Water Ballast

An instrument showed the water-ballast tanks filling to capacity now. ❋ O'Donnell, P. (1965)

The water-ballast tank is situated immediately behind the pilot's seat and contains 14 gallons of water weighing 140 lbs. The armament consists of a Lewis gun and bombs. ❋ George Whale (N/A)

Not for long did the young inventor endeavor to break his way out of the water-ballast tank by striking the heavy sides of it. ❋ Victor [pseud.] Appleton (N/A)

"Geordie" lamp of Stephenson, the hydraulic machinery and the big guns of Armstrong, to the wonderful turbine engines of Parsons; the invention of water-ballast, too, belongs to the Tyne, for it was the idea of a ❋ Unknown (1908)

The gas compartments are permitted both fore and aft, as in the old type, but the water-ballast central tank is rendered obligatory. ❋ Rudyard Kipling (1900)

These bilge-keels contained four grip-anchors -- one at either extremity of each keel -- by means of which the ship could, when necessary, be firmly secured to the ground, as she now was, in fact; and they also formed chambers for the reception of water-ballast, when such was required. ❋ Harry Collingwood (1886)

Most fortunately I had not sand-ballast, in tarred bags, as most of our pleasure-boats had, but water-ballast in breakers, which now proved no additional burthen to the boat. ❋ Edward Wilson Landor (1844)

After considerable deliberation, I matured a plan for a metal lifeboat, of a cylindrico-conical or chrysalis form, to be propelled by a screw at each end, turned by sixteen men inside, seated on water-ballast tanks; sufficient room being left at the ends inside for the accommodation of ten or twelve shipwrecked persons; while a mate near the bow, and the captain near the stern in charge of the rudder, were stationed in recesses in the deck about three feet deep. ❋ Samuel Smiles (1858)

"Syne Bell got orders to tak 'the Kite round to Liverpool in water-ballast, and McRimmon came to bid's good-bye, yammerin' an 'whinin' o'er the acres o 'paint he'd lavished on the Lammergeyer. ❋ Rudyard Kipling (1900)