March 2022
The Panama Crisis of 1885
The Panama Crisis of 1885 The Esmeralda and Chile’s fleeting moment of naval superiority The “Panama Crisis” of 1885 is forgotten today and indeed blew over quickly at [...]
Sinking of HMS Vanguard 1875
The ramming of HMS Vanguard, 1875 Vanguard is a name that has been used by no less than eleven ships of the Royal Navy. The first entered service in [...]
Disaster by fire: SS City of Montreal 1887
Loss by fire: SS City of Montreal 1887 The history of maritime passenger transportation in the mid-nineteenth century is, in great part, a depressing catalogue of disasters. [...]
February 2022
Destruction of HMS Crescent, 1808
Storm and Horror: The Destruction of HMS Crescent, 1808 For most officers and men, storms represented a greater threat to life than enemy action throughout the [...]
Trader vs. Privateer- An Unequal Duel 1744
An Unequal Duel: Trader vs. Privateer 1744 The story of war against maritime trade in the Age of Fighting Sail is usually told, whether in fact [...]
War with Russia – HMS Implacable, 1808 & 1809
HMS Implacable at war with Russia – 1808 & 1809 Two events dominate the general impression of Russia’s role in the Napoleonic Wars. The first is the crushing [...]