Transcriber’s Note: images outlined in blue (like this note is)are clickable for a larger version.
CHAMPIONS OF THE FLEET
BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
- FAMOUS FIGHTERS OF THE FLEET.
- THE ENEMY AT TRAFALGAR.
- THE ROMANCE OF THE KING’S NAVY.
- ETC. ETC.
CHAMPIONS THEN AND NOW: THE VICTORY AND THE DREADNOUGHT
Both ships, and the submarine alongside the “Victory,” are shownon the same scale. The picture is reproduced by kind permissionof the Proprietors of the “Illustrated London News.” Photos byStephen Cribb, Southsea.
CHAMPIONS
OF THE FLEET
CAPTAINS AND MEN-OF-WAR
AND DAYS THAT HELPED TO
MAKE THE EMPIRE
BY EDWARD FRASER
WITH 19 ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON: JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD
NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMVIII
WM. BRENDON AND SON, LTD., PRINTERS, PLYMOUTH
These tales of the navy of the fightingdays of old are to some extent, it mayseem, cruises in rather out-of-the-waywaters. At the same time, they mayclaim present-day associations that should renderthem not out of place just now. How and why, forinstance, the world-famous name Dreadnought cameinto the Royal Navy is a story of interest on its ownaccount that ought to be timely. With that also istold something of what our Dreadnoughts of old didunder fire in the fighting days of history: withDrake; against the Armada; with Sir WalterRaleigh; against De Ruyter and the Dutchmen;at La Hogue; how one gave the sobriquet “OldDreadnought” to the famous Boscawen; how Nelson’suncle and patron Maurice Suckling captainedthe same ship in battle; of Collingwood in theDreadnought; and of the Dreadnought at Trafalgar.We get, too, a passing glance at certain of the“points” of our mighty battleship the Dreadnoughtof the present hour. Again, in the yearthat has seen the name of Clive recalled to thememory of his countrymen by an ex-Viceroy of[vi]India in connection with the hundred and fiftiethanniversary of Plassey, what the navy did for Cliveat the most critical moment of his fortunes, howwithout its active support on the field of battle Clivewould have been powerless, the forgotten, or certainlylittle appreciated, part that the navy took in thefounding of our Indian empire—should be of interestto English readers. This year again sees a newTéméraire, one of our “improved Dreadnoughts,”added to the Royal Navy. The fine story of howthe never-to-be-forgotten name Téméraire—immortalizedalike by Turner and by Trafalgar—first cameto appear on the roll of the British fleet is told here.And it should be of interest to recall certai