of a screw-propeller, or any other
motor. There are many, varying in mode according to the express purpose
of each, but all founded on the same principle as the name
expresses--_power_ and _measure_, so that a steel-yard is the simplest
exponent.

E.

E. The second class of rating on Lloyd's books for the comparative
excellence of merchant ships. (_See_ A.)

EAGER. _See_ EAGRE.

EAGLE. The insignia of the Romans, borrowed also by moderns, as Frederic
of Prussia and Napoleon. Also, a gold coin of the United States, of the
value of five dollars, or L1, 0_s._ 10_d._ sterling, at the average rate
of exchange.

EAGLE, OR SPREAD-EAGLE. A punishment inflicted by _seizing_ the offender
by his arms and legs to the shrouds, and there leaving him for a
specified time.

EAGRE, OR HYGRE. The reciprocation of the freshes of various rivers, as
for instance the Severn, with the flowing tide, sometimes presenting a
formidable surge. The name seems to be from the Anglo-Saxon _eagor_,
water, or _AEgir_, the Scandinavian god of the sea. (_See_ BORE and
HYGRE.)

EAR. A west-country term for a place where hatches prevent the influx of
the tide.

EARING-CRINGLE, AT THE HEAD OF A SAIL. In sail-making it is an eye
spliced in the bolt-rope, to which the much smaller head-rope is
attached. The earings are hauled out, or lashed to cleats on the yards
passing through the head corners or cringles of the sails.

EARINGS. Certain small ropes employed to fasten the upper corners of a
sail to its yard, for which purpose one end of the earing is passed
through itself; and the other end is passed five or six times round the
yard-arm, and through the cringle; the two first turns, which are
intended to stretch the head of the sail tight along the yard, are
passed beyond the lift and rigging on the yard-arm, and are called
outer turns, while the rest, which draw it close up to the yard, and are
passed within the lift, &c., are called inner turns. Below the above are
the _reef-earings_, which are used to reef the sail when the
reef-tackles have stretched it to take off the strain.

EARNE. _See_ ERNE.

EARNEST. A sum paid in advance to secure a seaman's service.

EARS. In artillery the lugs or ear-shaped rings fashioned on the larger
bombs or mortar-shells for their convenient handling with shell-hooks.
The irregularity of surface caused by the ears is intended to be
modified in future construction by the substitution of _lewis-holes_