DICTIONARY OF

Colure 91 Commodore's Burgee
Colure. Great circle passing through poles of Equinoctial. Generally restricted to the great
circles passing through Equinoctial and Solstitial points.
Comb. Small piece of timber for carrying fore tack block. Was usually under lower part of
beak head.
Comb Cleat. Small fitting having holes through which ropes may be rove to prevent fouling
of one rope by another.
Combined Altitude. Two altitudes of one heavenly body, or altitudes of two different
bodies, when taken to solve one problem.
Combings. 'Coamings.'
Combustion. Burning, the act of burning, the state of being burnt. Is a chemical action
accompanied by heat and, usually, by light.
Come Home. Sometimes said of an anchor when it drags along bottom. More correctly said
of an anchor when it comes towards ship when heaving on cable, instead of ship moving
towards anchor.
Come To. Injunction, to helmsman of sailing ship, to come nearer to wind.
Come to Anchor. To drop an anchor and ride by it.
Come Up. Order to those hauling on a rope to cease hauling and light the rope in opposite
direction, so that it can be belayed.
Coming up Tack. That tack on which a sailing vessel rides out a cyclonic storm. Is the tack
on which she will be brought to windward of her course by changes in wind direction.
Commander. Naval officer next in rank below Captain. Master of a Merchant Navy vessel.
2. Large wooden mallet used in rigging work.
Commanding Officer. Of a ship, is the senior officer aboard at the time.
Commercial Code. Signalling code formerly used in merchant ships. Based on Marryaf s
Code. Superseded by 'International Code'.
Commission. Document issued by sovereign of a state and authorising a person to hold
office and rank. 2. To take a naval ship out on service. 3. Document authorising an officer to
take a naval ship on service. 4. Period a naval ship is on service. 5. Money paid to a factor or
agent for services rendered: generally calculated as a percentage of subject matter
concerned.
Commissioning Pendant. Narrow white pendant with St. George's Cross in red at inner
end. Flown by all H.M. ships in commission, excepting flagships and ships wearing a
Commodore's broad pendant.
Commodore. Naval officer senior to Captain but junior to Rear-Admiral. 2. Officer
commanding a convoy. 3. Courtesy title given to senior officer of two or more warships or to
the senior Master of a shipping company. 4. Senior member of a yacht club who has been
elected to the position of highest rank in the club.
Commodore's Burgee. Tapered white burgee with red St. George's Cross. Is flown by
vessels carrying a Commodore (First Class). Commodore (Second Class) has same burgee,
but with red torteau in upper inner canton. A commodore of a convoy's burgee is white with
a blue St. George's Cross.