1. A chase in which the pursuing ship follows directly in the wake of the pursued.
1627. Capt. Smith, Sea Gram., xii. 57. If he be right a-head of you, that is called a Stern-chase.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 298. We gave them [the other ships] what they call a stern chase, and they worked hard to come up with us.
1915. Land & Water, 14 Aug., 36*/2. They [the German battle-cruisers] had a fourteen-miles start of the British squadron, and Admiral Beatty settled down at once to a stern chase at top speed.
Proverb. 1849. Lever, Con Cregan, I. xx. 331. The sailor’s adage says ‘that a stern chase is a long chase,’ and so it is.
b. transf.
1863. W. C. Baldwin, Afr. Hunting, vi. 182. Swartz and Kleinboy were soon in the saddle, and the former killed a fat cow [giraffe], after a very long stern chase.
2. The chase (CHASE sb.1 6) or chase-guns arming the stern of a war-ship. ? Obs.
1679. Observ. Last Dutch Wars, 10. Let us keep our Stern chace out against another Enemy.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. viii. 501. The galeon returned the fire with two of her stern-chace.
1798. in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1846), VII. p. clx. The Tonnant firing into her [the Majestic’s] quarter with her stern chase raked her with great effect.
attrib. 1790. Beatson, Nav. & Mil. Mem., II. 317. Captain Jekyl … was obliged to fire from both broadsides and stern-chase guns at the same time.
