Receiving ship

Receiving ship

A receiving ship is a ship that is used in harbor to house newly recruited sailors before they are assigned to a crew.

In the Royal Navy, the use of impressment to collect sailors resulted in the problem of preventing escape of the unwilling "recruits." The receiving ship was part of the solution; it was difficult to get off the ship without being detected, and in any case most sailors before the mid-19th century did not know how to swim.

Receiving ships were typically older vessels that could still be kept afloat, but were obsolete or no longer seaworthy. The practice was especially common in the age of wooden ships, since the old hulls would remain afloat for many years in relatively still waters after they had become too weak to withstand the rigors of the open ocean.

Receiving ships often held hospital duties as many were assigned in locations that had yet to build station hospitals. Often the afloat surgeon would take up station on the receiving ship.

References

ee also

*Hospital ship
*List of US Navy Hospital Ships


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Receiving ship — Receive Re*ceive (r[ e]*s[=e]v ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Received} (r[ e]*s[=e]vd ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Receiving}.] [OF. receveir, recevoir, F. recevoir, fr. L. recipere; pref. re re + capere to take, seize. See {Capable}, {Heave}, and cf. {Receipt} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • receiving ship — priimantysis laivas statusas T sritis Gynyba apibrėžtis Papildymo jūroje padalinio laivas, kuris priima įrangą. atitikmenys: angl. receiving ship pranc. bâtiment récepteur …   NATO terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • receiving-ship — receivˈing ship noun A stationary ship for naval recruits • • • Main Entry: ↑receive …   Useful english dictionary

  • receiving ship — The ship in a replenishment unit that receives the rig(s) …   Military dictionary

  • receiving ship — noun : a usually obsolete or unseaworthy ship moored at a navy yard and used for new recruits or men in transit between stations …   Useful english dictionary

  • Receiving — Receive Re*ceive (r[ e]*s[=e]v ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Received} (r[ e]*s[=e]vd ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Receiving}.] [OF. receveir, recevoir, F. recevoir, fr. L. recipere; pref. re re + capere to take, seize. See {Capable}, {Heave}, and cf. {Receipt} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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