February 2024
Life in the Imperial German Navy, 1902
The Imperial German Navy – sketches of life on board ship 1902 Some time ago I stumbled on German publication of 1902 entitled “Germany’s Honour on [...]
The Twilight of the Pre-Dreadnoughts, 1915
The Twilight of the Pre-Dreadnoughts and the Sinking of HMS Goliath, 1915 At the start of World War I all major navies had significant numbers of pre-dreadnought [...]
January 2024
Privateer action: the Ellen 1780
Privateer in action: the Ellen 1780 Privateers receive little attention in accounts of naval warfare right up to the time when the practice was banned by international Paris [...]
The unlucky French battleship Suffren
Built to be unlucky? The French battleship Suffren The splendidly-expressive Yiddish word “schlemiel” describes a person who is invariably unlucky and whose endeavours are doomed to failure – “so inept [...]
December 2023
HMS Dolphin’s capture of the slaver Firme, 1841
HMS Dolphin and the capture of the slaver Firme, 1841 Early 19th Century Slaver In 1807 Britain was the first nation to outlaw the slave trade, one which had existed [...]
Frigate Duel, 1782: HMS Santa Margarita vs. L’Amazone
Frigate Duel, 1782: HMS Santa Margarita vs. L’Amazone In reading about warfare in the Age of Fighting Sail one is invariably impressed by the aggression and sheer bloody-minded will [...]