BALLAST (Danish, Baglast ; Ger man, Dutch, and Swedish, Ballast ; French, Lest ; Italian, Savorra ; Spanish, Lastre ; Lastro ; Russian, Balast), a term used to denote any heavy material placed in a ship's hold with the object of sinking her deeper in the water, and of thereby rendering her capable of mrrying sail without danger of being over set. Ships are said to be in ballast when they sail without a cargo, having on board only the stores and other articles requisite for the use of the vessel and crew, as well as of any passengers who may be pro ceeding with her upon the voyage. In favour of vessels thus circumstanced it is usual to dispense with many formalities at the custom-houses of the ports of de parture and entry, and to remit the pay ment of certain dues and port charges which are levied upon ships having car goes on board.
A foreign vessel proceeding from a British port may take on board chalk as ballast ; and by 3 & 4 Wm. IV. c. 52, shall not be considered as other than a ship in ballast in consequence of her having on board a small quantity of goods of British manufacture for the private use of the master and crew, and not by way of merchandise; but such goods must not exceed in value 20/. for the master, 101. for the mate, and Si. for each of the crew (§ 87). The masters of ships clearing out in ballast are required to answer any questions put to them by authority of the custom-house touching the departure and destination of such ships (§ 80).
Regulations have at various times been made in different ports and countries de termining the modes in which ships may be supplied with ballast, and in what manner they may discharge the same; such regulations being necessary to pre vent injury to harbours. It has likewise
been sometimes attempted to convert the supply of materials for ballast into a monopoly. In vol. xx. of Rymer's Fcrdera, p. 93, of the year 1636, we find a procla mation by King Charles I., ordering " that none shall buy any ballast out of the river Thames but a person appointed by him for that purpose, and this appoint ment was sold for the king's profit. Since that time, the soil of the river Thames from London Bridge to the sea has been vested in the corporation of the Trinity House, and a fine of 10/. may be recovered from any person for every ton of ballast which he may take out of the river, within those limits, without the au thority of that corporation. Ships may take on board "land ballast" from any quarries or pits east of Woolwich, upon paying one penny per ton to the Trinity House. For river ballast, the corporation areauthorized by Act of Parliament (3 Geo. IV. c. 111) to make certain charges. The receipts of the Trinity Corporation from this source were 33,5911. in 1840, and their expenses were 31,6221. The ballast of all ships or vessels coming into the Thames must be unladen into a lighter, and if any ballast be thrown into the river, the master of the vessel whence it is thrown is liable to a fine of 201.: some regulation similar to this is usually enforced in every port (Hume's Laws of the Cus toms; Report of Committee of House of Lords on Lights and Harbour Dues.)