THE EYES OF THE FLEET: A POPULAR HISTORY OF FRIGATES AND FRIGATE CAPTAINS 1793-1815.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE/FINE.No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,glossy laminated,colour pictorial painting detail ('Chesapeake' and the 'Shannon',1813,by Elmes by courtesy of the National Maritme Museum,Greenwich) illustrated front panel of dw/dj with white+orange lettering,rear panel with b/w painting detail (the 'Indefatigable and the 'Amazon' attacking Les Droits de l'Homme 1798 by courtesy of the same aforementioned museum); with negligible shelf-wear or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Some minor scoring/indents to front panel of dw/dj minimally affecting board beneath,light,superficial similar to rear panel but without affecting board beneath.Head of spine of dw/dj with minor bumping and reciprocal creasing and some light fading/sunning.Top+ fore-edges generally bright and clean without foxing/spotting or thumbing marks; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - virtually pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,publisher's original plain navy blue cloth boards with bright, crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine,and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,2-298pp [paginated] includes 19 chapters,16pp b/w contemporary illustrations and paintings reproductions in 2 blocks of 8pp apiece,between pp90/1 and pp186/7 respectively,author's note,an index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages and contents list/table.
'Were I to die at this moment,' wrote Nelson after the battle of the Nile, '"want of frigates" would be found stamped on my heart.'
Frigates,in their classical wooden form,only existed as a class of warship for a century (c1750-1850).As fast scouting crusiers,they were - again in Nelson's words - 'the eyes of the Fleet'.But they were much more than that: as true fighting-ships,lightly-built but heavily-armed, they were also the maids-of-all-work of the British navy,ready for every task short of joining in those great set-piece fleet battles which were the preserve of ships-of-the-line like Nelson's 'Victory'.
Yet Nelson's own first command of such a ship was the essential first step towards fame and admiral's rank.And in such a ship a young captain could become a millionaire - and even a Jack Tar could win the equivalent of 16 years' pay in an afternoon.
'The Eyes of the Fleet' is the story of the frigate's evolution and high days,told largely through the overlapping careers of a succession of some of the most famous - and infamous - frigate captains and set against the 22-year drama of the last of the great 'French Wars'. Please contact rpaxtonden@blueyonder.co.uk ,because of the weight/ value of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.