BEARING, in navigation, an arch of the horizon intercepted between the nearest meridian and any distinct object, either discovered by the eye, or resulting from the finical proportion; as in the first case, at 4 P. M. Cape Spado, in the isle of Candia, bore S. by W. by the compass. In the second, the longitudes and latitudes of any two places being given, and consequently the difference of latitude and longitude between them, the bearing from one to the other is discovered by the following analogy:
As the meridional difference of latitude
Is to the difference of longitude;
So is radius.
To the tangent bearing.
BEARING is also the situation of any distant object, estimated from some part of the ship according to her position. In this sense, an object is discovered, must be either ahead, astern, abreast on the bow, or on the quarter. These bearings, therefore, which may be called mechanical, are on the beam, before the beam, abaft the beam, on the bow, on the quarter, ahead, or astern. If the ship sails with a side-wind, it alters the names of such bearings in some measure, since a distant object on the beam is then said to be to leeward or to windward; on the lee quarter or bow, and on the weather-quarter or bow.