BACKING the Sails

BACKING the Sails, in navigation: to arrange them in a situation that will force the ship to retreat, or move backwards. This is, however, only done in narrow channels, when a ship is carried along sidewise by the tide or current, and wants to avoid any thing that may interrupt her progress, as shoals, vessels at anchor, &c. or in the line of battle, when a ship wants to be

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immediately opposite to another with which she is engaged.