Read Online A Brig of War by Richard Woodman - Free Book Online
Authors: Richard Woodman
Tags: Fiction, Historical fiction, Historical, Action & Adventure, History, Sea stories, War & Military, Ancient, middle east, Great Britain, Napoleonic Wars; 1800-1815, Drinkwater; Nathaniel (Fictitious Character), Great Britain - History; Naval - 19th Century, Men's Adventure, Egypt, Egypt - History - 1517-1882
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objectively, almost past belief.
Nevertheless, two hours passed before Drinkwater remembered the topgallant buntlines. He found Mr Quilhampton had already attended to them.
Chapter Five September-October 1798
The Mistress Shore
The following morning Drinkwater found a moment to study the literary efforts of the two midshipmen. It was clear that Mr Dalziell’s essay had suffered from being written after that by Mr Quilhampton. True the penmanship was neater and better formed than the awkward, blotchy script of Mr Q, but the information contained in the composition was a crib from Falconer’s Marine Dictionary with a few embellishments in what Mr Dalziell clearly considered was literary style.
And so the Brig-Sloop, so named to indicate that she was commanded by a Commander or Sloop-Captain, as opposed to a Gun-Brig, merely the command of a Lieutenant, arrived to take its place in the lists of the Fleet and perform the duties of a small Cruiser to the no small satisfaction of Admiralty
Was there a sneer within the lengthy sentence? Or was Drinkwater unduly prejudiced? Certainly there was little information.
By contrast Mr Quilhampton’s erratic, speckled contribution, untidy though it was, demonstrated his enthusiasm.
The naval Brig was developed from the merchant Snow and Brig, both two-masted vessels. In the former the mainmast carried both a square course and a fore and aft spanker which was usually loose footed. Its luff was secured to a small mast, or horse, set close abaft the lower mainmast. The merchant Brig did not carry the maincourse, the maintopsail sheeting to a lower yard of smaller dimensions, not unlike the cross-jack yard. The mainsail was usually designated to be the fore and aft spanker which was larger than that of the snow and furnished with a boom, extending its parts well aft and making it an effective driver for a vessel on the ivind
Drinkwater nodded, well satisfied with the clarity of Mr Quilhampton’s drift, but the boy was in full flood now and did not baulk at attempting to untangle that other piece of etymological and naval confusion.
The naval brig is divided into two classes, the gun-vessel, usually of shallow draft and commanded by a Lieutenant, and the brig-sloop, under a Commander. The term ‘sloop’ in this context (as with the ship-sloop, or corvette) indicates its status as the command of Captain or Commander, the ship-sloop of twenty guns being the smallest vessel commanded by a Post-Captain. The Captain of a brig-sloop, (sometimes known, more particularly in foreign navies, as a brig-corvette) is always addressed as ‘Captain’ by courtesy but is in reality called Master and Commander since at one time no master was carried to attend to the vessel’s navigation. The term ‘sloop’ used in these contexts, should not be confused with the one-masted vessel that has the superficial [there were several attempts to spell this word] appearance of a cutter. These type of sloops are rarely used now in naval service, having been replaced by the faster cutter. They differ from the cutter in having less sail area, a standing bowsprit and a beakhead
Drinkwater lowered this formidable document in admiration. Young Mr Q had hit upon some interesting points, particularly that of Masters and Commanders. He knew that many young and ambitious lieutenants had objected to submitting themselves for the navigational examination at the Trinity House to give them the full claim to the title, and that the many promotions on foreign stations that answered the exigencies of war had made the system impracticable. The regulation of having a midshipman pass for master’s mate before he could be sent away in a prize was also one observed more in the breach than otherwise. As a result the Admiralty had seen fit to appoint masters or acting masters to most brigs to avoid losses by faulty navigation. In Mr Lestock’s case Drinkwater was apt to think the appointment more of a burden to
Nevertheless, two hours passed before Drinkwater remembered the topgallant buntlines. He found Mr Quilhampton had already attended to them.
Chapter Five September-October 1798
The Mistress Shore
The following morning Drinkwater found a moment to study the literary efforts of the two midshipmen. It was clear that Mr Dalziell’s essay had suffered from being written after that by Mr Quilhampton. True the penmanship was neater and better formed than the awkward, blotchy script of Mr Q, but the information contained in the composition was a crib from Falconer’s Marine Dictionary with a few embellishments in what Mr Dalziell clearly considered was literary style.
And so the Brig-Sloop, so named to indicate that she was commanded by a Commander or Sloop-Captain, as opposed to a Gun-Brig, merely the command of a Lieutenant, arrived to take its place in the lists of the Fleet and perform the duties of a small Cruiser to the no small satisfaction of Admiralty
Was there a sneer within the lengthy sentence? Or was Drinkwater unduly prejudiced? Certainly there was little information.
By contrast Mr Quilhampton’s erratic, speckled contribution, untidy though it was, demonstrated his enthusiasm.
The naval Brig was developed from the merchant Snow and Brig, both two-masted vessels. In the former the mainmast carried both a square course and a fore and aft spanker which was usually loose footed. Its luff was secured to a small mast, or horse, set close abaft the lower mainmast. The merchant Brig did not carry the maincourse, the maintopsail sheeting to a lower yard of smaller dimensions, not unlike the cross-jack yard. The mainsail was usually designated to be the fore and aft spanker which was larger than that of the snow and furnished with a boom, extending its parts well aft and making it an effective driver for a vessel on the ivind
Drinkwater nodded, well satisfied with the clarity of Mr Quilhampton’s drift, but the boy was in full flood now and did not baulk at attempting to untangle that other piece of etymological and naval confusion.
The naval brig is divided into two classes, the gun-vessel, usually of shallow draft and commanded by a Lieutenant, and the brig-sloop, under a Commander. The term ‘sloop’ in this context (as with the ship-sloop, or corvette) indicates its status as the command of Captain or Commander, the ship-sloop of twenty guns being the smallest vessel commanded by a Post-Captain. The Captain of a brig-sloop, (sometimes known, more particularly in foreign navies, as a brig-corvette) is always addressed as ‘Captain’ by courtesy but is in reality called Master and Commander since at one time no master was carried to attend to the vessel’s navigation. The term ‘sloop’ used in these contexts, should not be confused with the one-masted vessel that has the superficial [there were several attempts to spell this word] appearance of a cutter. These type of sloops are rarely used now in naval service, having been replaced by the faster cutter. They differ from the cutter in having less sail area, a standing bowsprit and a beakhead
Drinkwater lowered this formidable document in admiration. Young Mr Q had hit upon some interesting points, particularly that of Masters and Commanders. He knew that many young and ambitious lieutenants had objected to submitting themselves for the navigational examination at the Trinity House to give them the full claim to the title, and that the many promotions on foreign stations that answered the exigencies of war had made the system impracticable. The regulation of having a midshipman pass for master’s mate before he could be sent away in a prize was also one observed more in the breach than otherwise. As a result the Admiralty had seen fit to appoint masters or acting masters to most brigs to avoid losses by faulty navigation. In Mr Lestock’s case Drinkwater was apt to think the appointment more of a burden to
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