Britain

James Anthony Gardner’s recollections of his service with the Royal Navy from 1782 to 1814, writes Christopher Lloyd, give a stimulating picture of life below decks.

Brian Jenkins describes how, during his visit to America in 1859-60, Gregory conceived an admiration for the South and was its Parliamentary protagonist until 1863.

Born in Brunswick, Louis Weltje became cook to the Prince of Wales in the 1780s and landlord of his Marine Pavilion at Brighton. L.W. Cowie describes his life and times.

J.V. Woolford describes how the defeat of the Matabele in 1893 led to the direct rule of Southern Rhodesia by the British South Africa Company.

A.L. Rowse analyses the partnership of the Prime Minister and the chief commander in the field, during the long war of Queen Anne’s reign.

Christopher Lloyd describes how, trying to fight his way from Egypt to Constantinople, Bonaparte was checked by Sidney Smith’s defence.

Terence McLaughlin describes aeronautical experiments from gliders to powered machines.

During the War of 1812, writes Harvey Strum, profit proved more persuasive than patriotism to many New Yorkers and Vermonters, who continued to supply the British forces in Canada.

Geoffrey Bennett takes the reader on a visit to Spithead - the deep water channel that leads into Portsmouth Dockyard - which has been the scene of naval reviews by British monarchs since Henry VIII.

Joanna Richardson describes how the prosaic alliance arranged between the middle-aged Duke of Clarence and Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen became at length an extremely happy marriage.