When Philip returned to the boat some hours later, he saw rich, black smoke pouring from Badger's funnel. She lay at single anchor, and as the boat pulled him out to her, he saw that the cable was up and down. "Thick and dry for weighing," he said to Lt XXXX, once the lieutenant had welcomed him aboard and informed him of that fact, "we will get under way at once." He glanced at the dog vane quickly, then added, "engine ahead one quarter," for though the breeze might bring them out of the harbor, it would not serve to take them beyond the reef.
This dealt with, he moved to his cabin. Here, [his steward] had laid out coffee, and after hanging his griego on a nail provided for that purpose, he sat down and poured himself a cup. "[Steward]", he called, "if the doctor is at leisure please send him aft."
The doctor was at leisure, and a minute or so later he appeared. "Doctor, sit and have a cup!" said Philip. And as the doctor sat, "in an hour or so I hope to show you what the Badger can really do. There is a fine, fat merchantman creeping out of XXXX, unescorted, and we will snap her up."
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Author's note
When writing of the Royal Navy of the mid-19th Century, it is difficult for the author to gild the lily. England, of course, was fighting for her very life, and it was only through the skill and determination of the men (and some occasional women) of her navy - often badly supplied and badly fed, and always badly paid - that she survived; for France held dominion over almost all of Europe, with its vast reserves of men and the raw materials of war.
The writer of fiction about this period is thus at a serious disadvantage if he chooses to create his own engagements, for nothing that he creates can compare with the true events. None but the most fertile of imaginations could see Captain Wilson and the crew of the 14-gun sail sloop Valkyrie (and fourteen miserable 4-pounders, at that) storming the 90-gun steam/sail battleship Intrépide and taking her in a matter of 20 minutes. Thus, I have borrowed heavily from history, borrowing and indeed stealing the actions of actual sailors for those of my own, though I have kept, as much as my research has allowed, very closely to the actualities of these engagements in terms of shots fired, maneuvers taken, mistakes made and capitalized upon, and casualties suffered.
For the sake of an authenticity where the resolve and activity of the Royal Navy in this period is concerned, I hope that the reader will grant me this degree of license.
First Post
The writer of fiction about this period is thus at a serious disadvantage if he chooses to create his own engagements, for nothing that he creates can compare with the true events. None but the most fertile of imaginations could see Captain Wilson and the crew of the 14-gun sail sloop Valkyrie (and fourteen miserable 4-pounders, at that) storming the 90-gun steam/sail battleship Intrépide and taking her in a matter of 20 minutes. Thus, I have borrowed heavily from history, borrowing and indeed stealing the actions of actual sailors for those of my own, though I have kept, as much as my research has allowed, very closely to the actualities of these engagements in terms of shots fired, maneuvers taken, mistakes made and capitalized upon, and casualties suffered.
For the sake of an authenticity where the resolve and activity of the Royal Navy in this period is concerned, I hope that the reader will grant me this degree of license.
First Post
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
The cockpit
InIn the dim, swaying light of a single lantern Stephen saw someone looking at him with a mix of respect and anticipation. “This is Jamie, your loblolly boy, said Jack, (“though to be sure, she is loblolly girl, or even a woman,” thought Stephen) and this would be your station in combat.”
InJamie stepped aside and Stephen saw a group of wooden chests that had been lashed together into a low table. The room, and the chests, were painted a uniform red. “This would be the operating table, I take it. But is it not strangely dark and damp? Relatively speaking, that is – I mean no reflection upon your ship, upon my word.”
InThe Sophie, of course, was a sloop, not a ship, and though Jack might have excused its being taken for a brig (indeed, its general outline was very much that of a brig), his first impulse was to correct Stephen’s mislabeling of his command. “But,” he thought, “he is a guest, and he may not be used to the ways of the sea yet. And I hope that he will stay and agree to be our surgeon, which may not happen if I am constantly critical,” so instead he only said, “well, yes, we are under the waterline, you know. You’re much less likely to have a cannonball interrupt your work down here than if you were up above, and it will be a bit quieter, too.”
In “Is it very loud during a battle?”
In “Oh, yes, particularly when you’re right next to the guns. Even four-pounders like ours make a tremendous din when they are fired, and if we can get some long twelves, they make even more. I remember that after the Nile, a particularly furious fight, we all had to talk in a roar for days afterward. The guns had been so loud that it affected our hearing, do you see?” he added, when Stephen made no reply.
In “I believe I understand,” said Stephen. He had advanced into the room and was peering into its darker corners. “I don’t see any instruments here.”
In “No sir,” said the loblolly boy, speaking for the first time, “no sir, Mr Blankney, the former surgeon, he took his instruments with him and we have yet to receive a new set.”
In “Ah,” said Stephen.
In “The Sick and Hurt Board sends a chest aboard, or so I have heard.” Jack said. “Come, let us go up on deck again. I’ll show you the masts and rigging. Jamie, see that we get some instruments from the Sick and Hurt, or do you think that you’ll need Dr Maturin to accompany you?”
In “Begging pardon, sir, but I don’t know. I can check and let you know, if you would like.”
InJack nodded. “Yes, do that. Dr Maturin, after you. We’ll go up the ladder to your right.”
I'm not sure that the first paragraph works, whether it's clear enough that Stephen's thoughts regarding the loblolly boy run concurrent to Jacks speech. It might be too muddy. Thoughts?
InJamie stepped aside and Stephen saw a group of wooden chests that had been lashed together into a low table. The room, and the chests, were painted a uniform red. “This would be the operating table, I take it. But is it not strangely dark and damp? Relatively speaking, that is – I mean no reflection upon your ship, upon my word.”
InThe Sophie, of course, was a sloop, not a ship, and though Jack might have excused its being taken for a brig (indeed, its general outline was very much that of a brig), his first impulse was to correct Stephen’s mislabeling of his command. “But,” he thought, “he is a guest, and he may not be used to the ways of the sea yet. And I hope that he will stay and agree to be our surgeon, which may not happen if I am constantly critical,” so instead he only said, “well, yes, we are under the waterline, you know. You’re much less likely to have a cannonball interrupt your work down here than if you were up above, and it will be a bit quieter, too.”
In “Is it very loud during a battle?”
In “Oh, yes, particularly when you’re right next to the guns. Even four-pounders like ours make a tremendous din when they are fired, and if we can get some long twelves, they make even more. I remember that after the Nile, a particularly furious fight, we all had to talk in a roar for days afterward. The guns had been so loud that it affected our hearing, do you see?” he added, when Stephen made no reply.
In “I believe I understand,” said Stephen. He had advanced into the room and was peering into its darker corners. “I don’t see any instruments here.”
In “No sir,” said the loblolly boy, speaking for the first time, “no sir, Mr Blankney, the former surgeon, he took his instruments with him and we have yet to receive a new set.”
In “Ah,” said Stephen.
In “The Sick and Hurt Board sends a chest aboard, or so I have heard.” Jack said. “Come, let us go up on deck again. I’ll show you the masts and rigging. Jamie, see that we get some instruments from the Sick and Hurt, or do you think that you’ll need Dr Maturin to accompany you?”
In “Begging pardon, sir, but I don’t know. I can check and let you know, if you would like.”
InJack nodded. “Yes, do that. Dr Maturin, after you. We’ll go up the ladder to your right.”
I'm not sure that the first paragraph works, whether it's clear enough that Stephen's thoughts regarding the loblolly boy run concurrent to Jacks speech. It might be too muddy. Thoughts?
The boiler fire is out, and the breeze is dead on shore
In“Stephen,” said Jack, “we can’t just pluck up the anchors and go, you know. The boiler fire is out, and the wind is dead on shore.”
In“The fire is out?”
In“Yes. The powder hoy is coming alongside, or will be any moment now, once she’s finished with Breisis.”
In“And its presence is connected with the putting out of the boiler’s fire, I collect?”
In“Of course; what a fellow you are, Stephen. The powder hoy would never come alongside otherwise – the slightest spark and we’d all be blown to kingdom come.”
In“Oh,” said Stephen, and then after a moment, “could the boats perhaps pull the ship out of the harbor, do you think?”
In“She’s a sloop, Stephen, not a ship. And besides, that would mean putting to sea with an empty magazine, or nearly empty. We used almost the last of our powder in escaping from that Frenchman. Not to mention all of the water we pumped away, which we still haven’t replaced, or not all of it. Yes,” he said to a knock at the door.
InThe door opened and Killick stepped in. “Gunner’s compliments and the powder hoy is alongside. Sir,” he added after a moment’s hesitation.
In“My compliments to Mr [Gunner] and beg he will carry on. Tell him no more than five barrels of the white grain; we may be going foreign. And as soon as the powder is safely stowed and the powder hoy is away the boiler should be lit.”
In“Compliments, no more than five barrels of white, light the boiler when safely stowed it is,” Killick replied, withdrawing and pulling the door closed behind him.
In“The water, which we’ve only replaced a little less than half of. Is there somewhere that you need to go? I might be able to send you in one of the cutters with Bonden.”
In“The fire is out?”
In“Yes. The powder hoy is coming alongside, or will be any moment now, once she’s finished with Breisis.”
In“And its presence is connected with the putting out of the boiler’s fire, I collect?”
In“Of course; what a fellow you are, Stephen. The powder hoy would never come alongside otherwise – the slightest spark and we’d all be blown to kingdom come.”
In“Oh,” said Stephen, and then after a moment, “could the boats perhaps pull the ship out of the harbor, do you think?”
In“She’s a sloop, Stephen, not a ship. And besides, that would mean putting to sea with an empty magazine, or nearly empty. We used almost the last of our powder in escaping from that Frenchman. Not to mention all of the water we pumped away, which we still haven’t replaced, or not all of it. Yes,” he said to a knock at the door.
InThe door opened and Killick stepped in. “Gunner’s compliments and the powder hoy is alongside. Sir,” he added after a moment’s hesitation.
In“My compliments to Mr [Gunner] and beg he will carry on. Tell him no more than five barrels of the white grain; we may be going foreign. And as soon as the powder is safely stowed and the powder hoy is away the boiler should be lit.”
In“Compliments, no more than five barrels of white, light the boiler when safely stowed it is,” Killick replied, withdrawing and pulling the door closed behind him.
In“The water, which we’ve only replaced a little less than half of. Is there somewhere that you need to go? I might be able to send you in one of the cutters with Bonden.”
Monday, March 17, 2008
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