and has
thereby been an instrument of persecution to some innocent navigators,
while it has befriended notorious villains. Besides this we have the
Admiralty Court of Oyer and Terminer, for the trial of all murders,
piracies, or criminal acts which occur within the limits of the country,
on the coast-lines, at sea, or wherever the admiralty jurisdiction
extends--the deck of a British ship included.

ADMIRALTY MIDSHIPMAN. Formerly one who, having served the appointed
time, and passed his examination for lieutenant, was appointed to a ship
by the admiralty, and thus named in contradistinction to those who used
to be rated by the captain; he generally had precedence for promotion to
"acting orders."

ADONIS. An anguilliform fish, about six inches long: it is of a golden
colour, with a greenish tint, and has a white line from its very small
gills to the tail.

ADORNINGS. The carved work on the quarter and stern-galleries of
men-of-war.

ADOWN. The bawl of privateersmen for the crew of a captured vessel to go
below. Saxon, _adoun_.

ADREAMT. Dozing; the sensation so often combatted with towards the end
of a first or a middle watch, it being the state, as an old author has
it, "between sleeping and waking."

ADRENT, OR ADREYNTE. An old term for _drowned_.

ADRIFT. Floating at random; the state of a boat or vessel broken from
her moorings, and driven to and fro without control by the winds and
waves. Cast loose; cut adrift.

ADSCRIPTS. Sometimes used for the tangents of arcs.

AD VALOREM. Duties levied on commercial goods, according to their value.

ADVANCE, TO. An old word, meaning to raise to honour.

ADVANCED POST. A spot of ground seized by a party to secure their front.
A piquet or outpost.

ADVANCED SQUADRON. One on the look-out.--_Advance_, or _vanguard_, that
division of a force which is next the enemy, or which marches before a
body.--_Advance fosse_, a ditch of water round the esplanade or glacis
of a fortification.--_Advance!_ the order to marines and small-arm men
to move forward.

ADVANCE-LIST. The register by which two months' wages to the crew are
paid, on first commission, and a quarter's to officers.

ADVANCEMENT. Promotion to higher rank.

ADVANCE MONEY. In men-of-war and most merchant ships the advance of two
months' wages is given to the crew, previous to going to sea; the
clearing off of which is called _working up the dead horse_.

ADVANCE NOTE. A document issued by owners of a ship o