A
brass graduated circle with one fixed and two radial legs; by placing
them at two adjoining angles taken by a sextant between three known
objects, the position of the observer is fixed on the chart.

POINTER-BOARD. A simple contrivance for duly training a ship's guns.

POINTERS. Stout props, placed obliquely to the timbers of whalers, to
sustain the shock of icebergs. All braces placed diagonally across the
hold of any vessel, to support the bilge and prevent loose-working, are
called pointers. Also, the general designation for the stars {a} and {b}
in the Great Bear, a line through which points nearly upon the
pole-star.

POINT-HOLES. The eyelet-holes for the points.

POINTING. The operation of unlaying and tapering the end of a rope, and
weaving some of its yarns about the diminished part, which is very neat
to the eye, prevents it from being fagged out, and makes it handy for
reeving in a block, &c.

POINT OF THE COMPASS. The 32d part of the circumference, or 11 deg. 15'.

POINTS. _See_ REEF-POINTS.--_Armed at all points_, is when a man is
defended by armour cap-a-pie.

POINTS OF SERVICE. The principal details of duty, which ought to be
executed with zeal and alacrity.

POLACRE. A ship or brig of the Mediterranean; the masts are commonly
formed of one spar from truck to heel, so that they have neither tops
nor cross-trees, neither have they any foot-ropes to their upper yards,
because the men stand upon the topsail-yards to loose and furl the
top-gallant sails, and upon the lower yards to loose, reef, or furl the
top-sails, all the yards being lowered sufficiently for that purpose.

POLANS. Knee-pieces in armour.

POLAR CIRCLES. The Arctic and the Antarctic; 23 deg. 28' from either pole.

POLAR COMPRESSION. _See_ COMPRESSION OF THE POLES.

POLAR DISTANCE. The complement of the _declination_. The angular
distance of a heavenly body from one of the poles, counted on from 0 deg.
to 180 deg.

POLARIS. _See_ POLE-STAR.

POLAR REGIONS. Those parts of the world which lie within the Arctic and
Antarctic circles.

POLDAVIS, OR POLDAVY. A canvas from Dantzic, formerly much used in our
navy. A kind of sail-cloth thus named was also manufactured in
Lancashire from about the year 1500, and regulated by statute 1 Jac.
cap. 24.

POLE. The upper end of the highest masts, when they rise above the
rigging.

POLEAXE, OR POLLAX. A sort of hatchet, resembling a battle-axe, which
was used on board ship to cut awa