PREFACE.
 

In this great maritime country, with the exception of the
present work, the first edition of which has been for a
number of years out of print, there is no modern Dictionary
of maritime terms.

The latest work of the kind is Dr. Burney's edition of
Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine, published at a time
when the learned editor thought that steam vessels, which
had been ' invented and introduced by a native of Scotland,'
and successfully navigated on some of the American rivers
at six knots an hour, ^ might be of use in our navigable
rivers and canals and on the Scotch and Irish lakes,' and
that, ^ even in a military point of view, advantage might
be obtained from this invention.'

Now, the ocean in every quarter of the globe is traversed
by merchant steamers, and almost every ship of war is
provided with steam machinery as a moving power. The
recent progress of improvement in the building and equip¬
ment of ships, and many other causes, have likewise wrought
material and most extensive change in the language of sea¬
faring men^

This Dictionary has been framed chiefly for the com¬
piler's own use in performing the duties of a practical and
consulting average adjuster.
 

13443*:
 

v--^^