Barque, or BARK, a general name frequently given to small ships, square-sterned, without head-rails; but specially applied to a three-masted vessel whose mizzen-mast is 'fore-and-aft' rigged instead of being square-rigged, like the fore and main masts. These were formerly small vessels only, but now barques of over 3000 tons are frequently built. See SHIP, SAILS.
Barque
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 1: A to Beaufort, p. 755
Source scan(s): p. 0782