federacy; an alliance. Also, a measure of length consisting
of three nautical miles, much used in estimating sea-distances; = 3041
fathoms.

LEAGUER. An old term for a camp. Also, _leaguers_, the longest
water-casks, stowed next the kelson, of 159 English imperial gallons
each. Before the invention of water-tanks, leaguers composed the whole
ground tier of casks in men-of-war.

LEAK [Anglo-Saxon _leccinc_]. A chink in the deck, sides, or bottom of a
ship, through which the water gets into her hull. When a leak begins, a
vessel is said to have _sprung_ a leak.

LEAKAGE. Loss by the act of leaking out of a cask. Also, an allowance of
12 per cent., to merchants importing wine, by the customs.

LEAKIES. Certain irregularities of tide in the Firth of Forth.

LEAKY. The state of a ship admitting water, and a cask or other vessel
letting out its contents.

LEAN. Used in the same sense as _clean_ or sharp; the reverse of _full_
or bluff in the form of a ship.

LEAN-BOW. Having a sharp entrance; a thin narrow bow being opposed to
bold bow. _Fine forward_, very fine is _lean as a lizard_.

LEAP. The sudden fall of a river in one sheet. Also, a weel, made of
twigs, to catch fish in.

LEAPER. _See_ LIPPER.

LEAT. A canal leading from a pool to a mill-course.

LEATHAG. A Celtic name for the plaice or flounder.

LEATHER. _See_ LATHER.

LEATHER-JACKET. A tropical fish with a very thick skin.

LEAVE. Permission to be absent from the ship for the day. (_See_
ABSENCE, LIBERTY.)--_French leave._ Going on shore without
permission.--_Long leave._ Permission to be absent for a number of days.

LEAVE-BREAKING. A liberty man not being back to his time.

LEAVE-TICKET. _See_ LIBERTY-TICKET.

LEAX. _See_ LEX.

LEDGE. A compact line of rocks running parallel to the coast, and which
is not unfrequent opposite sandy beaches. The north coast of Africa,
between the Nile and the Lesser Syrtis, is replete with them.

LEDGES. The 'thwart-ship pieces from the waste-trees to the roof-trees
in the framing of the decks, let into the carlings, to bear gratings,
&c. Any cross-pieces of fir or scantling.

LEDO. A barbarous Latin law-term (_ledo -onis_) for the rising water, or
increase of the sea.

LEE. From the Scandinavian word _l[oe]_ or _laa_, the sea; it is the
side opposite to that from which the wind is blowing; as, if a vessel
has the wind on her port side, that side will be the weather, and the
starboard will be the lee side.