The Sailor's Word-Book Part 218

Sh.e.l.l-FISH. A general term applied to aquatic animals having a hard external covering or sh.e.l.l, as whelks, oysters, lobsters, &c. These are not, however, properly speaking, fish.

Sh.e.l.lING. The act of bombarding a fort, town, or position.

Sh.e.l.l OF A BLOCK. The outer frame or case wherein the sheave or wheel is contained and traverses about its axis.

Sh.e.l.l-ROOM. An important compartment in ships of war, fitted up with strong shelves to receive the sh.e.l.ls when charged.

Sh.e.l.l, SHRAPNEL. _See_ SHRAPNEL Sh.e.l.l.

SHELVES. A general name given to any dangerous shallows, sand-banks, or rocks, lying immediately under the surface of the water.

SHELVING. A term expressive of step-like rocks lying in nearly horizontal strata, or inclining very gradually; as a "shelving bottom,"

or a "shelving land." Applied to the sh.o.r.e, it means that it ascends from the sea, and pa.s.ses under it at an extremely low angle, so that vessels of draught cannot approach.

SHERE. An archaic sea-term for running aground.

SHEVO. An entertainment, thought by some to be derived from the gaiety of the chevaux, or horse-guards; more probably from _chez-vous_.

SHIBAH. A small Indian vessel.

SHIELD-SHIP. A vessel fitted with one or more ma.s.sive iron shields, each protecting a heavy gun or guns. The name was applied to an improvement on the "cupola-ship," before the latter was perfected into the "turret-ship."

SHIELD TOWER OR TURRET. A revolving armoured cover for guns.

SHIEVE, TO. To have head-way. To row the wrong way, in order to a.s.sist the steersman in a narrow channel.

SHIFT. In ship-building, when one b.u.t.t of a piece of timber or plank overlaunches the b.u.t.t of another, without either being reduced in length, for the purpose of strength and stability.--_To shift_ [thought to be from the Anglo-Saxon _scyftan_, to divide]. To change or alter the position of; as, to shift a sail, top-mast, or spar; to shift the helm, &c. Also, to change one's clothes.

SHIFT A BERTH, TO. To move from one anchorage to another.

SHIFTED. The state of a ship's ballast or cargo when it is shaken from one side to the other, either by the violence of her rolling, or by her too great inclination to one side under a great press of sail; this accident, however, rarely happens, unless the cargo is stowed in bulk, as corn, salt, &c.

SHIFTER. A person formerly appointed to a.s.sist the ship's cook in washing, steeping, and shifting the salt provisions; so called from having to change the water in the steep-tub.

SHIFTING A TACKLE. The act of removing the blocks of a tackle to a greater distance from each other, in order to extend their purchase; this operation is otherwise called _fleeting_ (which see).

SHIFTING BACKSTAYS, ALSO PREVENTER. Those which can be changed from one side of a ship to the other, as the occasion demands.

SHIFTING BALLAST. Pigs of iron, bags of sand, &c., used for ballast, and capable of being moved to trim the vessel. Also, a term applied to messengers, soldiers, and live-stock.

SHIFTING-BOARDS. One or more wooden bulk-heads in a vessel's hold, put up fore-and-aft, and firmly supported, for preventing a cargo which is stowed in bulk from shifting.

SHIFTING-CENTRE. _See_ META-CENTRE.

SHIFTING SAND. A bank, of which the sand, being incoherent, is subject to removal or being driven about by the violence of the sea or the power of under-currents. Very accurate experiments have proved that the sands at the mouths of rivers are differently acted on during every hour of tide (or wind together); hence sands shift, and even stop up or render some channels unsafe.

SHIFTING THE MESSENGER. Changing its position on the capstan from right to left, or _vice versa_.

SHIFTING WINDS. Variable breezes, mostly light.

SHIFT OF WIND. Implies that it varies, or has changed in its direction.

SHIFT THE HELM! The order for an alteration of its position, by moving it towards the opposite side of the ship; that is, from port to starboard, or _vice versa_.

SHIMAL. A severe gale of wind from the N.W. in the Gulf of Persia and its vicinity; it is accompanied by a cloudless sky, thus differing from the _shurgee_.

SHINDY. A kind of dance among seamen; but also a row. Apparently modernized from the old Erse _sheean_, clamour.

SHINE. _To take the shine out of_. To excel another vessel in a manuvre. To surpa.s.s in any way.

SHINER. The familiar name for a lighthouse. Also, a name for the _dace_ (which see). Also, money; Jack's "shiners in my sack."

SHINGLE. Coa.r.s.e gravel, or stones rounded by the action of water; it is used as ballast.

SHINGLES. Thin slips of wood, used princ.i.p.ally in America, in lieu of slate or tiles in roofing. In very old times a planked vessel was termed a "shyngled or clap-boarded ship."

SHINGLE-TRAMPER. A coast-guard man.

SHIN UP, TO. To climb up a rope or spar without the aid of any kind of steps.

SHIP [from the Anglo-Saxon _scip_]. Any craft intended for the purposes of navigation; but in a nautical sense it is a general term for all large square-rigged vessels carrying three masts and a bowsprit--the masts being composed of a lower-mast, top-mast, and topgallant-mast, each of these being provided with tops and yards.--_Flag-ship._ The ship in which the admiral hoists his flag; whatever the rank of the commander be; all the lieutenants take rank before their cla.s.s in other ships.--_Line-of-battle ship._ Carrying upwards of 74 guns.--_Ship of war._ One which, being duly commissioned under a commissioned officer by the admiralty, wears a pendant. The authority of a gunboat, no superior being present, is equal to that of an admiral.--_Receiving ship._ The port, guard, or admiral's flag-ship, stationed at any place to receive volunteers, and bear them _pro. tem._ in readiness to join any ship of war which may want hands.--_Store-ship._ A vessel employed to carry stores, artillery, and provisions, for the use of a fleet, fortress, or Garrison.--_Troop-ship._ One appointed to carry troops, formerly called a transport.--_Hospital-ship._ A vessel fitted up to attend a fleet, and receive the sick and wounded. Scuttles are cut in the sides for ventilation. The sick are under the charge of an experienced surgeon, aided by a staff of a.s.sistant-surgeons, a proportional number of a.s.sistants, cook, baker, and nurses.--_Merchant ship._--A vessel employed in commerce to carry commodities of various sorts from one port to another. (_See_ MERCHANTMAN.)--_Private ship of war._ (_See_ PRIVATEERS, and LETTERS OF MARQUE.)--_Slaver_, or _slave-ship_. A vessel employed in carrying negro slaves.--_To ship._ To embark men or merchandise. It also implies to fix anything in its place, as "Ship the oars," _i.e._ place them in their rowlocks; "Ship capstan-bars." Also, to enter on board, or engage to join a ship.--_To ship a sea._ A wave breaking over all in a gale. Hence the old saying--

"Sometimes we ship a sea, Sometimes we see a ship."

_To ship a swab._ A colloquialism for mounting an epaulette, or receiving a commission.

SHIP-BOY. Boys apprenticed to learn their sea-duties, but generally appointed as servants.

SHIP-BREAKER. A person who purchases old vessels to break them to pieces for sale.

SHIP-BROKER. One who manages business matters between ship-owners and merchants, in procuring cargoes, &c., for vessels.

SHIP-BUILDER. Synonymous with naval constructor.

SHIP-BUILDING, OR NAVAL ARCHITECTURE. The art of constructing a ship so as to answer a particular purpose either for war or commerce. It is now expanding into a science.

SHIP-CHANDLER. A tradesman who supplies ships with their miscellaneous marine stores. (_See_ MATERIAL MEN.)

SHIP-CONTRACTOR. The charterer or freighter of a vessel.

SHIP-CRAFT. Nearly the same as the Anglo-Saxon _scyp-craeft_, an early word for navigation.

SHIP CUT DOWN. One which has had a deck cut off from her, whereby a three-decker is converted into a two-decker, and a two-decker becomes a frigate. They are then termed razees.

SHIP-GUNS. Those cast expressly for sea-service.

SHIP-KEEPER. An officer not much given to going on sh.o.r.e. Also, the man who has charge of a ship whilst she is without any part of her crew.