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My copy of "Naval Ceremonies, Customs, and Traditions " has the
following definition:
Con, Conn. A very old word and the exact derivation is not known. It was
first used about 1520 in the present sense of directing the steering or
giving orders to the helmsman, by the captain but more often by the
officer of the deck.

In the modern US Navy we usually have two officers on watch on the
bridge, the Officer of the Deck who is responsible to the Captain for
just about everything that is going on onboard the ship (if there is
interest I will post the section of Navy Regulations that specifies the
OOD's duties and responsibilities, it is four pages long.) The Conning
Officer works for the Officer of the Deck and is the one who actually
gives the orders for changing course or speed (at the OODs direction or
with is permission). Theoretically the Conning Officer has no duties
other than ensuring that the ship is properly steered while the OOD is
busy with his many other duties, in reality the Conning Officer is
assisting the OOD with many of his duties so that he can learn the job
and eventually be qualified as Officer of the Deck.
(Although the job titles are 'Officer' of the Deck and Conning 'Officer'
it is not uncommon for senior enlisted men to be qualified and stand
these watches.)

-----Original Message-----
From: Navigation Mailing List
[mailto:NAVIGATION-L@LISTSERV.WEBKAHUNA.COM] On Behalf Of Jared Sherman
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 06:06
To: NAVIGATION-L@LISTSERV.WEBKAHUNA.COM
Subject: Conning? [Re: Master & Commander]

From Bruce Stark's forward and the mention in it of a "conning officer"
I became curious, as I've only heard the term "conning tower" as a part
of a submarine, and never a "conning officer". Now I find a 1913
Webster's definition of "The shot-proof pilot house of a war vessel."

Where does the word "conning" come from in naval use? Is it still
actually used to refer to anything except a conning tower?

   

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