Hms Centurion 1733–1769 an Historic Biographical-Travelogue of One of Britain's Most Famous Warships and the Capture of the Nuestra Senora De Covadonga Treasure Galleon.
Hms Centurion 1733–1769 an Historic Biographical-Travelogue of One of Britain's Most Famous Warships and the Capture of the Nuestra Senora De Covadonga Treasure Galleon.

Author: Shirley Fish

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Published: 2015-07-27

Total Pages: 490

ISBN-13: 1504944917

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When the Centurion and a squadron of six vessels and 1,959 men and boys set out from England in 1740, on a round-the-world expedition, they were unaware of the terrifying events that awaited them in the days ahead. The squadron, under the command of Commodore George Anson, had departed from England with every hope of a successful mission to harass and take prizes in the Spanish possessions of the Americas and in Asia. The journey proved more challenging than anticipated, and at times, it seemed nightmarish and beyond anything experienced by the crew. The ship survived two huge waves and a lightning strike. Then, there was the great loss of life amongst the crew who perished due to the devastating symptoms of scurvy. Despite these setbacks, there were moments of pure joy, especially when the Centurion captured the fabulously wealthy Manila-Acapulco Galleon in the Philippines, the Nuestra Senora de Covadonga. Throughout the Centurion's career as a royal naval warship in the eighteenth century, she played a role in the capture of Quebec during the French and Indian War and the invasion of Havana in the Seven Years War. She was also instrumental when dealing with the Barbary Corsairs of Algeria and Morocco. Amongst the famous men who sailed on this vessel were John Harrison, the inventor of the first maritime sea clock, and Joshua Reynolds, the celebrated portrait painter. The details of the journeys to the Americas, Asia, and Europe are described in this biographical-travelogue of the Centurion.

The Wager
The Wager

Author: David Grann

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2023-05-11

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 1471183696

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From the international bestselling author of KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON and THE LOST CITY OF Z, a mesmerising story of shipwreck, mutiny and murder, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. On 28th January 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty’s ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon, the Wager was wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. The crew, marooned for months and facing starvation, built the flimsy craft and sailed for more than a hundred days, traversing 2,500 miles of storm-wracked seas. They were greeted as heroes. Then, six months later, another, even more decrepit, craft landed on the coast of Chile. This boat contained just three castaways and they had a very different story to tell. The thirty sailors who landed in Brazil were not heroes – they were mutineers. The first group responded with counter-charges of their own, of a tyrannical and murderous captain and his henchmen. While stranded on the island the crew had fallen into anarchy, with warring factions fighting for dominion over the barren wilderness. As accusations of treachery and murder flew, the Admiralty convened a court martial to determine who was telling the truth. The stakes were life-and-death—for whomever the court found guilty could hang.

The Execution of Admiral John Byng as a Microhistory of Eighteenth-Century Britain
The Execution of Admiral John Byng as a Microhistory of Eighteenth-Century Britain

Author: Joseph J. Krulder

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2021-04-26

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 1000381188

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According to Voltaire's Candide, Admiral John Byng's 1757 execution went forward to 'encourage the others'. Of course, the story is more complicated. This microhistorical account upon a macro-event presents an updated, revisionist, and detailed account of a dark chapter in British naval history. Asking 'what was Britain like the moment Byng returned to Portsmouth after the Battle of Minorca (1756)?' not only returns a glimpse of mid-eighteenth century Britain but provides a deeper understanding of how a wartime admiral, the son of a peer, of some wealth, a once colonial governor, and sitting member of parliament came to be scapegoated and then executed for the failings of others. This manuscript presents a cultural, social, and political dive into Britain at the beginning of the Seven Years' War. Part 1 focuses on ballad, newspaper, and prize culture. Part 2 makes a turn towards the social where religion, morality, rioting, and disease play into the Byng saga. Admiral Byng's record during the 1755 Channel Campaign is explored, as is the Mediterranean context of the Seven Years' War, troubles elsewhere in the empire, and then the politics behind Byng's trial and execution.

The Life of Augustus, Viscount Keppel, Admiral of the White, and First Lord of the Admiralty in 1782-3
The Life of Augustus, Viscount Keppel, Admiral of the White, and First Lord of the Admiralty in 1782-3

Author: Thomas Robert Keppel

Publisher: Legare Street Press

Published: 2023-07-18

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781021491756

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This compelling biography of Augustus Viscount Keppel offers a fascinating glimpse into the politics and personalities of the late 18th century British navy. Keppel's rise from midshipman to admiral was marked by his skill as a naval commander, his relationships with notable figures such as Captain James Cook and John Paul Jones, and his controversial court martial for failing to engage the French fleet in 1778. Drawing on primary source documents and interviews with Keppel's family and contemporaries, the author provides a vivid portrait of a complex and compelling figure in British naval history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.