Storm and Conquest: The Clash of Empires in the Eastern Seas, 1809W. W. Norton & Company, 2008 - Broj stranica: 380 This is history, not fiction; but the story is pure Patrick O'Brian, with special effects out ofThe Perfect Storm. The Indian Ocean was the final battleground for Nelson's navy and France. At stake was Britain's commercial lifeline to India-and its strategic capacity to wage war in Europe. In one fatal season, the natural order of maritime power since Trafalgar was destroyed. In bringing home Bengali saltpeter for the Peninsular campaign with military and civilian passengers, Britain lost fourteen of her great Indiamen, either sunk or taken by enemy frigates. Many hundreds of lives were lost, and the East India Company was shaken to its foundations. The focus of these disasters, military and meteorological, was a tiny French outpost in mid-ocean-the island known as Mauritius. This is the story of that season. It brings together the terrifying ordeal of men, women, and children caught at sea in hurricanes, and those who survived to take up the battle to drive the French from the Eastern seas. Mauritius must be taken at any cost. 8 pages of color, 8 pages of black-and-white illustrations; 4 maps. |
Sadržaj
Sir Henry Gwillim embarks and the Devil | 49 |
Not heard of again | 67 |
One of the most wicked places in | 105 |
A perfect hurricane | 141 |
Battle on Bourbon | 237 |
A close run thing | 315 |
Epilogue | 337 |
Bibliography | 361 |
Uobičajeni izrazi i fraze
action Admiral aged anchor appeared Army arrival August Barlow battle became Bengal Bertie Bourbon British brought cabin Calcutta called Cape Captain carried clear command Company Corbet court crew Culloden death Decaen deck East enemy English evidence figure fire five fleet Flinders followed force four France French frigate George given Grand guns hands hope hurricane Ile de France India Indiamen Indian Ocean island John known Lady land later letter lieutenant London Lord lost Macdowall Madras March miles months named Navy Nereide never night noted November officers passed passengers Pellew Port received record remained Rowley sail Second sent September ship side sighted squadron started storm Table Bay taken took turned voyage weeks wife Willoughby wind wrote young