Comments | following_sea: Wanted: Advice from Book fans and Naval Historians

esmerelda_t in following_sea

Wanted: Advice from Book fans and Naval Historians

Mar 15, 2010 11:18

I'm toying with a fic idea and I need some advice.

What would Hornblower have been doing around 1834? If he was on a transatlantic voyage as a passanger on a Royal Navy ship, would he believably be able to issue orders to the Captain?

discussion: question, discussion: history, discussion: book

Comments 5

sarlania March 15 2010, 12:24:31 UTC

Well Hornblower will be an admiral by then. Vice-admiral probably. There wasn't any wars on so if he wasn't one of the lucky few who got a command he would probably be spending his time at Smallbridge, sitting in the House of Lords.

As for the latter, yes I'm pretty sure that Hornblower can give orders (he's an admiral after all!) but it is usually more "courteous" for passengers to not do so unless in the most extreme circumstances in fear of undermining the captain's authority aboard ship. And Hornblower is more the type of person to "give suggestions" rather than give orders.

Hope that helps somewhat!

esmerelda_t March 15 2010, 13:06:01 UTC

I did figure by that point he probably wasnt in command of his own ship (although it would make the fic so much easier if he was...)

Hee, I did mean more would he be able to "suggest a course of action" and say he'd take responsibility for the consequences and have the captain go along with it on those grounds rather than he was wearing his bossy breeches that day. :)

nodbear March 22 2010, 08:35:56 UTC

Sorry but managed to post a non existent reply just now ! Don't know if this is much help but its a thought or two about Hormblower and 1834 ( ... )

esmerelda_t March 22 2010, 22:37:22 UTC

That's a big help, thanks!

nodbear March 25 2010, 08:12:48 UTC

Another thought : if you have access at home or at a library to either the Times online archive, or the British Library 19th century newspapers archive online , both of those , if you try the search " Naval Intelligence" in the full text search will bring up paragraphs which summarise where most ships were when every month- and with the BL one you can do lots of refining
ie by ship, by year, by adding Atlantic , or whatever. I know that both of these are pay to view archives, but most libraries have the Times online and most university and college ones have the BL one.
Apologies if this is stuff you already know - being a newcomer I am not sure of course.
hope your idea takes wing.