d in digits, but more frequently as a decimal, the diameter
being taken as unity.

MAGNITUDES OF STARS. The relative degrees of apparent size in which the
fixed stars are arranged, and classed according to the intensity of
their light. The first six classes, designated by Greek letters, include
all those which are distinctly visible to the naked eye.

MAHONE, MAHONNA, OR MAON. A former Turkish flat-bottomed vessel of
burden, mentioned among the ships of Soliman Pasha, in the siege of Diu.

MAID. A coast name of the skate.

MAIDEN. A fortress which has never been taken.

MAIL. A coat of armour. Also, a number of rings interwoven net-wise, and
used for rubbing off the loose hemp from white cordage after it is made.

MAIL-SHELL. A name for the chiton.

MAIN. A continent or mainland. Also, figuratively, the ocean.

MAIN-BODY. The body of troops that marches between the advance-guard and
the rear-guard of an army.

MAIN-BOOM. The spar which stretches the foot of the boom-mainsail in a
fore-and-aft rigged vessel.

MAIN-BRACE. A purchase attached to the main-yard for trimming it to the
wind.

MAIN-BREADTH. The broadest part of a ship at any particular timber or
frame, distinguished by upper and lower heights of breadth lines.

MAIN-CAPSTAN. The after one, as distinguished from the jeer-capstan.

MAIN-COURSE. The main-sail.

MAIN-GUARD. The principal guard of a garrison town, usually posted in
the place-of-arms, or the market-place.

MAIN-HOLD. That part of a ship's hold which lies near the main-hatch.

MAIN-ICE. A body of impenetrable ice apparently detached from the land,
but immovable; between which and the land are lanes of water.

MAIN-JEERS. Jeers for swaying up the main-yard.

MAIN-KEEL. The principal keel, as distinguished from the false-keel and
the keelson.

MAIN-PIECE. The strong horizontal beam of the windlass, supported at the
ends by iron spindles in the _windlass-bitts_.

MAIN-PIECE OF THE RUDDER. The _rudder-stock_, or piece which is
connected by the _rudder-bands_ to the stern-post.

MAIN-POST. The stern-post, as distinguished from the false-post and
inner-post.

MAIN ROYAL-MAST. That above the main topgallant-mast.

MAIN-SAIL. This, in a square-rigged vessel, is distinguished by the
so-termed _square main-sail_; in a fore-and-aft rigged vessel it obtains
the name of _boom main-sail_. Brigs carry both.

MAIN-SAIL HAUL! The order given to haul the after-yards round when the
ship is