BEARING. In navigation and surveying, the direction of an object with respect to the position of some other, or to the direction of an assumed point or line. As observed from a ship objects are said to hear ahead, astern, abeam when they are directly ahead, directly astern, or at right angles to the ship's keel line (i.e. 90 degrees from ahead or astern). An object which bears midway between ahead and astern is said to bear on the port (or starboard) bow or broad off the port (or starboard) bow; if its bearing is midway between abeam and astern it bears on the port (or starboard) quarter, or broad off the port (or starboard) quarter. In termediate bearings are expressed in points (32 in the whole circle, each degrees) thus: 111/ degrees from astern is one point on the port (or starboard) quarter: the same amount from abeam is one point forward (or abaft) the port (or starboard) beam : similarly, de grees from ahead is onc point on the port (or starboard) bow. In like fashion, the bearings may be one, two, or three points on bow; or quarter; or forward, or abaft, the beam. Four
points from bow, stern, or beam is either broad off the bow or broad off the quarter. A ship is said to be abreast an object when it bears abeam; it is abreast another ship when the two are side by side and moving in the same direc tion. When an object lies across a certain direction it is said to be athwart it; as, a ship is lying athwart the hawse of another when she or her chain lies in a direction at right angles to that in which the other is swinging; any object extending across the ship lies athwartship. On board sailing vessels objects on the side from which the wind is blowing are said to be to lcindward; if forward of the beam (one or more points) on the weather bow or forward of the weather beam; similarly when abaft the beam. If on the side of the ship away from the wind the object is said to be to leeward, on the lee bow, etc. Bearings taken without regard to the vessel, but with respect to absolute terres trial direction, are either compass, magnetic, or true.