The Sailor's Word-Book Part 198

RATE A CHRONOMETER, TO. To determine its daily gaining or losing rate on mean time.

RATED SHIP. Synonymous with _post-ship_ in former times; the term _ship_ alone now infers that it is a captain's command, whilst _sloop_ means a commander's.

RATH. A Gaelic term in use for _raft_--a timber raft; it is also an ancient earthen fort.

RATING. The station a person holds on the ship's books.

RATION. Each man's daily allowance of provisions; including, in the army, fuel and forage to man and horse.

RATIONAL HORIZON. _See_ HORIZON.

RATLINES, OR RATLINGS. Small lines which traverse the shrouds of a ship (at distances of 15 or 16 inches) horizontally from the deck upwards, and are made firm by jamming clove-hitches; they form a series of steps, like the rounds of a ladder.

RAT'S-TAIL. The tapering end of a rope. Also, the round tapered file for enlarging holes in metal.

RATTAN [Malay, _rotan_]. One of the genus _Calamus_, used for wicker-work, seats of chairs, &c. In the eastern seas they const.i.tute the chief cables, even to 42 inches circ.u.mference, infinitely stronger than hemp, light, and not easily chafed by rocks; very useful also to seamen for brooms, hoops, hanks for sails, &c.

RATTLE DOWN RIGGING, TO; OR, TO RATTLE THE SHROUDS. To fix the ratlines in a line parallel to the vessel's set on the water.

RAUN. An old Manx term for a seal. In the north it implies the roe of salmon, used as a bait.

RAUNER. A northern term for the female salmon, as having the raun or roe.

RAVE-HOOK. In ship carpentry, a hooked iron tool used when enlarging the b.u.t.ts for receiving a sufficient quant.i.ty of oak.u.m.

RAVELIN. In fortification, an outwork consisting of two long faces meeting in a salient angle, covering the curtain, and, generally, the shoulders of the bastions; it affords a powerful defence to the ground in front of the latter, which may rarely be approached till after the fall of the ravelin.

RAVINE. A deep chasm through which the rains are carried off elevated lands.

RAY. A line of sight. Also, a flat rhomboidal fish with a rough skin; genus, _Raia_.

RAZE, TO. To level or demolish (applicable to works or buildings).

RAZED. Fortifications are said to be razed when totally demolished.

RAZOR-BACK. The fin-whale (_Balaenoptera_), so called from its prominent dorsal fin. It usually attains the length of 70 feet.

RAZOR-BILL. A sea-fowl allied to the auks, _Alca torda_.

REACH, OR RATCH. A straight part of a navigable river; the distance between any two elbows on the banks, wherein the current flows in uninterrupted course.

REACHING. Sometimes used for standing off and on: a vessel is also said to be on a reach, when she is sailing by the wind upon any tack. A vessel also _reaches_ ahead of her adversary.

READY ABOUT! OR READY OH! The order to prepare for tacking, each man to his station. (_See_ ABOUT.)

READY WITH THE LEAD! A caution when the vessel is luffed up to deaden her way, followed by "heave."

REAL. A silver coin of Spain, value 5_d._ sterling. One-eighth of a dollar.

REALILLO. A small Spanish silver coin, value half a real.

REAM OR REEM OUT, TO. To enlarge the bore of a cannon with a special tool, so that it may take a larger projectile.

REAMING. Fishing vessels shifting their quarters while fishing. This word is often used for _reeming_ (which see).

REAR. An epithet for anything situated behind another, as the hindmost portion of a fleet or army. (_See_ DIVISION.) To _rear_ an object in view, is to _rise_ or approach it.

REAR-ADMIRAL. The officer in command of the third division of a fleet, whose flag is at the mizen.

REAR-GUARD. That part of the army which brings up and protects the rear.

REARING. The upper-works tumbling home, or being wall-sided.

REAR-RANK. The last rank of a body of men drawn up in simple line.

REAR-SHIP. The sternmost ship of a fleet.

RE-a.s.sEMBLE. To gather together a fleet, or convoy, after having been scattered.

REASTY. Rancid or rusty pork or b.u.t.ter, &c.

REAVEL, OR RAFFLE. To entangle; to knot confusedly together.

REBALLING. The catching of eels with earth-worms attached to a ball of lead suspended by a string from a pole.

REBATE. _See_ DISCOUNT.

REBATES. The grooves formed on each side of the keel, stem, or stern-post, to receive the planks. (_See_ RABBET.)

REBELS. Revolters and mutineers; in admiralty law the same as enemies.

RECEIVERS OF DROITS OF ADMIRALTY. Now termed _receivers of wreck_ (which see).

RECEIVERS OF WRECK. Persons specially charged with wrecked property for the benefit of the shipping interests.

RECEIVING-SHIP. At any port, to receive supernumerary seamen, or entered or impressed men for the royal navy.

RECIPROCATE. The alternate motion balancing a steam-engine.

RECIPROCITY. The enlarging or contracting particular admiralty statutes, to meet the usages of foreign powers.

RECKONING, SHIP'S. The ship's position resulting from the courses steered, and distances run by log, brought up from the last astronomical observations. If unaccompanied by corrections for longitude by chronometer, and for lat.i.tude, it is termed only the dead-reckoning.

RECOIL. The running in of a gun when discharged, which backward motion is caused by the force of the fire.

RECONNAISSANCE. A word adopted from the French, as meaning a military or nautical examination of a place.

RECONNOITRING. Sailing within gun-shot of an enemy's port to ascertain his strength and capabilities for offence and defence. Also, a rapid examination of coasts and countries, for correcting the defects of many previous maps and charts.