top hamper meaning

noun
  Unnecessary weight on a ship's upper deck

Examples

1. This meant that only two mountings could be installed, to keep the top hamper within acceptable limits.
2. Compared with the " Iris " class, the designers of the " Leander " " cut down top hamper and took advantage of the recent advance in gun construction to reduce the weight of, while adding to the efficiency of armaments.
3. His estimate of $ 10 million would also cover such expenses as dredging a channel out of the cove, temporarily dismantling the ship's top hamper to get it under the highway bridge, and hiring tugs to tow it to a South Boston dry dock.
4. The Japanese went one better, covering their tube mounts with splinter protection and adding reloading gear ( both unlike any other navy in the world ), making them true turrets and increasing the broadside without adding tubes and top hamper ( as the quadruple and quintuple mounts did ).