The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-05
PHRASEOLOGY OF THE SEA.
Some Of the Most Familiar Titles and
Their Origin.

Detroit Free Press: In the early
days of English naval organization YES
sells of war had double crews. a mill
tary one for fighting purposes and an
other of mariners for navigating duties.
In consequence, a large number of En-
glish sea terms have a military origin.
At that time the rank of admiral was
unknown, and the chief officer of the
squadron was called a constable, or
! justice. The term admiral as now used
J is devired from the Arabic amir or
! ''emir,' a commander (as in Amir
/ al-Bahr," commander of the sea). The
early English form was ''amiral." and
is still preserved as such by the French.
The title, of captain is not naval,
but military one. Originally, the real
] captain of ship was a master" A
military officer was placed On board.
though he knew nothing of nautical
matters. Gradually his Importance in
| creased, while that of the master di-
minished proportionately till at the
present day the masters office is grad
ually becoming obsolete. Commodore
comes from the Spanish 'comendado
The title of lieutenant is borrowed di-
rectly from the French. and is meant
as place holder, or one who took the
place of the captain when absent. In
former days there were no cadets, but
volunteers, but with the gradual adj
vance of politeness, the term cadet was
appropriated from the French.
"Boatswain' is derived from the Sax
on "swein," a servant The term quar-
termaster, as used in both the army
and navy, appears to be confusing and
anomalous. In the army it is the title
of commissioned officer who performs
important and responsible duties. In
the navy he is simply warrant officer
directing subordinate duties. In old
ships and in olden times his position
was more important one; so much
so that he was considered to be the
fourth part of the master-hence, the
term quartermaster.
The ships cook was once a great man
and there are instances on record of his
being promoted for efficient preparation
of food. The ships steward was origi-
nally. the caterer.
The terms larboard and starboard
come from the Italian "questra borda"
and ''quelia borda." which by rapid
delivery became starboard and lar
board but, owing TO the strong SINH
larity of sound, they were changed into
starboard and port Gatin porto, to
carry, the use of the terms in the
original form having been the cause
of many accidents.
Gangway has been handed down
from the days of the ancient gallery of
mans, it having been board which ran
along the whole length, serving as
passage for the rowers to and from
their seats. It was also used az 4 rast- !
ing place for the mast and sail when |
not in use.
The cockpit. in the lowest part Of the |
vessel below water used during an ac-
ton for the treatment of the wounded. |
is derived from the old days of the En-
glish sport of cock fighting; but this
has been modernized. and is now known :
as the ''fiats"-why. no one can explain.
Iubber is from tho Dutch, meaning
a lazy, cowardly fellow.
Anchor came from the Latin IAN
chora," or ''ancora. which up to 500
B. G. consisted simply of large stone
with a hole through it.
The popularity of so many portions
Of ships rigging bearing names de-
rived from the trappinSs of a horse can
only be accounted for from the fact
that the early warships We're manned
by soldiers, as well as sailors, the nat