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The Wretched Prison Ships

This article addresses a subject a bit before our time, but one that applies to our beloved series nonetheless. Many Napoleonic-Era prisoners of war were held in prison ships, and I cannot imagine that in the 30 years between the American War of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars conditions changed much! I suppose Jack and [...]
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The Lure of Gold and Spanish Treasure Fleets

In May 2007 the American salvage and treasure hunting company, Odyssey Marine, found the Spanish treasure ship the Nuestra Señora de la Mercedes off the coast of Portugal and took from it 17 tons of silver bullion. She had sunk in 1804 following a battle between English ships and a Spanish treasure fleet of four [...]
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Eyewitness Accounts of the Hamilton/Burr Duel

Throughout the course of our beloved series, Stephen fights several duels and almost fights several more. He is by no means abnormal for his time; gentlemen of his era often felt the only way to defend their honor was to shoot someone over it. One of the most famous historical duels was that between Alexander [...]
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The Mauritius Command Radio Play

*SPOILERS* Patrick O’Brian’s naval epic set in 1809, dramatised by Roger Danes. Starring David Robb as Captain Jack Aubrey and Richard Dillane as Doctor Stephen Maturin.
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Submit Your Questions About Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World!

Since starting this site I’ve had the privilege and very great honor to meet a few people associated with the filming of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and without exception all of them have been so nice and so willing to connect with fans. Recently I was contacted by Captain Andrew Reay-Ellers, [...]
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A Brief History of Navigation in the 18th Century

Two major developments in the 18th century vastly improved navigation: the solution to the problem of finding longitude and the improved availability of printed guides and charts. But navigation tools for dead reckoning and piloting were not to improve until the 1900s. Guides for the Navigator The eighteenth century saw major improvements in publications for [...]
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Patrick O’Brian Cruise

I came across this information recently and thought I would share it, just on the off-chance any of you happen to be obscenely wealthy (in which case I congratulate you). The Annemarie Victory Organization specializes in luxury cruises and tours, often organized around a specific theme. One of their upcoming cruises takes place on a [...]
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The Continental Navy

Americans first took up arms in the spring of 1775 not to sever their relationship with the king, but to defend their rights within the British Empire. By the autumn of 1775, the British North American colonies from Maine to Georgia were in open rebellion. Royal governments had been thrust out of many colonial capitals [...]
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American Warships of the Age of Sail

Navies are born out of a spirit of independence and under the threat of war, nurtured into maturity by the urgent demands of defense and sharpened by conflict. So it was with the first American Navy. The story of American ships and sailors is an epic of blue water which seems singularly remote, almost unreal, [...]
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Education and Leadership in Cinema: Master and Commander

We have already discussed Jack Aubrey’s skills and characteristics as a leader as well as the potential educational value of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, but the following guide takes those two concepts and combines them! It’s very exciting. The guide is meant to be used in training firefighters in the [...]
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