Boarding
Boarding is when the crew of a ship attempt to capture another by forcing their way onboard. For much of naval history it has been the...
Around the World with Woodes Rogers
In 1711, three worn-out ships limped up the river Thames and dropped anchor on the edge of London. Their patched sails and stained...
Admiral Rodney
What should the world make of Admiral George Rodney? On the one hand he was undoubtedly a vain, grasping, selfish man who actively...
Carronades
The naval cannon during the age of sail hardly changed for the best part of three centuries. Improvements were made over time, notably...
The Battling Cannoniere
On a dark night in November 1805, the 40 gun frigate Cannoniere slipped her moorings in the French port of Cherbourg and headed out to...
The Eddystone Lighthouses
Plymouth is one of the Royal Navy’s most important naval bases. It has a spacious natural harbour that is well protected from the...
The Loss of the Anson
The Anson was one of a class of small, two decked ships of the line with 64 guns that were rushed into service during the War of American...
Nippers and Powder Monkeys
Warships during the age of sail carried a surprisingly large number of children. It was perfectly normal for the five to six hundred...
The Man who named Australia
Construction work on a new high-speed railway line at London’s Euston station has included the excavation of a former cemetery. One of...
The Sovereign of the Seas
In 17th century Europe, the Power of Kings was at its zenith and conspicuous display was all the rage. Louis XIV of France built the...
