I think he has a point

[eglantine_br]

I just started reading Taylor's book on Pellew. Asked husband: "Would you give a 15 year old 6 months of advance pay and two weeks leave?" (As was given young Pellew)

His response, (Based on his own 20 years in the Navy,) "F**** No" "

But I suppose it turned out Ok. 

Comments

[anteros_lmc]

I suppose it turned out Ok
For husband or for Ned? ;)

I'll look forward to hearing what you think of Taylor's book. nodbear and I were both very impressed by it.

[eglantine_br]

I like it very much so far. He really experienced the Navy from bottom to top it seems. He knew what the unpleasant jobs were, he had done them himself.

[mylodon]

Depends - as proven - on the 15 year old. And sometimes they live up to high expectations.

[eglantine_br]

Very true. Husband knows that, he was just being curmudgeonly.

[eglantine_br]

There is that. But there seems to have been a practical understanding that a young man was not as steady as an older one.

[anteros_lmc]

What goes around comes around...nodbear and I have a letter that one of the Indefatigable 's midshipmen wrote to his brother complaining about the fact that Captain Pellew kept too tight a rein on his finances and wouldn't let him spend his money as he pleased!

[nodbear]

and what is fascinating also is the account that same young man received when he duly got his way and the Captain handed over his charge of the funds.He had had money for shoes and to spend as pocket money when ashore = but also for tuition from the French master.

It has to be said that having responsibility for the young gentlemens money was just one more chore in a captains' life ....

I would be worried not so much that young Ned would spend it all on wine women and song -though he might well have done = as that he would be off looking for some exotic pet to purchase

[nodbear]

" the one with the waggily tail" hhmmnn *Grins*

The middy and the Dodo - sounds like a title ....