P
PACKET or PACKET-BOAT to PARSLING
PARTING to PAYING-OFF
PAYING-OUT, or PAYING-AWAY to PILOT
PIN of a block to PLANKING
PLAT to POLE-MAST
PLAT
PLUG
PLUNDER
PLYING
POINT
POINTING
POINTS
POLACRE
POLE-AXE
POLE-MAST
Under bare POLES to PRAM or PRAME
PRATIC to PROP
PROTEST to PURSER
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POLE-AXE
POLE-AXE, a sort of hatchet nearly resembling a battle-axe, having an handle about 15 inches in length, and being furnished with a sharp point, or claw, bending downwards from the back of its head; the blade whereof is formed like that of any other hatchet. It is principally employed to cut away and destroy the rigging of any adversary who endeavours to board.Pole-axes are also said to have been successfully used on some occasions in boarding an enemy, whole sides were above those of the boarder. This is executed by detaching several gangs to enter at different parts of the ship's length, at which time the pole-axes are forcibly driven into her side, one above another, so as to form a sort of scaling-ladders.
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© Derived from Thomas Cadell's new corrected edition, London: 1780, page 217, 2003
Prepared by Paul Turnbull
http://southseas.nla.gov.au/refs/falc/0972.html