of living men, flying with seemingly expanded wings over the surface of the untravelled ocean, struck the ignorant people with terror and astonishment: and hence, as we are told by Aristophanes, arose the fable of Perseus flying to the Gorgons, who was actually carried thither in a ship! Hence, in all probability, the famous story of Triptolemus riding on a winged dragon is deduced, only because he sailed from Athens, in the time of a great dearth, to a more plentiful country, to supply the necessities of his people. The fiction of the flying horse Pegasus may be joined with these, who, as several mythologists report, was nothing but a ship with sails, and thence said to be the offspring of Neptune the sovereign of the sea; nor does there appear any other foundation for the stories of griffins, or of ships transformed into birds and fishes, which we so often meet with in the ancient poets. So acceptable to the first ages of the world were inventions of this nature, that whoever made any improvements in navigation or naval architecture, building new ships better fitted for strength or swiftness than those used before, or rendered the old more commodious by additional contrivances, or discovered countries unknown to former travellers, were thought worthy of the greatest honours, and often associated into the number of their deified heroes. Hence we have in astronomy the signs of Aries and Taurus, which were no other than two ships: the former transported Phryxus from Greece to Colchus, and the latter Europa from Phœnicia to Crete. Argo, Pegasus, and Perseus's whale, were likewise new ships of a different sort from the former, which being greatly admired by the barbarous and uninstruited people of those times, were translated amongst the stars, in commemoration of their inventors, and metamorphosed into constellations by the poets of their own and of succeeding ages.
The chief parts, of which ships anciently consisted, were three, viz. the belly, the prow, and the stern: these were again composed of other smaller parts, which shall be briefly described in their order. In the description, we chiefly follow Scheffer, who hath so copiously treated this subject, and with such industry and learning collected whatever is necessary to illustrate it, that very little room is left for enlargement by those who incline to pursue this investigation.
1. In the belly, or middle part of the ship, there was πρως, carina, or the "keel," which was composed of wood: it was placed at the bottom of the ship, being designed to cut and glide through the waves, and therefore was not broad, but narrow and sharp; whence it may be perceived that not all ships, but only the μακρην, which ships of war were called, whose bellies were straight and of a small circumference, were provided with keels, the rest having usually flat bottoms. Around the outside of the keel were fixed pieces of wood, to prevent it from being damaged when the ship was first launched into the water, or afterwards struck on any rocks; these were called χλινοματα, in Latin cunei.
Next to the keel was παλμος, the "pump-well, or well-room," within which was contained the αγγας, or
"pump;" through which water was conveyed out of the ship.
After this, there was δευτέρα πρως, or the "second keel," somewhat resembling what is now called the kelson; it was placed beneath the pump, and called λιοντες, χαλκεις, κλινοπαδους: by some it is falsely supposed to be the same with παλμος.
Above the pump was an hollow place, called by Herodotus καλη της νους, by Pollux κτος and υπερος, because large and capacious, after the form of a belly; by the Latins, testudo. This was formed by crooked ribs, with which it was surrounded, which were pieces of wood rising from the keel upwards, and called by Hesychius πυμεις, and by others ισκωλα, the belly of the ship being contained within them: in Latin, costae; and in English timbers. Upon these were placed certain planks, which Aristophanes calls υπεροπυμεις, or υπεροπυμεις.
Hence proceed we to the παλμοι, latera, or "sides" of the ship, which encompassed all the former parts on both hands; these were composed of large rafters extended from prow to stern, and called ζυγεις, and ζυγοματα, because by them the whole fabric was begirt or surrounded.
In both these sides the rowers had their places, called φοροι and εσθλας, in Latin fori and transira, placed above one another: the lowest was called εσθλας, and those that laboured therein εσθλαμιν; the middle ζυγας, and the men ζυγεις; the uppermost εσθλας, whence the rowers were termed εσθλαμιν. In these apartments were spaces through which the rowers put their oars: these were sometimes one continued vacancy from one end to the other, called πρως; but more usually distinct holes, each of which was designed for a single oar: these were stiled πρως, πρως, as also εσθλας, because not unlike the eyes of living creatures. All of them were by a more general name termed ιχωμα, from containing the oars; but ιχωμα seems to have been another thing, signifying the spaces between the banks of oars on each side, where the passengers appear to have been placed. On the top of all there was a passage or place to walk, called παρδαος, and παρδαρος, as joining to the εσθλας, or uppermost bank of oars.
2. Πρως, the "prow or fore-deck," whence it is sometimes called μυτωνας, and commonly distinguished by other metaphorical titles taken from human faces. In some ships there is mention of two prows, as also two sterns; such was Danaus's ship adorned by Minerva when he fled from Egypt. It was usual to beautify the prow with gold and various sorts of paint and colours: in the primitive times red was most in use; whence Homer's ships were commonly dignified with the titles of μυλοπαδης, and φινιχοπαδης, or "red-faced;" the blue likewise, or sky-colour, was frequently made use of, as bearing a near resemblance to the colour of the sea; whence we find ships called by Homer χαινοπαδης, by Aristophanes χαινοβωλος. Several other colours were also made use of; nor were they barely varnished over with them, but very often annealed by wax melted in the fire, so as neither the sun winds, nor water, were able to deface them. The art of doing this was called from the wax χαινογραφια, from the fire ιθανυτικη, which is described by Vitruvius, and mentioned in Ovid.
In these colours the various forms of gods, animals, plants, &c. were usually drawn, which were likewise often added as ornaments to other parts of the ships, as plainly appears from the Ancient Monuments presented to the world by Baylius.
The sides of the prow were termed πρυξ, or "wings," and πρυξ, according to Scheffer, or rather πρυξ; for since the prow is commonly compared to a human face, it will naturally follow that the sides should be called cheeks; these are now called bow by our mariners.
3. Πρυξ, the "hind-deck or poop," sometimes called πρυξ, the "tail," because the hindmost part of the ship: it was of a figure more inclining to round than the prow, the extremity of which was sharp, that it might cut the waters; it was also built higher than the prow, and was the place where the pilot sat to steer: the outer-bending part of it was called κωστια, answering to our term, quarter.
They had various ornaments of sculpture on the prow; as helmets, animals, triumphal wreaths, &c. The stern was more particularly adorned with wings, shields, &c. Sometimes a little mast was erected whereon to hang ribbands of divers colours, which served instead of a flag to distinguish the ship; and a weathercock, to signify the part from whence the wind blew.
On the extremity of the prow was placed a round piece of wood, called the πρυξ, from its bending; and sometimes ὄψ, the "eye" of the ship, because fixed in the fore-deck; on this was inscribed the name of the ship, which was usually taken from the figure painted on the flag. Hence comes the frequent mention of ships called Pegasus, Scylla, bulls, rams, tigers, &c. which the poets took the liberty to represent as living creatures that transported their riders from one country to another.
The whole fabric being completed, it was fortified with pitch, and sometimes a mixture of rosin, to secure the wood from the waters; whence it comes that Homer's ships are every where mentioned with the epithet of μαλαί, or "black." The first that made use of pitch were the inhabitants of Phœacia, since called Corficia: sometimes wax was employed in the same use, whence Ovid,
Carulea cœratas accipit unda rates.
The azure waves receive the waxy ships.
After all, the ship being bedecked with garlands and flowers, the mariners also adorned with crowns, she was launched into the sea with loud acclamations and other expressions of joy; and being purified by a priest with a lighted torch, an egg and brimstone, or after some other manner, was consecrated to the god whose image she bore.
The ships of war of the ancients were distinguished from other kinds of vessels, by various turrets and accessions of building, some to defend their own soldiers, and others to annoy the enemy; and from one another, in latter ages, by several degrees or ranks of oars, the most usual number of which was four or five, which appear not to have been arranged, as some imagine, on the same level in different parts of the ship; nor yet, as others have supposed, directly above
one another's heads; but their seats being placed one behind another, ascended gradually, like stairs. Ptolemy Philopater, urged by a vain-glorious desire of exceeding all the world besides in naval architecture, is said to have farther enlarged the number of banks to 40, and the ship being otherwise in equal proportion, this raised her to such an enormous bulk, that she appeared at a distance like a floating mountain or island; and, upon a nearer view, like a prodigious castle on the ocean. She was 280 cubits long, 38 broad, and 48 high, each cubit being 1 English foot 5½ inches; and carried 400 rowers, 400 sailors, and 3000 soldiers. Another which the same prince made to sail on the Nile, we are told, was half a stadium long. Yet these were nothing in comparison with Hiero's ship, built under the direction of Archimedes; on the structure whereof Moschion wrote a whole volume. There was wood enough employed in it to make 50 galleys: it had all the variety of apartments of a palace; such as banqueting-rooms, galleries, gardens, fish-ponds, stables, mills, baths, and a temple to Venus: it was encompassed with an iron rampart, eight towers, with walls and bulwarks, furnished with machines of war, particularly one which threw a stone of 300 pounds, or a dart 12 cubits long, the space of half a mile, with many other particulars related by Athenæus. But these, and all such monstrous fabrics, served only for show and ostentation; being rendered by their vast bulk unwieldy and unfit for service. Athenæus informs us, the common names they were known by, were Cyclades, or Ætna, i. e. "islands, or mountains," to which they seemed nearly equal in bigness; consisting, as some report, of as many materials as would have composed 50 triremes, or ships of three banks.
A modern ship is undoubtedly the noblest machine that ever was invented; and consists of so many parts, that it would require a whole volume to describe it minutely. However, we shall endeavour to satisfy the reader more fully on this head, as it is an article of the utmost importance.
The plans, elevations, and sections, used in the construction of a ship; the principal pieces of which she is composed; and the qualities requisite to answer the several purposes of navigation, are described, or referred to, in SHIP-BUILDING, Part I.; and the application of this theory to practice, is treated in Part II.
The machinery and furniture with which she is equipped, are variously diffused throughout this work. See MAST, SAIL, YARD, RIGGING, ANCHOR, &c.
The qualities by which she is enabled to encounter a tempestuous sea, are treated in the article BALLAST and TRIM; and her several movements therein, are explained under NAVIGATION, DRIFT, SAILING, TACKING, LEEWAY, PITCHING, and ROLLING.
Considered as a moveable fortress, or citadel, her military operations are described in NAVAL TACTICS.
To give a collective illustration of the subject, we have exhibited, in Plate CCLXIII. a representation of a first-rate ship of war, with all her masts, yards, and rigging erect, and the several sails furled to their respective yards and stays; and, in Plate CCLXIV. a section of the same, shewing the inside thereof.
Parts of the hull. A, the cat-head; B, the fore-chains; C, the main-chains; D, the mizzen chains; E, the entering port; F, the hawse holes; G, the poop lanterns; H, the chefs-tree; I, the head; K, the stem.
L, The bowsprit. 1, 2, Yard and sail. 3, Gammonging. 4, Horfe. 5, Bob stay. 6, Sprit-sail sheets. 7, Pendants. 8, Braces and pendants. 9, Halliards. 10, Lifts. 11, Clew-lines. 12, Sprit-sail horfes. 13, Bunt-lines. 14, Standing lifts. 15, Sprit-sail top. 16, Flying jib boom. 17, Flying jib stay and sail. 18, Halliards. 19, Sheets. 20, Horfes.
M, The sprit-sail top-mast. 21, Shrouds. 22, 23, Yard and sail. 24, Sheet. 25, Lifts. 26, Braces and pendants. 27, Cap. 28, Jack-staff. 29, Truck. 30, Jack flag.
N, The fore-mast. 31, Runner and tackle. 32, 33, Shrouds. 34, Laniards. 35, Stay and laniard. 36, Preventer-stay and laniard. 37, Woolding the mast. 38, Yard and sail. 39, Horfes. 40, Top. 41, Crow-foot. 42, Jeers. 43, Yard tackles. 44, Lifts. 45, Braces and pendants. 46, Sheets. 47, Fore tack. 48, Bow-lines and bridles. 49, Fore bunt-lines. 50, Fore leech-lines. 51, Fore top ropes. 52, Puttock shrouds.
O, The fore top-mast. 53, 54, Shrouds and laniards. 55, Yard and sail. 56, Stay and sail. 57, Runner. 58, Back stays. 59, Halliards. 60, Lifts. 61, Braces and pendants. 62, Horfes. 63, Clew-lines. 64, Bow-lines and bridles. 65, Reef-tackles. 66, Sheets. 67, Bunt-lines. 68, Cross-trees. 69, Cap.
P, The fore top-gallant mast. 70, 71, Shrouds and laniards. 72, Yard and sail. 73, Back stays. 74, Stay. 75, Lifts. 76, Clew-lines. 77, Braces and pendants. 78, Bow-lines and bridles. 79, Flag staff. 80, Truck. 81, Flag-staff stay. 82, Flag of lord high-admiral.
Q, The main mast. 83, 84, Shrouds. 85, Laniards. 86, Runner and tackle. 87, Pendant of the gornet. 88, Guy of ditto. 89, Sail of ditto. 90, Stay. 91, Preventer-stay. 92, Stay tackle. 93, Woolding the mast. 94, Jeers. 95, Yard tackles. 96, Lifts. 97, Braces and pendants. 98, Horfes. 99, Sheets. 100, Tacks. 101, Bow-lines and bridles. 102, Crow-foot. 103, Top rope. 104, Top. 105, Bunt-lines. 106, Leech-lines. 107, Yard and sail.
R, The main top-mast. 108, 109, Shrouds and laniards. 110, Yard and sail. 111, Puttock shrouds. 112, Back-stays. 113, Stay. 114, Stay sail and stay halliards. 115, Runnets. 116, Halliards. 117, Lifts. 118, Clew-lines. 119, Braces and pendants. 120, Horfes. 121, Sheets. 122, Bow-lines and bridles. 123, Bunt-lines. 124, Reef-tackles. 125, Cross-trees. 126, Cap.
S, The main top-gallant mast. 127, 128, Shrouds and laniards. 129, Yard and sail. 130, Back stays. 131, Stay. 132, Stay-sail and halliards. 133, Lifts. 134, Braces and pendants. 135, Bow-lines and bridles. 136, Clew-lines. 137, Flag staff. 138, Truck. 139, Flag-staff stay. 140, Flag standard.
T, The mizzen mast. 141, 142, Shrouds and laniards. 143, Pendants and burtons. 144, Yard and
sail. 145, Crow foot. 146, Sheet. 147, Pendant-lines. 148, Peck brails. 149, Stay-sail. 150, Stay. 151, Derric and spann. 152, Top. 153, Cross jack yard. 154, Cross jack lifts. 155, Cross jack braces. 156, Cross jack flings.
V, The mizzen top-mast. 157, 158, Shrouds and laniards. 159, Yard and sail. 160, Back stays. 161, Stay. 162, Halliards. 163, Lifts. 164, Braces and pendants. 165, Bow-lines and bridles. 166, Sheets. 167, Clew-lines. 168, Stay-sail. 169, Cross trees. 170, Cap. 171, Flag staff. 172, Flag staff stay. 173, Truck. 174, Flag union. 175, Ensign staff. 176, Truck. 177, Ensign. 178, Poop ladder. 179, Bower cable.
Thus have we pointed out the external parts; masts, rigging, &c. an account of all which may be seen under their respective articles MAST, HULL, ROPE, RUDDER, &c.
Which represents the section of a first-rate man of war, showing its various timbers and apartments.
A is the head; containing, 1, The stem. 2, The knee of the head, or cut-water. 3, The lower and upper cheek. 4, The tail-board. 5, The figure. 6, The gratings. 7, The brackets. 8, The false stem. 9, The breast hooks. 10, The haufe hole. 11, The bulk head, forward. 12, The cat-head. 13, The cat-book. 14, Necessary seats. 15, The manger within board. 16, The bowsprit.
B, Upon the forecastle. 17, The gratings. 18, The partners of the fore mast. 19, The gun wale. 20, The belfry. 21, The funnel for the smoke. 22, The gangway going off the forecastle. 23, The forecastle guns.
C, In the forecastle. 24, The door of the bulk head, forward. 25, The officers cabins. 26, The stair-case. 27, The fore top-sail sheet bits. 28, The beams. 29, The car lines.
D, The middle gun-deck, forward. 30, The fore-jeer bits. 31, The oven and furnace of copper. 32, The captain's cook-room. 33, The ladder, or way up into the forecastle.
E, The lower gun-deck, forward. 34, The knees fore and aft. 35, The spirketings, or the first streak next to each deck; the next under the beams being called clamps. 36, The beams of the middle gun-deck fore and aft. 37, The car-lines of the middle gun-deck, fore and aft. 38, The fore bite. 39, The after, or main bite. 40, The hatchway to the gunner's and boatswain's store-rooms. 41, The jeer capston.
F, The orlop. 42, 43, 44, The gunner's, boatswain's, and carpenter's store-rooms. 45, The beams of the lower gun-deck. 46, 47, The pillars and the riders, fore and aft. 48, The bulk-head of the store-rooms.
G, The hold. 49, 50, 51, The foot-hook rider, the floor-rider, and the standard, fore and aft. 52, The pillars. 53, The step of the fore mast. 54, The kelson, or false keel, and dead rising. 55, The dead wood.
H, A-midships in the hold. 56, The floor timbers. 57, The keel. 58, The well. 59, The chain pump. 60, The step of the main mast. 61, 62, Beams and car-lines of the orlop, fore and aft.
I, The orlop a-midships. 63, The cable tire. 64, The main hatchway.
K, The lower gun-deck a-midships. 65, The ladder leading up to the middle gun-deck. 66, The lower tire or ports.
L, The middle gun-deck a-midships. 67, The middle tire ports. 68, The entering port. 69, The main jeez bits. 70, Twisted pillars or stantions. 71, The capstan. 72, The gratings. 73, The ladder leading to the upper deck.
M, The upper gun-deck a-midships. 74, The main top-sail sheet bits. 75, The upper partners of the main mast. 76, The gallows on which spare top-masts, &c. are laid. 77, The fore sheet blocks. 78, The rennets. 79, The gun wale. 80, The upper gratings. 81, The drift brackets. 82, The pifs dale. 83, The capston pall.
N, Afloat the main mast. 84, The gang-way off the quarter-deck. 85, The bulkhead of the coach. 86, The stair-case down to the middle gun-deck. 87, The beams of the upper deck. 88, The gratings about the main-mast. 89, The coach, or council-chamber. 90, The stair-case up to the quarter-deck.
O, The quarter-deck. 91, The beams. 92, The ear-lines. 93, The partners of the mizen mast. 94, The gangway up to the poop. 95, The bulk-head of the cuddy.
P, The poop. 96, The trumpeter's cabin. 97, The taffarel.
Q, The captain-lieutenant's cabin.
R, The cuddy, usually divided for the master and secretary's officers.
S, The state-room, out of which is made the bed-chamber, and other conveniences for the commander in chief. 98, The entrance into the gallery. 99, The bulk-head of the great cabin. 100, The stern-lights and after galleries.
T, The ward-room, allotted for the lieutenants and land-officers. 101, The lower gallery. 102, The steerage and bulk-head of the ward-room. 103, The whip-staff, commanding the tiller. 104, The after stair-case down to the lower gun-deck.
V, Several officers cabins afloat the main mast, where the soldiers generally keep guard.
W, The gun-room. 105, The tiller commanding the rudder. 106, The rudder. 107, The stern-post. 108, The tiller-transom. 109, The several transoms, viz. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 110, The gun-room ports, or stern-chase. 111, The bread-room scuttle, out of the gun-room. 112, The main capstan. 113, The pall of the capstan. 114, The partner. 115, The bulk-head of the bread-room.
X, The bread-room. Y, The steward's room, where all provisions are weighed and served out. Z, The cock-pit, where are subdivisions for the purser, the surgeon, and his mates.
AA, The platform, or orlop, where provision is made for the wounded in time of service. 116, The hold afloat the main-mast. 117, The step of the mizen mast. 118, The kelson, or false keel. 119, The dead-wood, or rising.
Different Kinds of Ships. All ships at first were of the same form, whatever uses they were designed for; but the various ends of navigation, some of which were
better answered by one form, some by another, soon gave occasion to build and fit out ships, not only different in bigness, but also in their construction and rigging: and as trade gave occasion to the fitting out large fleets of different kinds of merchant-ships; so ships of war became necessary to preserve them to their just proprietors.
Ships of War, are vessels properly equipped with artillery, ammunition, and all the necessary martial weapons and instruments for attack or defence. They are distinguished from each other by their several ranks or classes. See RATE.
Ship of the Line, is usually applied to all men of war mounting 60 guns and upwards. Of late, however, our fifty-gun ships have been formed sufficiently strong to carry the same metal as those of 60; and accordingly may fall into the line in cases of necessity. See NAVAL TACTICS, Sect. II.
Armed Ship. See ARMED SHIP.
Hospital Ship, a vessel fitted up to attend on a fleet of men of war, and receive their sick or wounded; for which purpose her decks should be high, and her ports sufficiently large. Her cables ought also to run upon the upper deck, to the end that the beds or cradles may be more commodiously placed between decks, and admit a free passage of the air, to disperse that which is offensive or corrupted.
Merchant Ship, a vessel employed in commerce, to carry commodities of various sorts from one port to another.
Merchant ships are estimated by their burden; that is, by the number of tons they bear, each ton reckoned at 2000 lb. weight; this estimate being made by gauging the hold, which is the proper place of loading.—The largest merchant-ships are those employed by the different European companies of merchants who trade to the East Indies. They are in general somewhat larger than our forty-gun ships: they are mounted with twenty cannon on their upper-deck, which are nine-pounders, and six on their quarter-deck, which are six-pounders.
Private Ship of War. See PRIVATEER.
Store-Ship, a vessel employed to carry artillery or naval stores for the use of a fleet, fortrefs, or garrison.
Transport Ship, is generally used to conduct troops from one place to another.
Besides those mentioned above, there are other forms; the principal of which we have collected into one point of view in Plate CCLXV. so that the reader who is unacquainted with marine affairs may the more easily perceive their distinguishing characters, which are also more particularly described under their respective articles.
In the different kinds of ships referred to above, and distinguished from each other by their size or figure, we have only considered those which are most common in European nations, where the marine art has received the greatest improvements. So far is apparently consistent with the views of utility. To give a circumstantial account of the various species of ships employed in different nations, besides being an almost endless task, would be of little service except to gratify an useless curiosity.
To SHIP, is either used actively; as, to embark any person, or put any thing aboard-ship: Or passively, to receive any thing into a ship; as, We shipped a heavy sea at three o'clock in the morning.
To SHIP, also implies to fix any thing in its place; as, to ship the oars, i. e. to fix them in their rowlocks. To ship the swivel-guns, is to fix them in their sockets, &c.