bearing combustible matters, used by
the Chinese to destroy an enemy's vessel.

FIRE-RAILS. _See_ RAILS.

FIRE-ROLL. A peculiar beat of the drum to order people to their stations
on an alarm of fire. Summons to quarters.

FIRE-SCREENS. Pieces of fear-nought, a thick woollen felt put round the
hatchways in action.

FIRE-SHIP. A vessel filled with combustible materials, and fitted with
grappling-irons, to hook and set fire to the enemy's ships.
Notwithstanding what is said respecting the siege of Tyre, perhaps the
practice of using regular fire-ships ought to be dated from the
destruction of the fleet of Basilicus by the victorious Genseric near
Carthage.

FIRE-SWAB. The bunch of rope-yarns sometimes secured to the tompion,
saturated with water to cool the gun in action, and swab up any grains
of powder.

FIRE-WORKS. _See_ PYROTECHNY.

FIRING-PARTY. A detachment of soldiers, marines, or small-arm men
selected to fire over the grave of an individual buried with military
honours.

FIRMAUN. A Turkish passport.

FIRST. The appellation of the senior lieutenant; also, senior lieutenant
of marines, and first captain of a gun.

FIRST FUTTOCKS. Timbers in the frame of a ship which come down between
the floor-timbers almost to the keel on each side.

FIRST POINT OF ARIES. _See_ ARIES.

FIRST QUARTER OF THE MOON. _See_ QUARTER, FIRST.

FIRST WATCH. The men on deck-duty from 8 P.M. till midnight.

FIRTH. A corruption of _frith_, in Scotland applied to arms of the sea,
and estuaries of various extent; also given to several channels amongst
the Orkneys.

FISH, OR FISH-PIECE. A long piece of hard wood, convex on one side and
concave on the other; two are bound opposite to each other to strengthen
the lower masts or the yards when they are sprung, to effect which they
are well secured by bolts and hoops, or stout rope called woolding.
Also, colloquially, an epithet given to persons, as a _prime_ fish, a
_queer_ fish, a _shy_ fish, a _loose_ fish, &c. _As mute as a fish_,
when a man is very silent. Also, _fish_ among whalers is expressly
applied to whales. At the cry of "Fish! fish!" all the boats are
instantly manned.

FISH, ROYAL. Whale and sturgeon, to which the sovereign is entitled when
either thrown on shore or caught near the coasts.

FISH-DAVIT. (_See_ DAVIT.) That which steps into a shoe in the
fore-chains, and is used for fishing an anchor.

FISHER-BOYS. The apprentices in fishing vessels.

FISHER-FISH