, and the large introduction of iron,
are now claiming longer life.

A is an Anglo-Saxonism for _in_ or _on_; as _a_'board, _a_'going, &c.

A.B. The rating of _Able Seamen_ on the ship's books: these two letters
are often used as an epithet for the person so rated. He must be equal
to all the duties required of a seaman in a ship--not only as regards
the saying to "hand, reef, and steer," but also to strop a block,
splice, knot, turn in rigging, raise a mouse on the main-stay, and be an
example to the _ordinary seamen_ and _landsmen_.

ABAB. A Turkish sailor who plies in coasting craft.

ABACK. The situation of a ship's sails when the wind bears against their
front surfaces. They are _laid aback_, when this is purposely effected
to deaden her way by rounding in the weather-braces; and _taken aback_,
when brought to by an unexpected change of wind, or by inattention in
the helmsman.--_All aback forward_, the notice given from the
forecastle, when the head-sails are pressed aback by a sudden change in
the wind. (_See_ WORK ABACK.)--_Taken aback_, a colloquialism for being
suddenly surprised or found out.

ABACUS. A board with balls sliding on small rods, used in China, Russia,
&c., for calculating bills, &c.

ABAFT. This word, generally speaking, means behind, inferred relatively,
beginning from the stem and continuing towards the stern, that is, the
hinder part of the ship.--_Abaft the beam_ implies any direction between
a supposed transverse line amidships and the stern, whether in or out
of the ship. It is the relative situation of an object with the ship,
when that object is placed in the arc of the horizon contained between a
line at right angles with the keel and the point of the compass which is
directly opposite the ship's course. An object--as a man overboard--is
described by the look-out man at the mast-head as abeam, before, or
abaft the beam, by so many points of the compass. As a vessel seen may
be "three points before the beam," &c.

ABAKA. A fine vegetable fibre, with which the white Manila rope, so much
used on the India station, is made. This rope floats in water, and is
not subject to rot, nor does it require tarring. A frigate on the China
station in 1805 had nearly the whole of her running rigging of this
cordage.

ABANDONMENT OF A VESSEL. Deserting and abandoning her by reason of
unseaworthiness or danger of remaining in her, also when grounded and
cannot be saved. This never occurs but in im