ROCESSION. A march in official order. At a naval or military funeral,
the officers are classed according to seniority, the chiefs last.

PROCURATION, LETTERS OF. Are required to be exhibited in the purchase of
ships by agents in the enemy's country.

PROCYON. {a} _Canis minoris_, the principal star of the Lesser Dog.

PROD. A poke or slight thrust; as in _persuading_ with a bayonet.

PRODD. A cross-bow for throwing bullets, _temp._ Hen. VII.

PRODUCTION. For obtaining the benefits of trading with our colonies, it
is necessary that the goods be accompanied by a "certificate of
production" in the manner required by marine law. (_See_ ORIGIN.)

PROFILE DRAUGHTS. In naval architecture, a name applied to two drawings
from the sheer draught: one represents the entire construction and
disposition of the ship; the other, her whole interior work and
fittings.

PROFILE OF A FORT. _See_ ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION.

PROG. A quaint word for victuals. Swift says, "In town you may find
better prog." It is also a spike.

PROGRESSION. _See_ ARC OF DIRECTION.

PROJECTILES. Bodies which are driven by any one effort of force from the
spot where it was applied.

PROJECTION. A method of representing geometrically on a plane surface
varied points, lines, and surfaces not lying in any one plane: used in
charts and maps, where it is of various kinds, as globular,
orthographic, Mercator's, &c. In ship-building, an elevation taken
amidship. (_See_ BODY-PLAN.)

PROKING-SPIT. A long Spanish rapier.

PROMISCUI USUS. A law term for those articles which are equally
applicable to peace or war.

PROMONTORY. A high point of land or rock projecting into a sea or lake,
tapering into a neck inland, and the extremity of which, towards the
water, is called a cape, or headland, as Gibraltar, Ceuta, Actium, &c.

PROMOVENT. The plaintiff in the instance-court of the admiralty.

PRONG. Synonymous with _beam-arm_ or _crow-foot_ (which see).

PROOF. The trial of the quality of arms, ammunition, &c., before their
reception for service. Guns are proved by various examinations, and by
the firing of prescribed charges; powder by examinations, and by
carefully measured firings from each batch.

PROOFS OF PROPERTY. Attestations, letters of advice, invoices, to show
that a ship really belongs to the subjects of a neutral state.

PROOF TIMBER. In naval architecture, an imaginary timber, expressed by
vertical lines in the sheer-draught, to prove the fairn