<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> T H E B O S U N ' S C H R O N I C L E <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Welcome aboard the world of Thomas Kydd VOL. 4, ISSUE 3, March 2004 1 NEWS & VIEWS 2 ASK JULIAN 3 BOOKSHELF 4 SALTY SAYINGS 5 FEATURE 6 ACCUL TO ZOLL 7 CONTEST 8 NEW ON THE WEB ==================== Many thanks to Shipmates who sent in suggestions about the Chronicle and the website. A number of you mentioned that you particularly enjoy the Salty Sayings and would like to have something else along these lines - so we've added a new feature called "Accul to Zoll", which will include some of the more unusual eighteenth century words that Kydd and his fellow sailors used. 1 NEWS & VIEWS --- publishing happenings, Shipmates ahoy! --- + US paperback edition of SEAFLOWER out next month and a "new look" for MUTINY in June. Scribner launches the American paperback edition of SEAFLOWER (ISBN 0 7432 5800 2) in April. Julian's American publisher is excited about their new look for "MUTINY". Art Director John Fulbrook told the Bosun, "I wanted a look that was both classic and evoked a sense of history and grandeur. The type was made to look more evocative of the period and [Geoff Hunt's] artwork was treated in a way that would convey a sense of adventure and movement." Julian's US editor Susanne Kirk adds: "My hope is that this jacket will communicate to readers what an exciting read MUTINY is! The jacket is, in a way, our best sales tool, so we've worked very hard to try to find a combination that will work best for our US market." ISBN 0 7432 5800 2 + MUTINY limited edition print The fourth print in "The Kydd Collection" is now available. "Mutiny", by Geoff Hunt, president of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, is a stunning depiction of one of the most dramatic events in English history. Prints of the original cover art of the first three books are also available. Enquiries: Charles Mayes + World Book Day, March 4 Julian has been invited to give a talk to schoolchildren about life at sea in the eighteenth century as part of the celebrations of World Book Day at the Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth. A main aim of the event is to encourage the young to read, but World Book Day is not just for children, it is a celebration for us all of the pleasures of reading! + Shipmates ahoy! Shipmate Roy Wheatley is an avid reader, especially of sea fiction, and greatly enjoys the attention to detail in Julian's writing - as well, he admits, as envying his hero! Roy joined the Royal Navy at seventeen, during the Second World War, and twice sailed around the world during the next two and a half years. Among his memories of those times - a hurricane at sea that tore off sponsons; arriving in New York to find shops full of steaks, ice cream, cakes - and fresh fruit like bananas, pineapples and oranges that he had not seen for nearly five years; and Demob Day, when a Rear Admiral (no less!) stopped his car just outside the Chatham Royal Naval Base and offered Roy a lift to London - and back to civilian life. Roy went on to a career in the police force and later served as an auxiliary in HM Coastguard. His son, Noel also joined the Royal Navy, and now is active as a senior officer in the Sea Cadets Corps. Roy and his wife Mary retired to Menorca, to the historic area of Es Castell, where there are many reminders of the British time on the island. Their apartment is right on Mahon harbour, and one of their pleasures is watching the busy comings and goings of all kinds of ships and pleasure craft. --- Across the Atlantic, Canadian Shipmate Watcyn Jones now lives in Victoria, Vancouver Island, by the sea. Watcyn was raised in Portmadoc, North Wales, an area steeped in sailing ship lore and still with some traces of the ship-building industry that once thrived there. As a boy, Watcyn became friendly with an old mariner living aboard an ancient hulk in the harbour with his cat and dog - and who spun very salty tales! Watcyn says he deeply regrets not having written any of them down... Watcyn and his family emigrated to Canada in 1965, where Watcyn worked in project management and enjoyed sailing on the lakes near his home. There were a number of seafarers in the family, among them a great uncle who was a captain of a sailing ship that carried slate to Canada and returned with lumber. Watcyn thinks the stories of their voyages stimulated his interest in sea tales. He came across Julian's first book in a local library and became absolutely engrossed in it, reading it in three days. Then he promptly went out and bought all the available books in the series to date! + Tall Ships Coming to Canada Shipmate Ian Urquhart emailed with details of Tall Ships 2004, July 29 - August 3. Halifax harbour will be filled with the spectacular sight of around 40 tall ships. The Parade of Sail will be held Monday August 2, 2pm. http://www.novascotia.com/tallships ===================== 2 ASK JULIAN --- a forum for Shipmates' questions --- Ron Morris from England, asks: "When was cutlass drill phased out in the Royal Navy and when was the last time sailors used cutlasses in action?" Julian replies: "In my collection of historical naval artefacts I actually have a sea service cutlass, from 1805. It is not a pretty weapon, but was very effective in the hands of seamen. In chapter seven of my first book, Tom Kydd is given a lesson in its use, and quickly develops a healthy respect for it! History gives us one particularly vivid example of its effectiveness. In 1801, a boarding party from the 14-gun 'Speedy' took the 32-gun Spanish frigate 'Gamo' in a ferocious encounter with cutlasses (plus axes and pikes). At one point, Captain Cochrane, who had led the entire 40 crew aboard (the surgeon was left at the wheel), called loudly for another fictitious 50 reinforcements to follow - and the Spanish surrendered. Actual cutlass drill (as a specified series of exercises) was not introduced formally into the Royal Navy until 1814 but prior to that individual officers devised drills to train the sailors. Some things change slowly in the Navy: I remember having the option to do cutlass drill in the 1960s, during my time in the service. The Royal Navy retained cutlasses 'officially' until 1936, although there are some reports of personnel carrying them in the Second World War. The cutlass was possibly last used in anger when sailors from HMS 'Cossack' boarded the 'Altmark' in 1940 to liberate British prisoners of war, although later, in the Korean War, there were stories of men fighting with cutlasses - with an NCO reportedly taking his ceremonial side-arm, a cutlass, and despatching one of the enemy! Perhaps some Shipmates have memories of cutlass drill themselves - I'd love to hear from them." ==================== 3 BOOKSHELF --- books, magazines and journals about the sea --- The Age of Sail - The International Annual of the Historic Sailing Ship Vol. 1 by Nicholas Tracy Edited by an eminent naval historian, the books aim to cover all aspects of maritime warfare from the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century. With reviews, notes and original documents, the volumes build into a valuable resource for the enthusiast, as well as the more general reader. ISBN: 0851779255 ==================== 4 SALTY SAYINGS --- what today's English owes to Jack Tar --- Shake a leg "Shake a leg" is an exhortation to wake up, or hurry up! The origins of this phrase are definitely salty. Originally "show a leg"; it derives from the naval practice of sometimes allowing females to stay onboard overnight while a ship was in harbour. The ladies could linger an extra hour in their hammocks, providing they could prove their gender by showing a hairless leg to the bosun's mates as they did their rounds. The full cry was "show a leg or else a purser's stocking". ==================== 5 FEATURE The Stockwins in Menorca Julian and Kathy have recently returned from ten days' location research in Menorca, Spain - for book six in the series, as yet untitled. The Bosun asked Julian about the trip: + Bosun. "Can you tell us a little bit about the importance of Menorca in Kydd's day?" + Julian. "Menorca boasts a magnificent harbour, one of the finest in the world - nearly four miles long and maximum width of close to half a mile, with a narrow deep-sea entrance making its defence relatively easy. The British occupied Menorca at three different periods in its history, the last being from 1798 to 1802. It's interesting to compare it to Gibraltar, which admittedly was very strategic, being at the mouth of the Med, but because the Rock stuns the winds, it was not a very good harbour for a fleet. Menorca, on the other hand, is a fine sheltered harbour, and more in the geographic centre of things. The French port of Toulon, for example, could be blockaded from Menorca." + Bosun. "I believe you were able to visit a naval cemetery there, which is the final resting place of a number of American sailors." + Julian. "Yes, the small cemetery is on the north shore of Mahon harbour, and of the 34 identified graves, eight belong to American seamen from the USS 'Delaware', USS 'Congress' and USS 'Constitution'. There's also one German sailor's grave, and that of a British mariner. The Mediterranean Squadron of the US Navy started using Mahon harbour in 1815, and midshipmen were trained there, prior to the founding of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. One poignant grave inscription read: 'Sacred to the memory of an armourer late of the USS Delaware, native of New York, May 7, 1829, age 31. The sweet remembrance of the just shall flourish when they sleep in dust. This monument erected to his memory by his messmates.' Interestingly, Menorca has another American naval connection. Jorge Farragut was born in Menorca and he was the father of the first Admiral of the United States, David Glasgow Farragut. A special statue to commemorate the Admiral's life was inaugurated in 1970, at Cuitadela, the second largest town on the island, and the birthplace of his father." + Bosun. "What were the highlights of your visit?" + Julian. "I always enjoy any time I can get out on the water and during my visit, Pedro's Boat Centre organised for me a special tour of the harbour. I was armed, of course, with a proper sea chart, digital camera, compass etc. and I was able to photograph the island from seaward from a number of vantage points. Kathy and I were also delighted to have the opportunity to look around the Hotel del Almirante. This was formerly known as Collingwood House, and Admiral Collingwood spent time there when he was in Menorca. The red-brick building is atop a hill, with a wonderful vista over the harbour." + Bosun. "I realise you are still in the early research and planning stages of book six, but can you give us a little taster of what might be in store for Tom Kydd?" + Julian. "Well, as you say, it's early days yet, but I can tell you that it will involve the Battle of the Nile; the decadence of Naples at the turn of the century, Nelson and Emma; and Renzi in personal confrontation..." ==================== 6 ACCUL TO ZOLL --- an 18th C sailors' glossary --- All the words we will bring you in this section were familiar aboard ship in the age of sail. + Accul This is the word used by mariners for the end of a deep bay. It is corrupted from the French 'cul de sac'. ==================== 7 CONTEST Congratulations to Gunnar Lindstedt of Sweden, whose name was the first correct entry from the hat for last month's Newsletter competition. The answer to the question "Which Canadian city is most associated with the North American station?" was Halifax. This month, we're asking for the names of five female characters in the Kydd series. There's a hardback of choice for the winner. Entries by March 25, Bosun@JulianStockwin.com. =================== 8 NEW ON THE WEB We've just completed a big makeover of the website. Hope you like its new "look and feel". As always, we love to hear from you! < www.JulianStockwin.com > =================== Yours aye, THE BOSUN ++ Back issues of the newsletter downloadable from the website ++