BOLT-BOAT. An old term for a boat which makes good weather in a rough sea.
BOLTING TIMBERS. Those on each side of the stem, continued up for the security of the bowsprit. (_See_ KNIGHT-HEADS.)
BOLT OF CANVAS. The piece or roll of 39 yards in which it is supplied, but which usually measure about 40 yards in length; it is generally from 22 to 30 inches wide.
BOLT-ROPE. A rope sewed all round the edge of the sail, to prevent the canvas from tearing. The bottom part of it is called the foot-rope, the sides leech-ropes, and if the sail be oblong or square the upper part is called the head-rope; the stay or weather rope of fore-and-aft sails is termed the luff.
BOLTROPE-NEEDLE. A strong needle for stitching the sail to the bolt-ropes.
BOLT-STRAKE. Certain strakes of plank which the beam fastenings pass through.
BOMB [formerly _bomber_, from _bomba_]. The mortar of bomb-vessels.
BOMB OR MORTAR VESSELS. Small ships fortified for throwing bombs into a fortress; said to be the invention of M. Reyneau, and to have been first used at the bombardment of Algiers in 1682. Until then it had been judged impracticable to bombard a place from the sea.
BOMBALO. A delicate kind of sand-eel taken in quantities at Bombay.
BOMBARD. A piece of ordnance, anciently in use before the introduction of more complete cannon with improved gunpowder, propelling iron balls. Its bore, for the projection of stone shot, sometimes exceeded 20 inches in diameter, but was short; its chamber, for containing the powder-charge, being about as long, but much narrower both within and without. There were also very diminutive varieties of it. It has been vaguely called by some writers _basilisk_, and by the Dutch _donderbass_. Used to assail a town, fortress, or fleet, by the projection of shells from mortars. It was also the name of a barrel, or large vessel for liquids; hence, among other choice epithets, Prince Henry calls that "tun of man," Falstaff, a "huge bombard of sack." Also, a Mediterranean vessel, with two masts like the English ketch.
BOMB-BED BEAMS. The beams which support the bomb-bed in bomb-vessels.
BOMB-SHELL. A large hollow ball of cast-iron, for throwing from mortars (distinguished by having ears or lugs, by which to lift it with the shell-hooks into the mortar), and having a hole to receive the fuze, which communicates ignition to the charge contained in the shell. (_See_ FUZE.)