Patrick O’Brian - HMS Surprise

PATRICK O’BRIAN

H.M.S. Surprise

Copyright

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Harper

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Copyright © Patrick O’Brian 1973

Patrick O’Brian asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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Source ISBN: 9780006499176

Ebook Edition © DECEMBER 2011 ISBN: 9780007429301

Version: 2019-04-17

MARIAE LEMBI NOSTRI DUCI ET MAGISTRAE DO DEDICO Contents Cover Title Page Copyright Diagram of a Square-Rigged Ship Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Arms and the Man: CHARLTON HESTON Keep Reading About the Author The Works of Patrick O’Brian About the Publisher

Contents

Cover

Title Page PATRICK O’BRIAN H.M.S. Surprise

Copyright

Diagram of a Square-Rigged Ship The sails of a square-rigged ship, hung out to dry in a calm. 1 Flying jib 2 Jib 3 Fore topmast staysail 4 Fore staysail 5 Foresail, or course 6 Fore topsail 7 Fore topgallant 8 Mainstaysail 9 Main topmast staysail 10 Middle staysail 11 Main topgallant staysail 12 Mainsail, or course 13 Maintopsail 14 Main topgallant 15 Mizzen staysail 16 Mizzen topmast staysail 17 Mizzen topgallant staysail 18 Mizzen sail 19 Spanker 20 Mizzen topsail 21 Mizzen topgallant Illustration source: Serres, Liber Nauticus. Courtesy of The Science and Technology Research Center, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundation

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Arms and the Man: CHARLTON HESTON

Keep Reading

About the Author

The Works of Patrick O’Brian

About the Publisher

The sails of a square-rigged ship, hung out to dry in a calm. Contents Cover Title Page PATRICK O’BRIAN H.M.S. Surprise Copyright Diagram of a Square-Rigged Ship The sails of a square-rigged ship, hung out to dry in a calm. 1 Flying jib 2 Jib 3 Fore topmast staysail 4 Fore staysail 5 Foresail, or course 6 Fore topsail 7 Fore topgallant 8 Mainstaysail 9 Main topmast staysail 10 Middle staysail 11 Main topgallant staysail 12 Mainsail, or course 13 Maintopsail 14 Main topgallant 15 Mizzen staysail 16 Mizzen topmast staysail 17 Mizzen topgallant staysail 18 Mizzen sail 19 Spanker 20 Mizzen topsail 21 Mizzen topgallant Illustration source: Serres, Liber Nauticus. Courtesy of The Science and Technology Research Center, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundation Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Arms and the Man: CHARLTON HESTON Keep Reading About the Author The Works of Patrick O’Brian About the Publisher

1 Flying jib

2 Jib

3 Fore topmast staysail

4 Fore staysail

5 Foresail, or course

6 Fore topsail

7 Fore topgallant

8 Mainstaysail

9 Main topmast staysail

10 Middle staysail

11 Main topgallant staysail

12 Mainsail, or course

13 Maintopsail

14 Main topgallant

15 Mizzen staysail

16 Mizzen topmast staysail

17 Mizzen topgallant staysail

18 Mizzen sail

19 Spanker

20 Mizzen topsail

21 Mizzen topgallant

Illustration source: Serres, Liber Nauticus.

Courtesy of The Science and Technology Research Center, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundation

Chapter One Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Arms and the Man: CHARLTON HESTON Keep Reading About the Author The Works of Patrick O’Brian About the Publisher

‘But I put it to you, my lord, that prize-money is of essential importance to the Navy. The possibility, however remote, of making a fortune by some brilliant stroke is an unparalleled spur to the diligence, the activity, and the unremitting attention of every man afloat. I am sure that the serving members of the Board will support me in this,’ he said, glancing round the table. Several of the uniformed figures looked up, and there was a murmur of agreement: it was not universal, however; some of the civilians had a stuffed and non-committal air, and one or two of the sailors remained staring at the sheets of blotting-paper laid out before them. It was difficult to catch the sense of the meeting, if indeed any distinct current had yet established itself: this was not the usual restricted session of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, but the first omnium gatherum of the new administration, the first since Lord Melville’s departure, with several new members, many heads of department and representatives of other boards; they were feeling their way, behaving with politic restraint, holding their fire. It was difficult to sense the atmosphere, but although he knew he did not have the meeting entirely with him, yet he felt no decided opposition – a wavering, rather – and he hoped that by the force of his own conviction he might still carry his point against the tepid unwillingness of the First Lord. ‘One or two striking examples of this kind, in the course of a long-protracted war, are enough to stimulate the zeal of the whole fleet throughout years and years of hardship at sea; whereas a denial, on the other hand, must necessarily have a – must necessarily have the contrary effect.’ Sir Joseph was a capable, experienced chief of naval intelligence; but he was no orator, particularly before such a large audience; he had not struck upon the golden phrase; the right words had escaped him, and he was conscious of a certain negative, unpersuaded quality in the air.

‘I cannot feel that Sir Joseph is quite right in attributing such interested motives to the officers of our service,’ remarked Admiral Harte, bending his head obsequiously towards the First Lord. The other service members glanced quickly at him and at one another: Harte was the most eager pursuer of the main chance in the Navy, the most ardent snapper-up of anything that was going, from a Dutch herring-buss to a Breton fishing-boat.