L. (continued 3)

It is thus, that, in the tables most in use, the number of decimal places in the logarithmic quantities is 7, than which, however, many more are used by men of science with a view to the attainment of a corresponding degree of precision. Nevertheless, in certain tables which were made a few years ago for the use of accompting houses, the number of decimal places is reduced to 5, and the rather, as a greater degree of precision is not necessary in those calculations of business which do not require more than approximate results.

It should be remarked, in respect to the tables of logarithms, that the first figure to the left of each logarithm is called the characteristic; since it is that figure which denotes the class of the geometrical progression which comprises the number to which the logarithm relates. For instance, if the characteristic of a number be 2, I know that it relates to the second class, or the hundreds, the logarithm of 100 being 2; and, as that of 1000 is 3, every number from 100 to 999 inclusively, cannot have any other logarithm than 2 and a decimal fraction.

Thus, the characteristic of a logarithm is a number corresponding to the natural numbers, namely, 1 to 10, 2 to 100, 3 to 1000, 4 to 10000, &c. &c. The characteristic of the logarithm of any number under 10 is 0.

It happens by this progressive correspondence, that a number being 10 times, 100 times, or 1000 times greater than another number, has the same logarithm as the lesser number, as far as relates to the decimal fractions of each. The characteristic alone is susceptible of variation, as will be seen by the logarithms of the following numbers:

Numbers Logarithms

3 0,47712

30 1,47712

300 2,47712

3000 3,47712

the characteristics of which are separated by a comma, being 0, 1, 2, 3.

It is this property by which the extraction of logarithms is facilitated, since, if we know the logarithm of the number 30, and are desirous of finding that of 300, of 3000, or of 3, it is requisite merely to add to the characteristic of 30, or to deduct from it, as many units as there may be more or less ciphers in the number whose logarithm is sought.

LOGEMENT, Fr. means generally any place occupied by military men, for the time being, whether they be quartered upon the inhabitants of a town, or be distributed in barracks. When applied to soldiers that have taken the field, it is comprehended under the several heads of huts, tents, &c.

LOGIS, Fr. Quarters.

Marquer les Logis, Fr. To mark the officer’s rooms according to their respective ranks.

Logement d’une attaque, Fr. See Lodgment in Fortification.

LONG BOAT, the largest boat belonging to a ship: it serves to bring goods, provisions, &c. to or from the ship, to land men, to weigh the anchor, &c.

Le long de la Côte, Fr. Along the coast.

Tout du long de l’année, Fr. All the year round.

Long à la guerre, Fr. An expression used in the French service.

Faire long-bois signifies to leave a considerable opening between the ranks.

Prendre le plus long, Fr. To go the furthest way about, as L’armée fut obligee de prendre le plus long pour éviter les défilés, the army was under the necessity of going the furthest way about in order to avoid the defiles.

LONGER, Fr. A French military phrase. Longer la riviere. To move up or down the river. It is frequently found necessary to attack an enemy’s post, in order to have a free passage on the river, pour longer la riviere.

Longer le bois, Fr. To march by the side of a wood.

Faire une Longue marche, Fr. To make a long march.

Epee de longueur, Fr. A sword of a proper length to serve as a weapon of defence. This term is used to distinguish it from the short swords, which are worn for mere dress or parade.

Longs-costes, Fr. Those sides are so called, which belong to places that are irregularly fortified, and contain indiscriminately eighty toises and upwards. In which cases they are usually strengthened by a flat bastion in the centre, or by several flat bastions, which are constructed, according to the extent of the sides, at intermediate distances.

LONGIMETRY, (Longimetrie, Fr.) The art of measuring lands and distances, whether the extent or space be accessible as in a road, or inaccessible as in a river, or branch of the sea.

LONGITUDE of the earth, denotes its extent from west to east, according to the direction of the equator.

Longitude of a place, in geography, its distance from some first meridian, or an arch of the equator intercepted between the meridian of the place, and the first meridian. See Geography.

Longitude of motion, according to some philosophers, is the distance which the centre of any moving body runs through, as it moves on in a right line. See Motion.

LONGRINES, Fr. Pieces of wood or branches which are laid along the extent of a sluice, and make part of its grating.

To LOOK, a word frequently used in the British service to express the good or bad appearance of a corps, &c. viz. such a regiment looks well or ill under arms.

To Look at. To go down the front of a regiment, &c. without requiring that the troops should be put through the different evolutions. A general officer frequently looks at a regiment in this manner. Sometimes indeed the expression bears a more extensive meaning: it is usual, for instance, to say—It would be ridiculous to think of looking at a strong place for the purpose of attacking it, without having sufficient force to carry its works.

To be Looked at, in a military sense to be distantly observed by an enemy who has a design of attacking you; or to be seen by a general officer, whose duty is to enforce any established system. The latter must be considered as a mere cursory inspection. It is common to say—We are to be seen or looked at, but not regularly reviewed.

LOOP, in a ship-carriage, made of iron, fastened one on the front of a fore axle-tree, and two on each side, through which the ropes or tackle pass, whereby the guns are moved backwards and forwards on board of ships.

Loop, a small iron ring or staple, by which the barrel of a gun is affixed to the stock.

Loop is likewise used to signify an ornamental part of a regimental hat.—Every officer in the British service, when dressed in his uniform, is directed to wear a hat, the loop of which is made of scaled silver or gold, if in the cavalry; and of gold lace if in the infantry. General officers wear the scaled loop.

Loop-holes, (Crénaux, Fr.) In fortification, are small holes in the walls of a castle or fort, through which the garrison may fire. In field fortification, loop-holes are frequently resorted to.

To LOOSEN, to separate, to make less coherent. In a military sense it implies to open ranks or files from close order. In marching by files, the officers and non-commissioned officers should be particularly attentive to their men, especially when any particular manœuvre requires a compact and solid movement. To loosen is, in fact, to lose that firm continuity of line or perpendicular adherence, which constitutes the true basis of military operations. The lock step was introduced for the purpose of counteracting the mischievous effects of loose marching, but it produced a greater inconvenience, and has therefore been laid aside; and the equal pace and marked time corrects both.

LOOT. Indian term for plunder or pillage.

LOOTIES or LOOTEES, Ind. A term in India to express a body of irregular horsemen, who plunder and lay waste the country, and harass the enemy in their march. They may be compared to the Hulans of Europe, and other free-booters.

LOOTYWALLOW, Ind. A term Of the same import as Looties.

To LOT for men, a phrase peculiar to military arrangements. When recruits join they should be lotted for with the strictest impartiality. If some troops or companies should be less effective than others, they must be first completed to the strength of other troops or companies, and then the whole must lot equally.

LOUIS, or Knight of St. Louis, the name of a military order in France, instituted by Louis XIV. in 1693. Their collars were of a flame color, and passed from left to right: the king was always grand master.

LOUIS d’OR. A French coin first struck in the reign of Louis XIII. in 1640; but laid aside since the revolution.

LOUP, Fr. literally signifies a wolf.

Loup des anciens was an iron instrument, made in the shape of a tenaille, by means of which they grappled the battering rams and broke them in the middle. See Crows-Feet.

LOYAL. By a misapplication of terms has been perverted from its true signification, a person faithful to the law, loi, is loyal; it is made to signify, a person who, whether he regarded the law or not, was called loyal if he supported a king. Hence during the revolutionary war a regiment was formed, called Loyal American.

Loyalists. During the American war several Americans who betrayed their country, served in the British army; and at the conclusion of it many went over to England and received compensations for their perfidy to their country. The allowances made on this occasion were not, however, confined to those that had served; several families had their cases taken into consideration, and were provided for by the British government. These compensations did not however give any right to a military man to avail himself of the allowance on the score of half-pay; many of these persons have been since used as spies.

LUMIERE, Fr. Vent, touch-hole, aperture.

Lumiere des pieces d’artillerie, des armes à feu, et de la plûpart des artifices, Fr. the vent or aperture through which fire is communicated to cannon, fire-arms, and to almost every species of artificial fireworks. In the making of cannon, it is of the utmost consequence to pay minute attention to the vent or touch-hole. It is in this part that pieces of ordnance are generally found defective, from the vent being too much widened by repeated firing, and the explosion of the gunpowder being necessarily weakened.

LUNETTE d’approche, Fr. a telescope. The French sometimes call them Lunettes de Galilèe, from the perspective glass or telescope having been invented by Galileo.

Lunette à facettes, Fr. a multiplying glass.

Lunette polyèdre. Fr. a magnifying glass.

Lunette à puce, Fr. a microscope.

Lunettes, in fortification, are works made on both sides of the ravelin: one of their faces is perpendicular to half or two thirds of the faces of the ravelin; and the other nearly so to those of the bastions.

Lunettes, are also works made beyond the second ditch, opposite to the place of arms: they differ from the ravelins only in their situation. See Fortification.

LUNETTONS, are a smaller sort of lunettes.

LUNGER-CONNA. A poor-house or hospital is so called in India.

LUNT. The matchcord with which cannon, &c. are fired.

LUNULÆ. (Lunules, Fr.) In geometry a half moon or crescent, which is made by the arcs of two intersecting circles. If you inscribe a triangle-rectangle within a half circle, the diameter of which becomes the hypothenuse; and if upon each side that compresses the right angle, as its diameter, you describe a half circle, the space in shape of a half moon, closed in by the circumference of each of these two circles, and by a part of the circumference of the great half circle, will form the figure called Lunula.

LUTTE, Fr. Struggle. An exercise of the body, which consists in a full exertion of all its muscular powers to overcome another body, that resists with equal force and pertinacity. This sort of exercise was much encouraged among the ancients. The wrestlers or lutteurs, were distinguished by the name of athletics.

LUXHEBAR. The Indian name for Thursday.

LUZERNE, Fr. Spanish trefoil, called likewise in English Lucerne. A species of hay, which is cultivated for the subsistence of horses. It bears a violet colored flower.

LYCANIANS, (Lycaniens, Fr.) A militia that was formerly raised in Sclavonia, the troops of which resemble the Pandours and Warasdins. It derives its name from being quartered in the neighborhood of the lordship of Lyka.

LYING, to be actually stationed or quartered in a given place.

In-Lying. This term is peculiarly applicable to pickets. A picket is said to be an In-lying picket when it is confined within the immediate lines of entrenchments belonging to a camp, or within the walls of a garrisoned town.

Out-Lying picket, is that which does duty without the limits of a camp or garrisoned town; that is, beyond the immediate sentries belonging to either. Those pickets are likewise called In-line and Out-line pickets.

Out-LYERS, the same as faggots in the line, or among the regulars. The term out-lyers was a term, however, peculiarly understood among the guards; and consisted of a certain number of men from each company, who were permitted to work, on condition that the whole of their pay was left in the hands of the captain, for the time they were so employed. This sum the officer appropriated to his own use, and was thereby enabled not only to increase his pay, but to keep a handsome table whenever he mounted guard. During the winter months the money arising from out-lyers amounted to a considerable sum. This was allowed as a sort of compensation for the expence the captain incurred by the dinner he gave to his subalterns; and for his contribution to the support of a regimental hospital. The custom is now abolished, as a table is kept by the king, and copiously paid for out of the civil list. The following anecdote, which is related to have occurred in the company that once belonged to the British general Gansell, (whom Junius notices in his letters) will shew the absurdity of the old custom, and the wisdom of its abolition:—A general muster being ordered, it was remarked that a soldier dressed in new regimentals, and perfectly unknown to every man in the company, stood to have his name called over: on being asked to whose company he belonged, he replied, to general Gansell’s: (it must be here observed, that the general had quitted the guards for some time.) Who is the present captain? was the next question, or who are the other officers? To which he briefly replied, I only know the pay-serjeant. The fact was, that he had been some years in the guards, and had constantly been an out-lyer.

It was a common practice and continues to be, though not to so great an extent as formerly, to place the names on the muster rolls of the children of officers, often their illegitimate children, and instances have occurred of girls, receiving men’s pay as out-lyers.