1. An allowance made by the United States government to one of its diplomatic representatives going abroad, for the expense of his equipment. This term, in its original use, as applying to ships, embraced those objects connected with a ship which were necessary for the sailing of her, and without which she would not In fact be navigable. But in ships engaged In whaling voyages the word has acquired a much more extended signification. Macy v. Whaling Ins. Co., 9 Mete. ((Mass.) 364.