DICTIONARY OF

Pontoon 258 Port Charges
Pontoon. Buoyant construction used for a landing place; for providing a road over water; for
raising wrecks; for giving additional buoyancy.
Pool. Enclosed, or nearly enclosed sheet of water. 2. Fluctuating congregation of men from
which can be drawn hands required for manning ships, and to which can be added men
available for manning.
Poop. Short deck raised above upper deck right aft.
Pooping. Said of a vessel, or of the sea, when following seas sweep inboard from astern.
Poor Jack, Poor John. Salt fish, particularly salt cod, when issued as rations.
Popham's Code. System of signals, by flags, devised by Captain Sir H. Popham, R.N., in
1800, for communication between ships of Royal Navy. Was used in making Nelson's
memorable signal at Trafalgar.
Poppets. Shaped pieces of wood that close the cut away parts of wash strake through which
oars project when rowing. 2. Shores on bilgeway of launching slip, and forming part of
cradle.
Popple. A short, confused sea.
Porcupine. Nickname for a wire rope when broken wires stand out from it.
Port. Harbour or haven in which shipping can lie in safety. Legally: a harbour with facilities
for ships to load, unload or obtain supplies, and which has been appointed for travellers to
enter or to leave the country. 2. In ship construction, an opening in ship's side to allow light
or air to enter; for cargo, or baggage, to be taken in or discharged; for a gun to protrude; for
water on deck to flow overboard, and other similar purposes. 3. In engineering, is an opening
in a valve, cock, or cylinder to allow passage of steam, liquid or gases. 4. As a direction, is
equivalent to 'left hand' when facing forward.
Port Admiral. Admiral in charge of a Naval port.
Portage. Wages of seaman earned in a complete voyage. 2. Port wages of a seaman. 3. Short
stretch of land that interrupts a line of water communication between two places - a boat has
to be carried or transported across it. 4. Entrance or opening in side of a ship.
Portage Bill. Document showing earnings of each member of crew, during a complete
voyage, together with all rightful deductions to be made. These deductions include such
moneys as allotments, advances of pay, etc.
Port Authority. Corporate body, or individual, responsible for the administration of a port
area and for the carrying out of statutory duties.
Port Bar. Shoal at entrance of a port. Boom protection at entrance of port during hostilities.
2. Bar by which the fitting that closes a port in ship's side is made watertight and secure.
Port Charges. Port dues. 2. Expenditure consequent on a vessel being in port.