Link to the related website that has useful info: the Age of Nelson.

This forum is devoted to the Royal Navy during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793 - 1815).
And why not the other navies of the period?
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'go and hear the dogfish bark'
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Redfish



Joined: 03 Dec 2007
Posts: 59
Location: Arnhem

Post Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:44 pm    Post subject: 'go and hear the dogfish bark' Reply with quote

In Nelson's Navy, part IV (Officers), Brian Lavery mentions (in the part about the midshipmen) harmless pursuits as sending newcomers to 'go and hear the dogfish bark'. I cannot find anything about this pursuit. Who knows more about it?

Danni
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PMarione
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Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 883

Post Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

From Smyth's Sailor's Word-book, dog-fish was "a name commonly applied to several small species of the shark family".
As fish do not bark, it was a joke for "Johnny Newcome".

@+P
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ionia



Joined: 08 Sep 2007
Posts: 46

Post Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Similar to sending a newly joined midshipman to look for the key of the starboard watch.
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Ionia
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Redfish



Joined: 03 Dec 2007
Posts: 59
Location: Arnhem

Post Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can well imagine a newcomer try and look for such a key and that it would have caused great merryment. Yet what would be the funny result of sending someone to hear the dog-fish bark? The best thing I can think of: that he would be send to the hold as that might be the best place to hear it (under the waterline). Question
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