Publisher's blurb:
Mr. Edward Arnold's
SPRING ANNOUNCEMENTS, 1913.
MEMORIES OF THE SEA.
By Admiral C. C. PENROSE FITZGERALD.
With Illustrations. One Volume,. Dewy 8vo. 125. 6d. net.
This book takes us back to the middle of the last century, when Admiral FitzGerald joined the Victory in 1854 as a naval cadet.
The Author introduces us to a midshipman's berth of that era, and relates, with engaging frankness, some of the escapades of that irrepressible and lark-loving young gentleman, the British midshipman, in those happy days, before the Juggernaut advance of science, mechanics, engineering and soldiering befogged his youthful brains, crushed all the fun out of him, and turned him into a sedate and solemn " know-all " and an aspiring Jack-of-all-trades.
Admiral FitzGerald tells some amusing yarns of the personal characteristics of some of his old ship-mates, though gracefully omitting the names of those concerning whom he has nothing complimentary to say. The period dealt with—1854-74—embraces the great transition epoch during which our navy was gradually and reluctantly changed from wood to iron, and from sails to steam.
All those who take an interest in our first—and perhaps only—line of defence, will be surprised, if not amused, at the ultra-conservatism of those veteran seamen who advised the civilian rulers of the navy to retain masts and sails and muzzle-loading guns in our ironclads for a dozen years after these relics of a bygone age ought to have been put upon the scrap-heap ; and indeed it is difficult now to understand what could have been in the minds of the men who rigged as a brig the 11,000-ton Inflexible, with her double screws, 8o-ton guns, and 24 inches of armour.
LONDON : EDWARD ARNOLD, 41 & 43 MADDOX STREET, W. |
Contents
CHAPTER I
I join H.M.S. Victory at Portsmouth—Am transferred to the Colossus—Some reflections on corporal punishment and seasickness—A bully and how he was cowed—" Brig officers " and other quaint characters—The typical Jack Tar . .
CHAPTER II
A cruise in the West Indies and home again—We sail for the Baltic in 1855—Sir Charles Napier—The Baltic campaign—Antiquated methods of naval signalling—Some philosophical reflections on Peace and War .
CHAPTER III
The Colossus runs ashore—I join the Royal George—Kinglake on Universal Peace—Some nautical chestnuts—Spithead Review of 1856—Voyage to the Crimea via Gibraltar and Malta—Visit battlefields and return home with troops . .
CHAPTER IV
On board the Retribution—The ship's band—Gunnery trainingCobbing the cook—Start round the world—Teneriffe—Flyingfish, sea-songs, and fisticuffs — Rio Janeiro — The Falkland Islands — The Straits of Magellan — Valparaiso — Guano and blubber . .
CHAPTER V
The Retribution, sails to China—The Sandwich Islands—Duckhunting — The Gulf of Pechili — A cloud of dragon-flies — Shanghai—Japan's foreign policy—A brief historical digression— Commodore Perry .
CHAPTER VI
Lord Elgin's mission—Reception at Nagasaki—Dealing with the Cholera Devil—Yeddo—The ambassador lands—The ship's band plays appropriate music — Politeness of Japanese officials—A Samurai plot . . . .....
CHAPTER VII
We escort Lord Elgin to Hankow—Shelling the forts—The Taiping code of Christianity—Pheasant-shooting—Christmas Day at Woohoo—Hongkong—We lose our captain and first lieutenant— Singapore and an American mutiny .
CHAPTER VIII
Trincomalee—Elephant-hunting in Ceylon—Madras—The Admiral of the Catamarans—Calcutta—On the Hoogli—The Indian Navy —Laying the first submarine cable to India—Bombay—Cotton fire—Smuggling—Home again .
CHAPTER IX
The hard winter of 1860-1—My only shipwreck—I join the Ariadne at Plymouth—I am promoted to be a lieutenant—Cod-fish for the Prince of Wales—Examples of Captain Vansittart's fine seamanship . ..... . . . . . I
CHAPTER X
The Ariadne sails for the West Indies—The Bittern in Chinese waters—A visit to New York—Trouble in the Gulf of MexicoMaximilian's end—Admiral Milne—Relic-hunting—A cricket match
CHAPTER XI
In North American waters—Sail versus steam—Snipe and alligators in Jamaica—Pot-hunting—" Man overboard !"—Home again - Sheerness—Some reflections on naval discipline —The Ariadne is paid off
CHAPTER XII
H.M.S. Cordelia—Spearing, playing, and hunting turtle in the Gulf of Mexico—Fishing at night—Chasing a pirate schooner—Devilfish—Hayti and H.M.S. Bulldog—The Jamaica rebellion of 1865 —Duck-shooting
CHAPTER XIII
In Canadian waters—The Fenian scare—A wedding and an accident —Catching a sturgeon—Canadian hospitality—Prince Edward's Island—Trout-fishing at Gaspe—Winter sports at Halifax—Back in the West Indies—The mongoose
CHAPTER XIV
H.M.S. Hercules—Gambling at " Para Grande "—Lisbon—Snipeshooting—Hunting at Gibraltar—An expedition to Ronda—The foundering of the Captain—" Broadside versus turrets"— Searching for survivors—The sinking of the Vanguard
CHAPTER XV
" Jap "—Spanish treasure and a salvage company—Torpedoes and " ramming tactics "—Grounding of the Agincourt—Towed off by the Hercules—I join the Agincourt—The art of enforcing discipline—In the Mediterranean—Appointed to the Asia—On half-pay
INDEX |
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