tarred.--_Navel-line._ A rope depending from the heads of the main and
fore masts, and passed round to the bight of the truss to keep it up,
whilst the yard is being swayed up, or when the truss, in bracing sharp
up, is overhauled to the full.--_Spilling-lines._ Ropes fixed
occasionally to the square sails, particularly the main and fore courses
in bad weather, for reefing or furling them more conveniently; they are
rove through blocks upon the yard, whence leading round the sail they
are fastened abaft the yard, so that the sail is very closely
confined.--_White-line._ That which has not been tarred, in
contradistinction to _tarred line_.

LINE-BREADTH. _See_ BREADTH LINE.

LINE OF BATTLE. A disposition of the fleet at the moment of engagement,
by signal or previous order, on which occasion the vessels are usually
drawn up as much as possible in a specified bearing, as well to gain and
keep the advantage of the wind, as to run the same board, about 1 cable,
or 100 fathoms distant from each other. The line-of-battle in sea-fights
occurs both in Plutarch (_Themistocles_) and Froissart.

LINE-OF-BATTLE SHIPS. Formerly those of 74 guns and upwards; or in these
iron days, any vessel capable of giving and taking the tremendous blows
of the larger ordnance.

LINE OF BEARING. A previously determined bearing given out by a
commander-in-chief, as well as line-of-battle. "From line of battle form
line of bearing," or reverse. The line of bearing must be that point of
the compass on which the ships bear from each other, and from which the
line of battle can readily be formed without losing speed or ground.

LINE OF COLLIMATION. _See_ COLLIMATION, LINE OF.

LINE OF DEFENCE. In fortification, the face of a work receiving flank
defence, together with its prolongation to the flanking work.

LINE OF DEMARCATION. A line which is drawn by consent, to ascertain the
limits of territories belonging to different powers.

LINE OF LINE. _See_ GUNTER'S LINE.

LINE-OF-METAL ELEVATION. That which the axis of a gun has above the
object when its line of metal is pointed on the latter; it averages
1-1/2 deg. in guns of the old construction.

LINE OF NODES. The imaginary line joining the ascending and descending
nodes of the orbit of a planet or comet.

LINE OF OPERATIONS. In strategy, the line an army follows to attain its
objective point.

LINE OUT STUFF. To mark timber for dressing to shape.

LINERS. Line-of-battle ships. Also, a de