GAL 
flota one. Of silver, the galleons bring 
eighteen or twenty thousand crowns, and 
and the flota ten or twelve. Of precious 
stones the galleons bring quantities to an 
immense value ; besides fine wool, leather, 
and Campeachy w'ood. 
GALLERY, in fortification, a covered 
walk across the ditch of a town, made of 
strong beams, covered over head with 
planks, and loaded with earth : sometimes 
it is covered with raw hides to defend it 
from the artificial fires of the besieged. Its 
sides should be musquet proof. 
Gallery of a mine, is a narrow passage, 
or branch of a mine carried on under- 
ground to a work designed to be blown up. 
Both the besiegers and the besieged also, 
carry on galleries in search of each others 
mines, and these sometimes meet and de- 
stroy each other. 
Gallery, in ship-building, a balcony, 
projecting from the stern or quarter of a 
ship of war, or of a large merchantman: 
the stern-gallery is wholly at the stern of 
the ship, and is usually decorated with a 
balustrade extending from one side of the 
ship to the other ; the fore part is limited 
by a partition, in which are framed the 
cabin windows, and the roof of it is formed 
by a sort of vault termed the cove, which 
is frequently ornamented with sculpture. 
Quarter-gallery is that part which projects 
on each quarter, and is generally fitted up 
as a water closet. Ships of twenty-guns 
and upwards, on one deck have quarter 
galleries, but no stern gallery ; two and 
three deckers have quarter galleries, with 
their proper conveniences, and one or two 
stern galleries. 
GALLEY, in naval affairs, a low-built 
vessel, using both sails and oars, and com- 
monly carrying only a main-mast and fore- 
mast, which may be struck or lowered at 
pleasure. Such vessels are much used in 
the Mediterranean. 
These vessels are of a long standing, though 
it is probable the construction of those in 
modern times is very different from that 
formerly adopted. Galleys are of a finer 
and slenderer make than ships. Galley is 
the name also of an open boat, rowing six 
or eight oars, and used on the Thames by 
Custom-house officers, press-gangs, and also 
for pleasure. The same word denotes the 
kitchen of a ship of war, or the place 
where the grates are put up, fires lighted, 
and the victuals generally dressed. 
Galley slave, a person condemned, in 
GAL 
France, to work at the oar on board a 
galley, being chained to the deck. 
GALLIC-acid, in chemistry, exists in 
nut-galls, and is obtained by boiling to- 
gether for some time carbonate of barytes, 
and a solution of gall-nuts. This affords a 
bluish green liquid, which consists of a 
solution of gallic acid and barytes. It is 
now to be filtered and saturated with 
diluted sulphuric acid. Sulphate of barytes 
is deposited in the state of insoluble powder, 
and a colourless solution of gallic acid re- 
mains behind. This is the method given 
by Mr. Davy, others have been suggested 
by almost every practical chemist. Gallic- 
acid, pure, is in the form of transparent 
plates or octahedrons. Its taste is acid, 
and somewhat astringent, and when heated 
has rather an unpleasant aromatic odour. 
It is soluble in about twelve parts of cold 
water, and in three parts of alcohol : it is 
soluble in ether. It combines with alkaline 
bodies, making with them compounds called 
gallates. It occasions a precipitate when 
poured into solutions of glucina, yttria, and 
zircon in acids, which distinguishes these 
from the other earths, none of which are 
precipitated from their solutions by gallic 
acid. Upon the metallic solutions gallic 
acid acts with great energy, changing the 
colour, and producing precipitates in many 
of them. Hence it is frequently used as 
a re-agent to detect the presence of metal- 
lic bodies. It is composed of oxygen, car- 
bon, and hydrogen, but the proportions 
of each have not been accurately ascer- 
tained. 
GALLIOT, a small galley designed only 
for chase, carrying only one mast, and two 
or three pattereroes ; it can both sail and 
row, and has sixteen or twenty oars. All 
the seamen on board are soldiers, and each 
has a musket by him on quitting his oar. 
GALLON, a measure of capacity both 
for dry and liquid things, containing four 
quarts ; but these quarts, and consequently 
the gallon itself, are different, according to 
the quality of the thing measured : for in- 
stance, the wine gallon contains 231 cubic 
inches, and holds eight pounds averdupois 
of pure water : the beer and ale gallons 
contain 282 solid inches, and holds ten 
pounds three ounces and a quarter aver- 
dupois, of water : and the gallon for corn, 
meal, &c. 272j cubic inches, and holds nine 
pounds thirteen ounces of pure water. 
GALLOON, in commerce, a narrow 
thick kind of ferret, or lace, used to edge 
