[lit-ideas] Re: Oh, great!

  • From: David Ritchie <ritchierd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 19:41:10 -0700

on 6/28/05 6:07 PM, Robert Paul at robert.paul@xxxxxxxx wrote:

> Judy Evans wrote:
> 
>> Tuesday, June 28, 2005, 9:33:38 PM, Mike Geary wrote:
>> 
>> MG> BBC News:
>> 
>> not all BBC News is anti-American :), there are some good photos here
>> of the re-run of the Battle of Trafalgar (yes it's jingoism)
> 
> We we in that? Who won?
> 
One of the things I discovered when I subscribed for a while to a Maritime
history list was how international the Royal Navy of Nelson's time really
was.  I'm remembering--and how trustworthy is that--H.M.S. Victory had about
a hundred American seaman on board at Trafalgar.  So yes, American were
present.

Why is Trafalgar worth a look?  Because Nelson sailed downwind (force one,
gusting two) at ninety degrees to the midpoint of the Franco-Spanish line
and then tacked along it, thus concentrating his force on half of the
opponent's force.  This is daring because for all the time it took for
Nelson's fleet to approach, only their bow chasers could fire.  Meanwhile
they had to endure broadsides that could cut away masts.

David Ritchie
new owner of a Duck Punt Gun in
Portland, Oregon

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