Displacement

[civilwartalk]

displacement or displacement tonnage

The standard method of measuring warships. Displacement tonnage is the volume of water displaced by a vessel, the weight of the water displaced being equal to the weight of the object displacing it.

[aggie80]

Displacement in ocean water and fresh water are different. Ocean going vessels moving into fresh water, say from the Gulf of Mexico into the Mississippi River 'sink' lower into the water. One of the many sources of frustration for ship builders in the Civil War in trying to create vessels for the Brown Water Navy.