CHAMBERS^ INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



the foremast there are, or may be, five squaresails, 

 each with its own yard, the foresail or forecourse, 

 foretop-sail, f oretopgallant, royal, and skysails. The 



Fig. 3- 



smaller and higher ones are only used in veiy light 

 winds. All these sails can be turned at pleasure, 

 so as to be presented to the wind at the proper 

 angle, by means of braces attached to the end of 

 their yards, and leading to the mainmast. The 

 mainmast is furnished with a similar set of sails, 

 somewhat larger ; and the mizzenmast also with a 

 set, though somewhat smaller. The mizzenmast, 

 however, instead of a square ' course,' has a large 

 fore-and-aft sail called a spanker or driver, hoist- 

 ing up abaft the mast. Some ships have similar 

 sails on the fore and main masts, which are found 

 of great use in gales of wind, as a substitute for 

 storm staysails ; and most ships also carry light 

 triangular staysails between the masts. Stud- 

 dingsails spread beyond the squaresails (on each 

 side) like wings, are found useful in going before a 

 light breeze. 



SAILING-VESSELS. 



Sailing-vessels are of numerous sizes, shapes, 

 and modes of rigging ; these depending not merely 

 on the particular trade for which they are intended, 

 but often also on the taste or whim of their owners. 

 By the aid of figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, we may describe 

 the principal varieties. Fig. 3, which we have 

 already referred to in speaking of masts and sails, 

 represents the largest kind, the only one which 

 strictly should be called a ' ship.' It has three 

 masts, with square sails on each, rigged in the 

 manner already described. The full complement 

 of sails, not including skysails or studdingsails, is 

 about twenty-four of these the engraving shews 

 only thirteen set, or partially set namely, the jib, 

 the forecourse, topsail, topgallant, and royal ; the 

 mainsail, maintop, topgallant, and royal ; and the 

 spanker, mizzentop, topgallant, and royal. 



A barque is a threemasted vessel like a ship, but 

 with only fore-and-aft sails on the mizzenmast. It 

 has generally also a fore-and-aft driver on the fore- 

 mast, in addition to the forecourse. 



Next beneath the class of ships is that of brigs. 

 A brig (fig. .4) has only two masts, but these are 

 both square-rigged like those of a ship. The after- 

 mast is the larger of the two, and is called the 

 mainmast, the other being the foremast. As in 



452 



the barque, the foremast of a brig has generally a 

 fore-and-aft sail, called a trysail. A brigantine 

 has the bowsprit and foremast of a brig, and the 



Fig. 4. 



mainmast of a schooner, and so combines to some 

 extent the advantages of both square and fore-and- 

 aft rig. 



With brigs and brigantines square rigging 

 terminates, and we come to classes of vessels in 

 which the rigging is of a different character. At 

 the head of these stands the schooner, a vessel 

 sometimes with three, but generally with two 

 masts. The rigging of schooners varies very much, 

 but fig. 5 shews the most common type. The 



Fig- 5- 



masts are generally called main and fore, and the 

 names of the sails will easily be made out from the 

 preceding remarks. The maintop-sail is of a 

 peculiar shape, and is called a gaff. The mainsail 

 has yards both at top and bottom, the lower one 

 being called a boom. 



The sloop or smack (called in the navy a cutter) 

 has only one mast, and has an extremely large 

 mainsail. Its principal sails are shewn in fig. 6, 

 but in addition to these it has a gafftop-sail, and 

 several jibs to suit different states of the wind. 

 Yachts, which are generally built for the purpose 

 of attaining the greatest possible speed, are always 

 fore-and-aft rigged, with either one or two masts, 

 like a sloop or schooner. 



All the preceding classes of vessels pos; 



