a peculiar sort of long boat, used by the French, Spaniards, and Italian shipping, and in general by those of other European nations when employed in voyaging in the Mediterranean sea.
A lanch is proportionably longer, lower, and more flat bottomed than the long boat; it is by consequence less fit for sailing, but better calculated for rowing and approaching a flat shore. Its principal superiority to the long boat, however, consists in being by its construction much fitter to under-run the cable; which is a very necessary employment in the harbours of the Levant sea, where the cables of different ships are fastened across each other, and frequently render this exercise extremely necessary.
is also the movement by which the ship or boat descends from the shore, either when she is at first built, or at any time afterwards.
To facilitate the operation of lanching, and prevent any interruption therein, the ship is supported by two strong platforms, laid with a gradual inclination to the water, on the opposite side of her keel, to which they are parallel. Upon the surface of this declivity are placed two corresponding ranks of planks, which compose the base of a frame, called the cradle, whose upper part envelopes the ship's bottom, whereto it is securely attached. Thus the lower surface of the cradle, conforming exactly to that of the frame below, lies flat upon it lengthwise, under the opposite sides of the ship's bottom; and as the former is intended to slide downwards upon the latter, carrying the ship along with it, the planes or faces of both are well daubed with loam and tallow.
The necessary preparations for the lanch being made, all the blocks and wedges, by which the ship was formerly supported are driven out from under her keel, till her whole weight gradually subides upon the platforms above described, which are accordingly called the ways. The shores and stanchions, by which she is retained upon the stocks till the period approaches for lanching, are at length cut away, and the screws applied to move her if necessary. The motion usually begins on the instant when the shores are cut, and the ship slides downward along the ways, which are generally prolonged under the surface of the water, to a sufficient depth to float her as soon as she arrives at the farthest end thereof.
When a ship is to be lanched, the ensign, jack, and pendant, are always hoisted, the last being displayed from a staff erected in the middle of the ship.
Ships of the first rate are commonly constructed in dry docks, and afterwards floated out, by throwing open the flood gates, and suffering the tide to enter as soon as they are finished. LANCEROTA, one of the Canary islands, subject to Spain, and situated in W. Long. 13° 26' N. Lat. 29° 8'. It is about 32 miles in length and 22 in breadth. The ancient inhabitants were negroes, very strong, active, and swift of foot. There is a ridge of hills runs quite through it, on which are fed a good number of sheep and goats. They have but few black cattle, still fewer camels, and a very few small horses. The valleys are dry and sandy, yet they produce a small quantity of wheat and barley. This island was first discovered in 1417. In 1506 it was taken by the English under the command of the earl of Cumberland; after which it was better fortified than before. There is in this island a city called also Lancerota, which, at the time the earl of Cumberland was there, consisted only of about 100 houses, all poor buildings, generally of one story, and covered with reeds or straw laid upon a few rafters, and over all a coat of dirt hardened by the sun. There was also a church which had no windows in it, and was supplied with light only by the door.