NAUTICAL  DICTIONARY.                                   [EBB

water should the vessel prove leaky; when the ship has a
perishable cargo on board dunnage is sometimes required on the
sides of the vessel.

In evidence before the Court of Exchequer on 8th July, 1840,
upon a question of unseaworthiness (Castles v. Irving), it was
stated by one of the surveyors to Lloyd's that sugar requires
three beds of dunnage.

Dunnage is also used to keep goods from being injured on a
damp floor when deposited in a warehouse.

Dunnage Gratings, are gratings placed on a steamer's deck
to place cargo upon, which is stowed on deck so as to serve the
purpose of dunnage in keeping the goods clear of any water
flowing over the deck.

DWANG-STAFF. A local name given to the ^wrain-staff'
or ' wrung-staff.'

DYNANOMETER (Fr, Dynamometre). * An instrument for
indicating the thrust of a screw propeller,' that is, the force it
exerts in propelling the ship. (Murray's Treatise on Marine
Engines, 101.)
 

EARINGS. Ropes attached to the earing-cringles of a sail,
by which the upper corners and the leaches of the sail are secured
to the yard when it is bent or reefed. They are called head ov
reef earings, according to the particular cringles for which they
are used.    See Cringles (Earing),

EASE AWAY, or EASE OFF. To slacken out a rope or
tackle.

EASE OFF a sheet. The reverse of haul aft a sheet. See
Aft,

EASE THE HELM. To let it come more amidships when it
has been put hard up or down.

EASE THE SHIP. When a vessel is sailing close-hauled, to
ease her implies to let her head fall off a little so as to meet a
coming wave with less resistance : this is done by giving the helm
more freedom.

See also the article Steam-ship,

EASTING.    The distance sailed eastwards.    See Northing.

EBB (Fr, Baisse, Ebe, Jusant). The falling of the waters of
the sea, which takes place generally twice in the course of a lunar
day.    See Tide, 1.

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