<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> T H E B O S U N ' S C H R O N I C L E All the latest on Julian Stockwin's Kydd series <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> VOL. 5, ISSUE 3, April 2005 Avast, Shipmates and anchors aweigh! 1 DISPATCHES 2 ASK JULIAN 3 BOOKSHELF 4 WHAT SHIP? 5 SALTY SAYINGS 6 A DAY IN THE LIFE 7 CONTEST 8 COUNTDOWN TO TRAFALGAR 9 THIS SHIP IS 10 NEW ON THE WEB ==================== 1 DISPATCHES + Geoff Hunt As promised last issue, the Bosun caught up with celebrated marine artist Geoff Hunt to talk to him about the cover for TENACIOUS, a dramatic painting which features the French flagship "l'Orient" exploding at the Battle of the Nile. Bosun: Have you painted l'Orient before? Geoff: No, though I have painted the Battle of the Nile. I'm not aware of any existing plan for this huge ship (there may be one in a French archive) but French designs tend to be standardised so I felt justified in using the plan of "Commerce de Marseilles" which the British captured at the fall of Toulon in 1793. The night battle of the Nile and the firing of the French flagship is surely the most apocalyptic scene in the whole of the age of fighting sail. Bosun: What particularly caught your imagination about Julian's description of the scene you chose to portray for the cover? Geoff: The fact that Julian introduces a small boat into the scene, with Kydd aboard, picking up survivors. The experience of being in such a tiny craft not far from a burning 120-gun battleship must have been terrifying. Bosun: Was this a difficult painting to execute? Geoff: It was complex, like all such big battles, but in some ways easier than other paintings because darkness and a strategically placed cloud of smoke can cover any tricky or too involved bits! Geoff has a busy year ahead. The Royal Society of Marine Artists, of which he is president, is mounting a special exhibition at Portsmouth Cathedral (See Countdown to Trafalgar) and two books coming out soon feature Geoff's art: "Clippers, Packets and Men O'War" presents over 100 paintings of the tall ship in art by Roy Cross, Derek Gardner, John Groves, Geoff Hunt and Mark Myers. It is published by Bounty Books next month. ISBN 0 7537 1140 0 "A Celebration of Marine Art" marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Royal Society of Marine Artists. Look out for it in August. Bounty Books, ISBN 0 7537 1139 7 + TENACIOUS taster! We've put chapter one on the website - and you can also see the working proof of the UK cover of TENACIOUS, with Geoff Hunt's painting of l'Orient. + Shipmates ahoy Australian Shipmate Petty Officer Boatswain Daniel "Jack" O'Neill of HMAS Cerberus, Westernport, Victoria emailed Julian saying how much he is enjoying the series. He also credits Julian's books with igniting an interest in the days of fighting sail in his wife Wendy, who is now an avid fan, too! HMAS Cerberus is the main training establishment for the Royal Australian Navy. There are around 2000 personnel on the base, 1200 of whom are trainees - during the course of their career most members of the RAN will pass through Cerberus at least once. Jack joined the Navy at 18, has been a Quartermaster Gunner, an Aircraft Weapons Electrician and now teaches survival at sea techniques. He first came across KYDD on board HMAS "Kanimbla" while on refit in late 2003 after returning from Operation Falconer in the Gulf. Jack told the Bosun: "I was rummaging through the sparse library in the mess and found a copy of KYDD. I read it over two nights and I was hooked. I have always enjoyed reading anything Navy, especially fighting sail. The way Julian writes is fantastic, with such accurate language and seamanship terminology, and great characters!" In his spare time Jack enjoys making models of sailing ships. + Reading groups Reading Groups are the next big thing in the literary world! We've put together an information section on Reading Groups on the website and are also offering a special Pack (which includes a CD of Julian giving selected readings) to any reading groups interested in Julian's books. The Reading Group Pack is free of charge on request to Admin@JulianStockwin.com. The Wickham Reading Group in Hampshire, England, (comprising Niki Cartwright, Patricia Fray, Ted and Sue Fitzgerald, Judy Lucas and Sally Walker) has chosen KYDD to discuss at their meeting this month. They've promised to report back to the Chronicle. + Kydd party Friends and family of UK Shipmate Graham Davenport enjoyed a "QUARTERDECK Do" with sea outfits, lots of seafood and "what could loosely be described as sea songs". Graham is planning something along similar lines for TENACIOUS. We'd love to hear about other Kydd-themed events! + "The INDE" A fascinating history of TS "Indefatigable" (where Julian learned the basics of seamanship) is now available. GBP 14.63 incl. p&p. (Overseas postage on application) Contact: Steve Humphries - indefatigable.obamembershipsec@btopenworld.com ===================== 2 ASK JULIAN Tom Ayres, in Devon, England, asked Julian about the pronunciation of "lieutenant", and why it varies. The word is pronounced loo-tenant in American English and usually lef-tenant in British English. The Royal Navy traditionally pronounces the word as l'tenant. The word "lieutenant" came into Middle English sometime in the mid 1300s, from two French words, "lieu" (place) and "tenant" (a holding) - a lieutenant acted in place of his immediate supervisor. The ultimate source of the British pronunciation remains uncertain. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the word was variously spelled as lieftenant, lyeftenant or luftenant. It has also been speculated that the pronunciation may have come from the fact that a lieutenant only took up his duties once his superior officer had "left". The different American pronunciation has been attributed to the influence of Noah Webster, a passionate supporter of American linguistic independence. ==================== 3 BOOKSHELF Jack Aubrey Commands By Brian Lavery, Conway Maritime Press ISBN 1 84486 012 4 Written by a leading authority on the subject, the book is an excellent overview of the Georgian Navy. The historical facts behind naval fiction about this period are discussed, as are minutiae of shipboard life. For a chance to win a copy, see CONTESTS ==================== 4 WHAT SHIP IS THIS? Just for fun, see if you can identify this vessel ... She is three-masted, fully rigged on each mast and armed with from twenty four to thirty eight guns on a single gundeck. The answer is at the end of the newsletter. How many such ships can you name from the Kydd series? ==================== 5 SALTY SAYINGS Brought up short Today if we say a person is brought up short he is forced to a standstill by a sudden reversal of fortune. The origins of the phrase are definitely salty. In the days of fighting sail a vessel underway could be brought to an emergency standstill or "brought up short" by dropping the anchors. Imagine a 1000-ton frigate grinding to a sudden halt against the drag of anchors. As the anchor bit, the ship shuddered to a standstill - accompanied with tremendous noise and whipping and clattering of masts and rigging. This action was sometimes due to a shot fired across a vessel's bows, done as a warning; if she failed to stop the next shot would be fired true. ==================== 6 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SHIP-O'-THE-LINE Forenoon The Forenoon watch was between 8am and 12 noon. Breakfast was served at 8 am, with generally half an hour allowed. Then the lower deck, where the bulk of the men slept, was scrubbed with sand and holystoned, rather than wet-scrubbed because of the difficulties of drying that deck. On occasion the overhead beams were swabbed with vinegar as a disinfectant. The men were worked or exercised - on the masts or yards, or at the great guns, sometimes on small arms practice. The day's food was brought to the steward's rooms where the mess cooks collected it and took it to the galley. Hands were called to be inspected by division and if punishment was ordered the men were piped to witness it. After that, the officers prepared for the noon sight. Then the hands were piped to dinner - in some ships an hour and a half was allowed, for most seamen the "the pleasantest part of the day". Next month: The afternoon watch ==================== 7 CONTEST Please put "CONTEST" in the subject line and include your full postal address. Deadline for the contests: April 25. Bosun@JulianStockwin.com +Jack Aubrey Commands If you'd like your name to go into the hat for a copy of this book, email the Bosun with Brian Lavery's title at the National Maritime Museum. www.conwaymaritime.com And last month's contest for the Trafalgar commemoration stamps proved so popular that here's another chance to win one of several sets. Simply email the Bosun with the answer to: In conjunction with which organisation have these stamps been issued? www.iompost.com =================== 8 COUNTDOWN TO TRAFALGAR From magnificent marine art exhibitions to a gala evening aboard a vessel with Royal connections - this year offers many exciting events in the countdown to Trafalgar. It's also worth visiting www.seabritain.co.uk; the site is updated regularly. + Visual tribute to the sea As part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations, the Royal Society of Marine Artists is mounting a special exhibition at the Portsmouth Cathedral from May 28 to June 19. Admission is free and opening hours are 9am to 5pm. Among the highlights is a new painting by Geoff Hunt, "Eyewitness at Trafalgar: H.M. Schooner Pickle". In addition, the RSMA will mount their annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, October 19 to 30. + Night to remember The Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh, Scotland, has put together a Trafalgar Dinner package - exclusive hire of Britannia, a banquet in the State Apartments and musical entertainment from the Royal Marines. www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk =================== 9 THIS SHIP IS She's a frigate. The frigate "Artemis" graces the cover of the second book in the series. Another one mentioned in the series is "Blanche" frigate in "Seaflower" - how many more were you able to name? =================== 10 NEW ON THE WEB www.JulianStockwin.com Lots of new items on the web this month. Here's just three: + Reading Groups. Thinking of starting a reading group? Or would you like some suggestions for a discussion of KYDD? + Marine art. Foremost art historian Russell Jinishian talks about the historical influences on marine art. + Shipmates' album. Pics of shipmates around the world! =================== Coming next month - Ambassador Reviewers contest (win an Advance copy of TENACIOUS!), war gaming feature - and HMS Victory... Yours aye, THE BOSUN ++ Back issues of the newsletter downloadable from the website ++