What is the meaning of a fire ship?

Question

What is the meaning of a fire ship?

Answer 1

Back in the days of Horatio Nelson, fire ships were used as an offensive weapon against ships of war which were anchored in a port. Fire ships were usually small or medium sized merchant ships, preferably filled with something combustible, like oil or turpentine. Most of the time they were used at night, when things could be easily confused. They would sail into a harbor, with only small crews, and set the ship on fire and steer toward ships at anchor. By opening up all of their hatches and other openings, a hot fire was created, and they tried to run into anchored warships. If a fire ship came against a sailing ship, the warship almost always caught on fire, and fire was a great danger, as ships made of wood and canvas caught on fire easily, and could be destroyed by fire quickly.

The Royal Navy of England used fire ships to great advantage in several engagements against the French and Dutch in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Regards,

Dan

Answer 2

maybe a ship that puts out fires.

or a ship that the british light on fire and sail into the spanish armada, crippling the spanish fleet and making britain the most powerful naval power in the world at the time.

go britain! woohoo!

Answer 3

They were ships used just for the purpose of catching other ships on fire in old times.  They had to be really close, but the effects they had were devastating!  Here's a link...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_ships