Generally speaking the customs practised by officers were those of polite civilian society, with modifications to suit naval circumstances, plus other changes caused through historic development.
Hardtack (or hard tack) is a flat hard biscuit made from flour and water (often saltwater) that was used as a staple food where fresh and perishable foods won’t survive. Also known as “pilot bread,” […]
Throughout our beloved series, Patrick O’Brian makes many references to the apparent superiority of French ships and shipbuilding. Indeed, our own dear Surprise was originally French. O’Brian’s references are consistent with those of many historians, but they […]
Ship losses during the Revolutionary War from 1793 through to late 1802 are very revealing as to the strength of the British navy. Although the French and Spanish were the main adversaries the British also […]
This first-person account of the Battle of Trafalgar comes to us from Lieutenant Paul Harris Nicholas, Royal Marines, who was serving aboard the HMS Belleisle at the time. It was given aboard the HMS Bijou in 1829. I was […]
It is popularly believed that the ship’s biscuit (hard tack) issued to Nelson’s Navy were full of a variety of revolting insects such as ‘maggots’ and ‘weevils’. A few authors (such as Jack Nastyface) who […]
The full experience of life aboard a man o’ war in Aubrey’s Royal Navy is not something that can be easily summed up in a short article. It’s not something that can be easily summed […]
“Englishmen, and more especially seamen, love their bellies above anything else, and therefore it must always be remembered in the management of the victualling of the navy that to make any abatement in the quantity […]
Lord Nelson’s reputation as one of the greatest naval minds of the Napoleonic Era is not a modern invention. He was considered a hero during his lifetime, long before Trafalgar, to the extent that many […]
At the beginning of our beloved series, Dr. Stephen Maturin takes up his post aboard the Sophie without fully understanding just what he’s getting into. As a physician, he of course has a strong medical education and […]
Copyright © 2018 The Dear Surprise | Code is poetry.