BALZA, or BALZE, in navigation. This is a singular kind of vessel, or rather raft, which is used chiefly in South America, constructed simply by the union of logs of wood ; but which, nevertheless, is rigged somewhat like a sloop or schooner. The mode of steering this vessel is said to be the origin of the slidinj, keels lately adapted to some vessels of the British navy.
According to Don Antonio de Ulloa, and Don George Juan, the balza is also called Jangada. It is employed for transporting goods, and for fishing in, the river Guyaquil, and the South Americans navi gate the coast in it. In structure, it consists of se veral large logs, twelve or thirteen fathoms in length, lashed together by strong ropes, and secured to cross pieces. at each end. The logs are commonly nine in number, and so large, that the breadth of the whole is between 20 and 21 feet. Some balzas have one mast and a small foresail ; but others, described by Joris Spilbergen, have two with large triangular sails.
The greatest peculiarity of the balza consists ha its sailing, and working as well against the wind, as vessels which have keels. This is said to be effected by the mode of steering it, which is done by means of a device quite different from the rudder. Planks, three or four ells in length, and half an ell in breadth, called pares, arc disposed vertically, both in the fore and after part of the balza, between the beams of which it is composed.. By lowering some of these
planks in the water, and raising others, the baize is guided in whatever course is required. " Were such an invention known in Europe," Ulloa observes, " disastrous shipwrecks would be more unusual." Don George Juan has. made some observations on the use of the guares, wherein he endeavours'to de; monstrate, from mechanical principles, that depress ing the guare, near the prow of a vessel, will bring her nearer the wind, and elevating it, will make her fall off. Sometimes four, five, or even six guares are employed at once, to prevent the balza from ma king lee-way. The management of the guares is so easy, that after the balza gets under way, merely raising or depressing them one or two feet will steer t right forward.
Probably the balza was known to the ancients un der the nameoffentla. Columella speaks of it, and also Pliny, who remarks, that there were two kinds used by the Greeks. See Ulloa and Juan, Relacion del Page a la America Meridionale, vol. L Spil bergcn's Voyage round the World in 1615. Sir Richard Hawkins' Voyage. Burney's Voyages, vol. i. C'olumella, lib. 5. Pliny, lib. 13. (e)