DROITS OF ADMIRALTY. Rights, or rather perquisites, which flowed originally from the king by grant or usage, and now reserved to the crown by commission. They are of two kinds--viz. the civil, or those arising from wrecks of the sea, flotsam, jetsam, and lagan, royal fishes, derelicts, and deodands, ejectamenta maris, and the goods of pirates, traitors, felons, suicides, and fugitives within the admiralty jurisdiction; and the prize droits, or those accruing in the course of war, comprehending all ships and goods taken without commission, all vessels improperly captured before hostilities have been formally declared, or found or by accident brought within the admiralty, salvage for all ships rescued, and all ships seized, in any of the ports, creeks, or roads of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland before any declaration of war or reprisals by the sovereign. DROM-FISH. A large fish taken and cured in quantities in the Portuguese harbours of South America, as well for ship's stores as for the times of fast. DROMON. A Saracen term denoting the large king's ships from the ninth to the fifteenth century. DROP, OR DROOP. When a line diverges from a parallel or a curve. It is also a name generally used to the courses, but sometimes given to the depth of the square sails in general; as, "Her main top-sail drops seventeen yards." The depth of a sail from head to foot amidships.--_To drop anchor_ is simply to anchor:--underfoot, in calms, a kedge or stream is dropped to prevent drift. DROP ASTERN, TO. To slacken a ship's way, so as to suffer another one to pass beyond her. Also, distancing a competitor. DROP DOWN A RIVER. Synonymous with _falling_ (which see). DROP-DRY. Completely water-tight. DROPPING. An old mode of salute by lowering flags or uppermost sails. DROPS. In ship-building, are small foliages of carved work in the stern munnions and elsewhere. The term also means the fall or declivity of a deck, which is generally of several inches. DROUD. A fish of the cod kind, frequenting the west coast of Scotland. DROUGES. Quadrilateral pieces of board, sometimes attached to the harpoon line, for the purpose of checking in some degree the speed of the whale. DROW. An old northern term for a severe gust of wind accompanied with rain. DROWNED LAND. Extensive marshes or other water-covered districts which were once dry and sound land. DROWNING. An early naval punishment; Richard I. enacted that whoever killed a man on ship-board, "he should be bound to the corpse, and thrown into the sea." DROWNING-BRIDGE. A sluice-gate for overflowing meadows. DROWNING THE MILLER. Adding too much water to wine or spirits; from the term when too much water has been put into a bowl of flour. DRUB. To beat. (Captain's despatch.) "We have drubbed the enemy." DRUDGE. A name truly applied to a cabin-boy. DRUGGERS. Small vessels which formerly exported fish from Dieppe and other Channel ports, and brought back from the Levant spices and drugs.