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CHAPTER 1. RISE OF THE BRITISH NAVY The "Henrye Grace à Dieu " - The " Sovereign of the Seas " - Ships first classified - Sloops and Yachts introduced - Explanation of the word "frigate" - Growth of the British Navy -CHAPTER II. THE STORY OP THE "MARY ROSE;" Henry VIII. - Portsmouth as it was - French fleet under D'Annebault - Engagement between English and French - Loss of the "Mary Rose " - French Invasion of the Isle of Wight - Quotation from Fronde -CHAPTER III. THE STORY OF THE "GOLDEN HIND," AND DRAKE'S CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE WORLD. Enterprise against the Spanish Colonies in North America - Drake's Flotilla - Thomas Doughty - Old Books of Travel - The Patagonians - A Skirmish - Port St. Julian - Execution of Doughty - Drakes Ships separate - Discovery of Cape Horn - The Sleeping Spaniard - Rifles the Cacafuego - Sails along the North-West Coast - Extreme Cold of the Climate - New Albion - Port San Francisco - Islands of Thieves - The Philippines - The Moluccas - Interview with the King Of Ternate - A Narrow Escape - Arrival at Plymouth - Honours bestowed upon Drake - The "Golden Hind" at Deptford - Cowley's Verses - A Latin Eulogium -CHAPTER IV. THE STORY OF BLAKE 'S FLAG-SHIPS :- The "Triumph," the "Swiftsure," & the "St. George." The "Triumph" - Blake and Van Tromp - The two Fleets in Sight - A Storm - Blake gains the Weather-gage - The "Triumph" begins the Engagement - It is desperately contested - Victory of the English - Remissness of the Parliament - Danger of Blake - Movements of the Dutch - The 18th of February 1653 - The two Fleets engage - Heroism of De Ruyter - Close of the First Day's Battle - The Dutch off Weymouth - Second Day's Battle - Dutch retreat during the Night - Third Day s Battle - Defeat of the Dutch. - Blake sails for the Scotch Coast - Monk and Deane in the Downs - The 2nd of June - Van Tromps Armada - Attacks the English - Death of Deane - Night comes on - Renewal of the Battle on the Second Day - Arrival of Blake - A Fierce Contest - Destruction of the "Brederode" - Total Defeat of the Dutch -The "Swiftsure:" - Before Cadiz - Blockade of the Port - Blake visits Algiers, and relieves Tangier - The Peru Treasure Fleet - Takes Refuge in Santa Cruz - Blake resolves to attack it - Preparations for Resistance - Movements of the English - A Prudent Dutchman - Attack upon Santa Cruz - Gallantry of Captain Stayner - Total Destruction of the Spanish Vessels - Eulogium of Lord Clarendon - Cromwell's Letter to Blake - After-career of the "Swiftsure" - The "St. George" - Expedition against the Barbary States - Sails from the Solent - Obtains Compensation from the Grand Duke of Tuscany - Appears off Tunis - Is defied by the Dey - Attacks Tunis - Destruction of the Tunisian Fleet and Batteries - Visits Tripoli and Algiers - Illness of Blake - Steers for Home - Gradual Decline - Arrives off Plymouth - Quotation from Hepworth Dixon - Blake's Public Funeral - His Character - After-career of the "St. George" - CHAPTER V. THE STORY OF THE "ROYAL CHARLES," Launched as the "Naseby" - Shares in the Sea-fights of the Dutch - Selected as the Flag-ship of Blake and Montagu - Narrow Escape - The Restoration of 1660 - The "Naseby" re-christened as the "Royal Charles" - Embarks Charles II at Scheveling - Quotation from Dryden - The Dutch War of 1665 - Flat ship of the Duke of York - Battle of the 3rd of June - Defeat of the Dutch - Singular Conduct of the Duke - Treachery or Cowardice of Brouncker - Quotation from Sir John Denham - Glorious Victory of June 1, 1666 - Quotation from Dryden - The Dutch in the Medway - Destruction of the "Royal Charles" -CHAPTER VI, THE STORY OF THE " CENTURION," Romantic Character of Old Books of Travel - Associations of Childhood - Anson's Famous Voyage - Fleet fitted out in 1710 against Manilla, the Capital of the Philippines - Badly manned and improperly equipped - Sails from Spithead - Fever breaks out - The Fleet reaches the Brazilian Coast - Patagonia and the Patagonians - The Isle of Fire - The Straits of Lemaire - A Storm - The "Centurion" makes for Juan Femandez - Arrives there, and lands her Crew - An Island-Settlement - Arrival of the "Gloucester" - Sad Tidings - Recovery of the Crew - The Expedition again puts to Sea - Bold Attack upon Paita - A Night-masquerade - Cruises off Acapulco - Quotation from Captain Basil Hall - Loss of the "Gloucester" - The "Centurion" at Tinian - An Alarm - Sails for China - Arrival at Macao - Cruises in Search of the Panama Treasure-ship - A Prudent Cook - Capture of the Great Galleon - Alarm of Fire - The "Centurion" and her Prize arrive at Spithead -CHAPTER VII. THE STORY OF A MUTINY, The "Bounty." Dampier's Description of the Bread-fruit - The English Government resolve to plant it in the West Indies - The "Bounty" sails for the South Seas - Arrives at Tahiti - Reception by the Tahitians - Friendly Intercourse - A Heivah, or Tahitian Dance - Tahitian Plants - A Supply obtained - The "Bounty" Sails for Anamooka - Begins her Homeward Voyage - The Mutiny breaks out - Captain Bligh's Account - The Boat-voyage- - Bligh's Character - Real Causes of the Mutiny - Narrative by an Eye-witness - The Mutineers return to Tahiti - Obtains Supplies - Discussions take place - Christian and his Adherents sail from Tahiti, and fall in with Pitcairn's Isle - An Extraordinary Colony - Its History detailed - Visited by Captain Sir Thomas Staines and Captain Beechey - Captain Beechey's Interesting Account - Removal of the Colonists to Norfolk Island - Bligh and his Companions - The Boat-voyage - Severe Privations - Arrive at Timor - Departure for England - Voyage of the "Pandora" - Seizes the Mutineers at Tahiti - Harsh Conduct of Captain Edwards - Wreck of the "Pandora" - Boat-voyage - Conclusion of the Eventful Story -CHAPTER VIII. THE STORY OF THE "ARETHUSA" Dibdin's Popular Ballad - Narrative of the Engagement which it celebrates between the "Arethusa" and "La Belle Poule" - Admiral Keppel and the French off Ushant - Indecisive Battle - Political Feeling. -CHAPTER IX. THE STORY OF THE "ROYAL GEORGE," Cowper's Celebrated Ballad - Sir Edward Hawke's Fleet in 1759 - Hoists his Flag on Board the "Royal George" - Engagement with the French in Quiberon Bay - A Great Victory - Falconer the Poet - Rear-Admiral Kempenfeldt - The "Royal George" at Spithead - Narrative of her Loss - The Extent of the Catastrophe - Graves on the Duver, at Ryde - The Wreck of the "George" - Removal by Colonel Pasley. -CHAPTER X THE STORY OF THE "BELLEROPHON." War with France - Lord Howe's Victory of the 1st of June - Share of the "Bellerophon" on the 29th of May - Attacks "La Revolutionnaire" - Renewal of the Engagement - Manoeuvres of the two Fleets - The 1st of June - Heroism of Rear-Admiral Pasley - A Complete Victory - Anecdotes of the 1st of June - The Battle of Trafalgar - The "Bellerophon" captures the "Monarca" - Cruises in the Basque Roads - Fall of Napoleon - The Emperor goes on Board the "Bellerophon" - Sails for Plymouth - Removed to the "Northumberland" - St.Hclena -CHAPTER XI. THE STORY OF THE "QUEEN CHARLOTTE." Outbreak of the Revolutionary War - The Channel Fleet - A Cruise - The French in sight - A Vain Pursuit - Lord Howe�s Fleet in 1794 - The Enemy sails from Brest - Battle of the 28th of May - Battle of the 29th - The "Glorious First of June" - A fierce Engagement - A complete Victory - Honours for the Victors - A Storm, and a Cruise - Lord Bridport off Belle-Isle - Behaviour of the "Queen Charlotte" - Mutiny at Spithead - Concessions of the Admiralty - Influence of Earl Howe - The "Queen Charlotte" in the Mediterranean - Off Genoa - Alarm of Fire - Loss of the "Queen Charlotte." -CHAPTER XII, THE STORY OF THE "LEANDER," Gallant Engagement with a French 74 - At Santa Cruz with Nelson - Nelson's Pursuit of the French Fleet - Discovers it at anchor in the Bay of Aboukir - Aboukir Island - Nelson's movements - Commencement of the Battle - Manoeuvres of the English - Explosion of the "Orient" - Casa-Bianca and his Son - Total Defeat of the French - The "Leander" sails for Cadiz - Engagement with the "Generaux" - A Desperate Resistance - Her Capture - Restored to England by the Emperor of Russia - Captures the "Ville de Milan" and "Cleopatra". -CHAPTER XIII THE STORY OF THE "DREADNOUGHT." Flag-ship of Admiral Cornwallis - Collingwood hoists his Flag on board of her in 1805 - Shares in the Battle of Trafalgar - Captures the "San Juan de Nepotmuceno" - Gallant Boat action at Ushant - Employed as a Hospital-ship - Statisties - Concluding remarks -CHAPTER XIV, THE STORY OF THE "SHANNON," Causes of the War with America in 1812 - Suceesses of the Americans - Captain Philip Broke - The Shannon off Boston - Challenges the "Chesapeake" - Captain Broke's Remarkable Letter - Relative Force of the two Vessels - The Battle - Complete Victory of the English - Interesting Details -CHAPTER XV, THE STORY OF THE "VICTORY," Built in 1765 - Lord Hood's Flag-ship in 1793 - Siege of Toulon - Capture of Corsica - Sir John Jervis succeeds to the command of the Mediterranean Fleet - Hoists his Flag in the "Victory " - She shares in the Battle off Cape St. Vincent - Details of the Battle - Defeat of the Spanish - Becomes Nelson's Flag ship in 1803 - Pursuit of the French and Spanish Fleets - Preparations for Battle - Anecdotes of Nelson - Battle of Trafalgar - General Details - Wound of Nelson - His Last Moments - His Death, and Character - A Glorious Victory - Nelsons Funeral - After-career of the "Victory". -CHAPTER XVI. THE STORY OF A SHIPWRECK, Her Early Career - Gallant Encounter with the "Pomone" - Embassy to China - Begins her Homeward Voyage - The Wreck - Island of Pulo Leat - A Strange Colony - Appearance of the Malay Pirates - Preparations for Defence - Arrival of Relief - Captain Maxwell and the Emperor Napoleon - ConclusionIRONCLAD SHIPS, The "Warrior"The "Black Prince" General Principles on which an Iron-clad Fleet should be constructed Plans of the British Admiralty The Navy of the Future Description of a Ship's Rigging, Description of a Ship's Sails, Description of a Ship's Hull &c. Chronological Table of Actions at Sea Glossary of Naval Terms - ^ back to top ^ |