Quote:
...raised platform...It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility.
|
Interesting, since on all battleships the armored conning tower was placed below the bridge, as low as they could make it and still be able to see. It was considered a point of honor for the captain to be up on the bridge and give orders to the helmsman through a speaking tube.
As for the etemology of the word,
www.dictionary.com gives various possibilities:
Quote:
con
"to guide ships," 1626, from Fr. conduire, from L. conducere (see conduce).
|
Quote:
|
From cond, from Middle English conduen, from Old French conduire, from Latin condūcere, to lead together; see conduce.
|
For 'conduce', they give:
Quote:
|
1350–1400; ME < L condūcere to lead, bring together, equiv. to con- con + dūcere to lead, akin to dux (see duke) and to tow1, tug
|