companions, to keep the rain or water from descending,
which are unshipped when the capstan is required.

COMPANION-LADDER. Denotes the ladder by which the officers ascend to,
and descend from, the quarter-deck.

COMPANION-WAY. The staircase, porch, or berthing of the ladder-way to
the cabin.

COMPANY. The whole crew of any ship, including her officers, men, and
boys. In the army, a small body of foot, or subdivision of a regiment,
commanded by a captain.

COMPARATIVE RANK. _See_ RANK.

COMPARISON WATCH. The job-watch for taking an observation, compared
before and after with the chronometer.

COMPARTMENT BULK-HEADS. Some of the iron ships have adopted the
admirable Chinese plan of dividing the hold athwart-ship by strong
water-tight bulk-heads, into compartments, so that a leak in any one of
them does not communicate with the others--thus strengthening a vessel,
besides adding to its security. Compartment bulk-heads were first
directed to be fitted under the superintendence of Commander Belcher in
H.M. ships _Erebus_ and _Terror_ at Chatham, for Arctic service in 1835.
H.M.S. _Terror_, Commander Back, was saved entirely owing to this
fitment, the after section being full of water all the passage home; and
lately the mail packet _Samphire_ was similarly saved.

COMPASANT. A corruption of _corpo santo_, a ball of electric light
observed flickering about the masts, yard-arms, and rigging, during
heavy rain, thunder, and lightning.

COMPASS. An instrument employed by navigators to guide the ship's course
at sea. It consists of a circular box, containing a fly or paper card,
which represents the horizon, and is suspended by two concentric rings
called gimbals. The fly is divided into thirty-two equal parts, by lines
drawn from the centre to the circumference, called points or rhumbs; the
interval between the points is subdivided into 360 degrees--consequently,
the distance or angle comprehended between any two rhumbs is equal to 11
degrees and 15 minutes. The four cardinal points lie opposite to each
other; the north and south points form top and bottom, leaving the east
on the right hand, and the west on the left; the names of all the
inferior points are compounded of these according to their situation.
This card is attached to a magnetic needle, which, carrying the card
round with it, points north, excepting for the local annual variation
and the deviation caused by the iron in the ship; the angle which the
cour