Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: Gins or other contrivances
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:39 pm 
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When Edward Pellew took command of the Arethusa, following the death of the previous captain, the Hon. Seymour Finch, he "found the Arethusa transformed, bearing evident marks of her late captain's ingenuity, and perhaps of his insanity also. She was beautiful to look upon, but quite unfit for service. There was 'not a block to be seen in the ship - all gins or other contrivances for the ropes.'"

Can anybody explain what gins are?

The other more harmless evidence of his insanity was that in peacetime he refused to enter any man under six feet high.

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Tony


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PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:27 pm 
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Tony:

I have just interrupted my other half, who is currently re-tiling the utility room, as he knows about mechanical things [B.Sc.(Eng.), M.Sc., M.I.Mech.E.] and he says it's the same as a 'windlass' but advised me to check in the Shorter Oxford which lists each entry's historical usages.

There are numerous definitions, including one termed naut. which reads ' a small iron frame, having a swivel hook, furnished with an iron sheave, to serve as a pulley for the use of chain in discharging heavy cargo, etc. Interestingly, the earliest recorded usage noted by the SE for this definition of 'gin' is 1860.

'Gin' was also used as early as 1686 in a mining context to mean 'a drum or windlass for hoisting, pumping etc.'


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