B L O 



'aflciilng t'ncm to the top-mail head, and for dir/ability 

 the flieave-holes are coppered. Cheek-biocks are bolted to 

 the th«-art-fhip fides of top-maft heads, clofe up under the 

 cap , the bolts ferve as the pin or axis for the flieaves to 

 work on ; the jib-ftay and haiiards, and fore-top-m?.ft llav?, 

 fail-ftay, ar;d hahards reeve through the cheek-blocks at the 

 fore-topmaiShead, r.nd the main-topmaft-ftay fail hahards, 

 av.d middlc-ftay fail-ftay, and haliards reeve through the 

 cheek-blc^ks, at the mahi-topmall-head. 



Blocks, due-gnrnt/, ferve to draw the ch;es, or lower 

 corners of the courfcs up to tlie yards, and are fallened to 

 the clues of thofe fails. In rigginir the lower-yards, thefe 

 laHi through the eyes upon the yard ; the blocks hanging 

 underneath, four feet without the middle ckats on each 

 fide. See ChEW-gamet. 



Bloci;- Clue-line, in rigging the sprit-fail yard, are (trap- 

 ped with two eyes, and are lalhed through thofe eyes round 

 the yard, three feet without the flings ; the lafliing to be 

 upon the yard. In rigging the fprit-fail top-fail yard, thcfe 

 blocks are ftrapped with two eyes, and are laflted i]u-ov;gh 

 thofe eyes round the vard, about two feet without the flings. 

 The clue-line blocks, in rigging the top-fail yards, are llrapt 

 with two ladling eyes, and lalh upon the yard three feet 

 v.-ithcut the flings ; the blocks hanging underneath the yard, 

 through which the clue-line reeves, and is fl;rapt with a 

 knot, and leads down upon the deck. In rigging the top- 

 gsllant yards, thefe blocks are ftrapt with two laihing eyes, 

 and lafh upon the yard three feet without the flings. The 

 blocks hang under the yard, through which is reeved the 

 clue-hne, which is ftopt with a knot. The leading-part 

 leads down the tr.aft, ar.d into the lower flirouds. Some 

 floops and Lght-rigged veflels have no clue-line blocks ; they 

 lou-er the yard. 



Blocks, D, are lumps of onk in the fhape of the letter D, 

 from twelve to fixteen inches long, and eight or ten inches 

 wide. They are thirded and bearded on the back, and 

 the edges beaded. A flieave-hole is cut through the middle 

 fere and aft. It is bolted to the fiiip's fide, in the channels, 

 to reeve the hfts, &c. 



Blocks. Detp-J'ea-l'me, are the fame as a wooden fnatch- 

 block (which fee,) only fmaller ; generally from nine to 

 eleven inches l<?ng. 



Block, Derrick, in rigging the mizen-yard, is ftrapt with 

 eyes, that go round the yard, and la(h underneath, between 

 the flings and the outer yard-arm or peek ; the other block 

 is crofsfcizcd into the fl:rap, has an eye fpliced in each 

 end, and lies upon the mizen cap, and feizes or hangs through 

 the eyes under the cap, or upon the upper fide of it. 



Block, Fifl}, is hung in a notch at the end of the davit, 

 and ferves to haul up the flukes of the anchor to the Ihip's 

 bow. 



Blocks, Girt-Une, in rigging the fore-maft, and main and 

 mizen malls, arc laflied round the ma.l-head, above the flop 

 of the cap, one to hang on each fide. The girt-lines that 

 »eeve through them lead down upon deck, for hoilling the 

 rigging-tops, and crofs-trees, and the perfons employed to. 

 place the rigging over the mad-head. 



Blocks, Leech-line, in rigging the lower yards, are 

 haflitd round the yaid, and through the eye of the ftrap, ten 

 feet within the cleats on each yard-arm ; the blocks hang on 

 the fore part of the yard. 



Blocks, Lift, in rigging the lower yard?, arc fpliced 

 into the ftrap of the topfail-iheet blocks ; the lifts reeve 

 through the block in the fpan round the maft-head, between 

 that and the top-maft, then lead down abreaft the fhronds, 

 and reeve through a block faftcned to the fide, and are there 

 belayed. In rigging the topfail -yards, the lift-blocks are 

 ftrapt with an eye to the fide of the yard -arm. The lift 



B L O 



reeves through the lower (heave in the fifter-block in the 

 topmaft-flirouds, and through the block on the yard-arm. 

 The ftanding part hooks to a becket round the topmaft-cap, 

 and the leading part leads down the fide of the maft, and 

 belays to the dead-eyes in the lower (hrouds. 



Block, Long-tackle, refembles two fingle-blccks joined 

 together endways, one being two-thirds Icfs than the other. 

 The (hell is made of a(h or elm, two-thirds longer than the 

 proportion for a fingle block. Thefe blocks are ufed for 

 tackles, and are made according to the fize of the rope, as 

 other fingle blocks. They are ufed in the Royal Navy and 

 Eaft India fervice as yard-tackles; but in the merchant fer- 

 vice as loading tackles. 



Blocks, Made, have the (hell formed of feveral pieces of 

 elm-plank, fuited to the thicknefs of the cheeks, flieave-holes, 

 and middle parts, and are ftrongly bolted together with three 

 bolts at each end, driven through and clenched on a ring at 

 the points. Thefe blocks have (latter cheeks and more fquare 

 edges than other treble and fourfold blocks. Of this fcrt are 

 large treble and four-fold blocks, for heaving down (hips, or 

 other heavy purchafes. Smaller made blocks, of modern in- 

 vention, are formed of two pieces, joining in the middle ; the 

 pin working on patent rollers, let into the infide of the 

 cheeks, which are bolted or rivetted together at the ends. 

 Thefe blocks are thought too complex for the Royal Navy, 

 and are not fo eafily remedied in cafe of failure. 



Block, Main-Jhcet, is ufed for the (heet-tackle of the 

 mainfail-booms of fmall vefftls, and is fingle or double ; 

 the (heet or fall being always belayed round the pin. The 

 (hell is made ofa(h oreltn, one half longer than the propor- 

 tion for fingle or double blocks ; the additional length is 

 tapered, and a hole bored through between the (heaves and 

 the end, to admit the ftrap ; the length of the pin is the length 

 of the block, and is finiiiar to a belaying pin, for which 

 purpofe it is fometimes ufed. 



Blocks, Monkey, are fometimes ufed on the lower yards 

 of fmall merchant (liips, to lead (into the maft or down upon 

 deck) the running rigging belonging to the fails. The (hells 

 are made of afli or elm ; fome are only fmall fingle blocks, 

 attached by a ftrap and iron fv.'ivel to iron-ftraps that em- 

 brace and nail to the yard, the block turning to lead the 

 fmall running-ropes in any direclion ;-others are nearly eight- 

 Iquare, with a roller working in the middle, the fame as a 

 (heave, with a wooden faddle beneath, to fit and nail to 

 the yard. 



Blocks, Nine-pin, are ufed to lead the running-ropes in 

 an horizontal diredion^ The (hells, made of a(h or elm, re- 

 femble the form of a nine-pin, though fiaUed on the fides ; 

 their lengths are generally confined to the place in which 

 they are fixed, and. this is for the moft part under the crofs- 

 picces of the fore-caftle and quarter-deck bitts. The 

 breadth of the block, (heave, &c. is governed by the rope, 

 and tapers at the ends to three-eighths of the breadth of the 

 middle ; the pin at each end, ferving as a vertical axis, is two- 

 thirds of the bignefs of the end. 1'iie thickntfs is five-eighths 

 of the breadth. Thefe blocks may be turned in a lathe, and 

 flatted afterwards with a fpoke-(have. 



Block, Quarter, Ree Thici ami tliin I^lock. 

 Blocks, Racl, are a range of fmall fingle blocks, made 

 from one folid, by the fame proportions as fingle blocks, 

 with ends, in form of a dove's tail, for the lafliing, by which 

 they are (aliened athwart the bowfprit, to lead in the run- 

 ning ropes. They are feldom ufed. 



Blocks, Shoe, are two fingle blocks, cut in a folid piece». 

 tranfverfely to each other. They ftrve for legs and fails of 

 the bunt-hues, but are feldom ufed. 



Block, Shouliler, is a large fingle block, left nearly 

 ft^uarc at the lower end, or arfe of the block, andcutfloping 



