COMPOST, a tide-duty, or revenue, arising from shipping.

CONFLUENT, the place where two rivers are united.

CONGÉ, a pass, or permission, granted to the master of a merchant-ship, by the office of admiralty, when he is ready to sail.

CONNAISSANCE, the skill and intelligence of a pilot; also a prospect of the land and sea-coasts.

CONNOISSEMENT, a ship's bill of lading, or the manifest of her cargo.

CONSEIL de construction, a council held in any of the king's ports, consisting of the intendant (or commissioner), le commissaire général, and the principal officers, for the construction or repairing of ships of war. These last are usually styled the builders, and sometimes les charpentiers-constructeurs, the shipwrights.

CONSEIL de guerre, a council of war.

CONSEIL de l'amirauté, a jurisdiction exercised under the name and authority of the lord-admiral, who has certain claims called the dues of the admiralty.The officers of the admiralty have their pa tents from the king, but they are nominated by the lord-admiral. The admiralty of France consists of a lieutenant-general, who is president, a lieutenant particulier, three counsellors, an advocate, and a royal proctor; of a register in chief, and two serjeants or bailiffs.

CONSEIL de marine, a secret council held by the king and his ministers, to which he usually summons the princes and the chief officers of his fleet, to deliberate with them about the affairs of naval war.

Reference Works