Maritime

At Toulon, writes Stephen Usherwood, the Royal Navy first became deeply involved in the affairs of the French Revolution.

W.J. Reader describes a scandalous episode that arose out of the transfer of authority in India from the East India Company to the Crown.

In 1807, writes C.E.S. Dudley, when the British were enforcing their world-wide blockade against France, a short action took place off the Virginian coast that led to violent controversy.

Julia Jones examines The career of Willem van de Velde the Elder, the first official war artist.

R.B. Oram recounts an episode in the history of British shipping.

George Woodcock gives an account of an Imperial enterprise in south-east Asia.

Bertha S. Dodge follows the journey of John Ledyard, a captain’s son from Connecticut, who helped to explore the Pacific and travelled across the Russian Empire.

Thomas Pakenham describes the ill-fated but remarkable efforts of a tiny French naval expedition to help conquer Ireland for the rebels during the 1798 Rising.

M.J. Sydenham describes how, returning from the Colonies “with a most dreadful antipathy towards the government and nation”, this one-time highwayman conceived the scheme of striking a dramatic blow for America”.

These two great English naval commanders became close friends during the seventeen-seventies; Oliver Warner describes how it was Collingwood who took over Nelson’s command when, in 1805, he died at Trafalgar.