"What does it mean to "fire as she bears"?" Topic

I can see that the verb "bear" has 25 different meanings in the English dictionary, but I'm not sure what it means in a nautical context.

I might very well be the only one on this board who doesn't know the meaning… but I hope some helpful soul can enlighten me

All it means is that each gunner fires his piece as they are able to see the target and bring the gun to bear on it.
BWW

Ah, it makes sense now.

So it's basically the nautical equivalent to "fire at will"?

Thanks a lot, Brian!

No not 'at will' but as each gun in turn 'acquires' the target. Imagine the ship turning so that it's broadside can engage the enemy, either you wait and fire the full broadside all at once, or as you turn you fire as each gun 'bears'(think of it as each gun fires as the enemy ship enters its arc of fire due to the turning of the ship/platform) in sequence.
The guns have extremely limited ability to traverse or aim individually – they basically fire straight, so bringing them on target is achieved by turning the ship.

Ships are 'she'. As she bares, means as the guns see the target (bare as in uncovered, exposed). So the guns would fire in sequence in the best judgement of the gun master. It might also be the best way to hit a specific target instead of just the enemy ship, perhaps to dis-mast the enemy as an example.

It's an old werewolf/werebear saying from the times when they were most prevalent "fire as she bears" is like saying shoot as she (a female in this case) turns into a bear, thus if it was a female werewolf you would say "fire as she wolfs" Hope that clears it up for you. :)

As she bares, means as the guns see the target (bare as in uncovered, exposed).

No it is not "bares", but rather "bears" as in "to tend in a course or direction".

Obviously I disagree, hence the use of bares.

Marryatt spells it 'bear'.

I think the more complete phrase would be "fire as your guns bear upon her (the target ship)" contracted to "Fire as your guns bear" or "fire as she bears".

It is as the ship bears, not the guns. So when the ship is pointing in the right direction (and is rolling at the right angle), fire.

Fire on the uproll is another.

When did the RN switch from 'fire' to 'shoot'? I'm sure it is even more distressing having someone yelling abut fire on a wooden ship than a steel one.

I believe that it is "bears" as in "bearing", i.e. the ship's direction.

"It is as the ship bears, not the guns."

As the broadside guns had very little transverse isn't that something of a distinction without a difference? That is to say the meaning could as easily be "fire as the ship bears so that the guns bear on the target" but which 'bear' would the contracted version refer to and does it matter?

In any case when you bear upon or at something you point towards it. Since the object is to fire the gun and cause the ball projected to strike the target you want to fire as the gun bears on the target.

Given that the Captain was directing the ship to bear on a particular target, typically an enemy ship, the distinction seems a bit academic – that being said, it is important to fire when the roll of the ship will not sent your cannonball sailing over the target – I always interpreted "fire as she bears" as "fire when you can hit the enemy ship"

Hi

Static models on a table aren't quite the same as the real world, I can see a lot of variables in moving ships and not all guns able to lay on the target. For instance, when crossing the T!

R

Bears is right, not bares.

I did some research, fire as you "bear" also has the added bonus of the shot hitting the same general area, especially if a ship is moving slowly through dismasting or damage etc.

I would imagine this would be devestating to the receiving crew.

I think the meaning of the term "bears" has been established, but to add to why the term was used: remember that the hull of a wooden warship of the classical age of sail had a plan (shape) like a fish, bluntly rounds at the head and tapered aft.

When each gun was centered on its breeching rope, they all pointed slightly different directions in a shallow arc, with the forwardmost guns pointing the most sharply forward, the guns near the waist pointing most nearly abeam, and the guns along the quarter pointing somewhat aft of the beam.

Alongside at pistol shot all the guns would bear on the enemy's hull, but at greater ranges or in turns the pieces would not bear simultaneously without being individually trained by their gun captains.