ARBALET, in the ancient art of war, a cross-bow, made of steel, set in a shaft of wood, with a string and trigger, bent with a piece of iron fitted for that purpose, and used to throw bullets, large arrows, darts, &c. Also a mathematical instrument called a _Jacob’s Staff_, to measure the height of the stars upon the horizon. ARBALETE _à jalet_, a stone bow. ARBALETRIER, _Fr._ a cross-bow man. ARBALETRIER _d’une Galére_, _Fr._ that part of a galley where the cross-bowmen were placed during an engagement. ARBORER, _Fr._ to plant. _Arborer l’étendart_, to plant the standard. ARC, _Fr._ a bow; an arch in building. ARCH, in military architecture, is a vault or concave building, in form of a curve, erected to support some heavy structure, or passage. _Triumphal_ ARCH, in military history, is a stately monument or erection generally of a semicircular form, adorned with sculpture, inscriptions, &c. in honor of those heroes who have deserved a triumph. ARCHERS, in military history, a kind of militia or soldiery, armed with bows and arrows. They were much used in former times, but are now laid aside, excepting in Turkey, and in some parts of Asia. ARCHERY, is the art of shooting with a bow and arrow. The ancient English were famous for being the best archers in Europe, and most of their victories in France were the purchase of the long-bow. The statutes made in 33 Hen. VIII. relative to this exercise, are worth perusal. It was forbidden, by statute, to shoot at a standing mark, unless it should be for a rover, where the _archer_ was to change his mark at every shot. Any person above 24 years old was also forbidden to shoot with any prick-shaft, or flight, at a mark of eleven score yards or under. 33 Hen. VIII. chap. 9. The former was a provision for making good marksmen at sight; the latter for giving strength and sinews. The modern rifle has rendered the bow an useless weapon. ARCHITECTURE, in a military sense, is the art of erecting all kinds of military edifices or buildings, whether for habitation or defence. _Military_ ARCHITECTURE, instructs us in the method of fortifying cities, sea-ports, camps, buildings, powder magazines, barracks, &c. Military architecture is divided into _regular_ and _irregular_ fortification. Regular fortification consists in having all its sides and angles equal among themselves. _Irregular fortification_ is composed of parts where the sides and angles are not equal or uniform among themselves. This species of fortification is permanent or temporary. The permanent one is constructed for the purpose of remaining a long time, and for the protection of large towns. The temporary one is that which is erected in cases of emergency. Under this denomination are contained all sorts of works which are thrown up to seize a pass or gain an eminence, or those which are made in circumvallations and countervallations, viz. redoubts, trenches, and batteries. See FORTIFICATION.