A Bit of Nelson!

Tomorrow is the 210th anniversary of Royal Navy                                                                        Admiral Lord Nelson's death. Hero of the Battle of Trafalgar, he was killed at the confrontation's end by a French sniper's bullet. He died surrounded by his faithful officers, with knowledge that the British had won the battle, and the war with France was over. The date: October 21, 1805. Known for his aggressive boldness in battles and his many victories, he is considered one of the greatest military heroes of all time, not only of England, but of the world.

Here's an interesting bit: After his death, his pigtail, or queue as it is sometimes known, was cut off and sent to his mistress and true-love, Lady Emma Hamilton. The surgeon who was present at his death records that Nelson asked that Lady Hamilton should have his hair. Nelson's friend Vice-Admiral Thomas Hardy delivered it to Emma after the ship Victory arrived back in England. Small locks of the hair were given to family and close friends, and some of it was mounted in special mourning rings and broaches/lockets. Mourning jewelry was quite popular at the time. Hair was considered a particularly intimate gift.

Today, the pigtail resides in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, outside of London, England. It is part of the Greenwich Hospital Collection. 

A Tribute to Lord Nelson

Very soon now we will be remembering the famous Battle of Trafalgar, and the victory of the British Royal Navy under the command of Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, and his unfortunate death. The historic date: October 21st, 1805. 

The battle took place off the Spanish coast at Cape Trafalgar. Using revolutionary tactics, Nelson planned the attack, having waited for the Spanish fleet to leave Cadiz. He achieved his greatest victory, annihilating the enemy and basically ending the long war between the French and Spanish against England. And yet, it was at greatest cost, a shot fired from on high from a French marine aiming at Nelson on the deck of Victory, Nelson's ship of the line. The bullet entered Nelson's left shoulder, going through his lung, and lodging in his spine between the fifth and sixth vertebrae. Four hours later, he was dead. Nelson was England's greatest hero. Personally, a flawed man, but historically accepted, one of the greatest commanders in all history.

One of the interesting things about naval battles from that time is that one must be carried on the wind and tide. There are no engines to rev up, no brakes to hit, no coming at the enemy going forward. One is at the mercy of the natural elements! That being said, the thing to do was to position the side of one's ship at the enemy, firing broadsides along the enemy' side, or better still, raking the stern with gunshots. This not only opened a gaping hole in the stern, but could take out the rudder, leaving the wounded ship no ability to steer.

So, the effect commander had to be one that "ANTICIPATED" the battle scene, trim sails ahead of the engagement to slow or speed progress, to judge the angle of the winds, the currents, etc. Nelson was a master at this, and proved it time and again. Now he was gone.

As Nelson's life slipped away, his vice-admiral Thomas Hardy, his loyal naval officer, stayed with him, having him removed from the decks, placing a handkerchief over his face to avoid alarming the crew. He was made comfortable, fanned and brought lemonade as he stated he was hot and thirsty. He asked that the Navy look after his beloved mistress Emma and his child by her, Horatia. His last words were "Kiss me, Hardy".  He knew he was dying, and wanted a departing kiss from his faithful officer.

His body was placed in  cask of brandy mixed with camphor and myrrh, and lashed to the Victory's mainmast, and a guard placed. Victory, sustaining some damage, was towed to Gibraltar after the battle, and the body was put into a lead-lined coffin filled with spirits of wine.

It is a good thing for us that the navy kept a log, and the history is documented. Eventually, Nelson was brought back to England. There was an enormous state-style funeral, most usually reserved for royalty. A mighty procession headed first up the Thames from Greenwich to Whitehall, then Whitehall by horse-drawn procession to St. Paul's Cathedral where he was buried in the famous crypt below the church. He was brought by six black horses, adorned with black plumes, the coffin mounted displayed on the horse-drawn carriage resembling the Victory.

Every year, the Cathedral holds a special 'Sea Service' on the Sunday closest to Trafalgar Day, when wreaths are laid at Nelson's tomb. He is remembered each year; unfortunately Emma, Lady Hamilton, was not provided for, but that's another day's story.

One Man's Treasure

Yesterday, a bit of debris was retrieved from the ocean near the east coast of Africa that might lead investigators to understand what happened to the Flight MH370, the Malaysian airliner that was lost last year somewhere in the Indian ocean. It's a long shot. The piece of "wing" is only 6 ft long. 

The mysteries that the sea sometimes gives up are always fascinating. Recently, professional treasure hunters discovered over $1 million dollars worth of coins and jewels in a shipwreck from the 18th Century. The Spanish ship, called the Capitana, was the flagship of the Spanish fleet that sank in a hurricane in July of 1715, going through Florida to Havana carrying loads of fortune! Its captain was Don Juan Esteban de Ubilla.

The treasure found includes 51 gold coins, 40 ft. of ornate gold chain and a Tricentennial Royal, an extremely rare Spanish coin valued at about $500,000 by today's standard, which was minted to honor King Felipe V of Spain. The ship was carrying more than 3.5 million pesos in treasure, including the queen’s jewels, when it sank A lot more impressive than a 6' section of a wing (maybe), but as they say, "one man's junk is another man's treasure". If the wing debris leads to the area where the plane crashed, a lot of folks will have the treasured closure they hope for.

The Capitana haul represents part of the 300th anniversary of the ship wreck. The coins are now on display at the Naval Museum in Cádiz.

Cur non?

Recently I saw a wonderful report about the frigate "Hermoine", an exact reproduction of General Marquis de Lafayette's 18th Century ship that he brought to America to fight along side General Washington in the Revolutionary War (1780). The project was started about 20 years ago, a group of folks deciding to try to reconstruction this very famous ship.

It's taken a long time (beginning in 1997), and a lot of money, I'm sure, but today the work is completed! It is the most authentically built tallship in 150 years! It set sail from France recently in April of this year, with a destination to the United states for this Summer 2015!

The journey started from the River Charente in Port des Barques where General Lafayette originally came aboard in March 1780, a 38-day passage, arriving in Boston. He reported to Gen. Washington, and played a major role in the victory achieved on October 19, 1781.

This new crossing to the US has taken a little under a month. On July 6th, the event culminated in the ship's arrival in Greenport's harbor, Long Island, NY, in time to be a part of the four-day Tall Ship festival! You can imagine what a magnificent site!

The Marquis' motto was "Cur non", or "Why not?" Why not, indeed! Nothing really great is accomplished without taking the big chance! And this endeavor was truly worth the effort. Not only exciting to see Hermoine sail again, but the preservation of history is the most important aspect of the reconstruction!

HMS George - A Sad End; A Lasting Tribute

Yesterday I read an article about recently found treasure recovered from a sunken ships. As many as we find, especially with today's technologies, there are still more out there. Planes, too, from the different war conflicts as well as passenger carriers. It's sad. As a matter of fact, yesterday, April 15, once more marked the sinking of the Titanic. I saw the exhibit about fifteen years ago, with all the artifacts that were recovered at that time. Personal effects, like a wallet, or pair of glasses, are the most poignant to me.

Looking into 18th Century maritime disasters, I found one of the worst for Great Britain and the Royal Navy, dated August 28, 1782. HMS Royal George, a 100 gun ship of the line, met with disaster upon its return from North America. It was due to accompany famed HMS Victory  (Lord Horatio Nelson's ship at Battle of Trafalgar) to Gibraltar when it capsized of Portsmouth Harbor. It sank while undergoing routine maintenance, with the loss of over 900 souls, among them 360 women and children who had boarded to visit with friends and family. It turned on its side and the sea quickly ran in through open gun ports.

Built in Woolwich Dockyard, it was launched in February 1756, the largest warship in the world at the time. It saw service during the Seven Years War, taking part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, two major confrontations. It lay in these dock waters for 50 years, until two divers, from 1834 to 1836 devised a plan to remove it so it was out of the way of the entrance to the harbor. Though they failed to salvage the ship, they discovered the Mary Rose, King Henry VIII's lost ship.

From 1839-44, Royal Engineers savaged many of the bronze cannons from The George which were later used to craft part of the Nelson Column in Trafalgar Square in London, a tribute to Lord Nelson! To rid the harbor of the obstruction, the engineers planted an explosive in the ship's remains, and Boom! It was gone! The explosion actually shattered windows ashore as far as three miles away.

 

The Articles of War and Royal Navy Court Martial

Currently I am reading a wonderful book, Under Enemy Colors, by S. Thomas Russell. A novel about a British maritime mutiny set against a backdrop of the French Revolution.  I won't give away any of the story, but the principal character, who is a person of honor, has his honor questioned, and must attend a court martial of his captain that threatens ruin. I looked into the court martial, and find the following:

In the 18th Century, naval officers of the British Royal Navy, kept order on their ships by use of the Articles of War, established in the 1650's, amended in 1749 by an act of Parliament, and again in 1757. There are 35 Articles that govern behavior, and establish discipline, rules of conduct and the penalties for trespassing them. They are extremely serious, almost a holy writ, and so, many a Sunday, what was read out to the crew instead of a religious sermon, were the dreaded Articles.

These Articles served as the law aboard His Majesty's ships, and offences were dealt with swiftly, especially for the ordinary seaman, including floggings, clapping men in irons and sending them below decks to a small "prison", shootings or hangings on deck. But where the behavior of officers came into questions, they were given the benefit of a trial, or court martial. There were court martials, or military tribunals, for ships destroyed, loss of command by mutineers, refusing to fight when duty called, refusing to take a prize (boarding an enemy ship and taking control), for instance.  

The court martial is the name of the institution, but also the process, with a court of naval officers appointed by a commander to try offences under military law. Here's a case for you: the 1757 court-martial of Admiral Byng.  Sent on the relief of Minorca without what he claimed were sufficient forces, he finally gave up the attempt.  Found guilty of neglect of duty, he was taken to his ship and publicly and promptly executed (by shooting) on the quarterdeck of his own  ship in Portsmouth Harbor.   Following that event, probably few English captains felt it proper to give up a ship without the death of much of the crew!

Here also are a couple of the Articles, that give indication of how serious things could get:

- Every person in the fleet, who shall not duly observe the orders of the admiral, flag officer, commander of any squadron or division, or other his superior officer, for assailing, joining battle with, or making defense against any fleet, squadron, or ship, or shall not obey the orders of his superior officer as aforesaid in the time of action, to the best of his power, or shall not use all possible endeavours to put the same effectually into execution, every person so offending, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial, shall suffer death, or such other punishment, as from the nature and degree of the offence a court martial shall deem him to deserve.            

- Every person in the fleet, who through cowardice, negligence, or disaffection, shall in time of action withdraw or keep back, or not come into the fight or engagement, or shall not do his utmost to take or destroy every ship which it shall be his duty to engage, and to assist and relieve all and every of His Majesty's ships, or those of his allies, which it shall be his duty to assist and relieve, every such person so offending, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of a court martial, shall suffer death.

- Every person in the fleet, who though cowardice, negligence, or disaffection, shall forbear to pursue the chase of any enemy, pirate or rebel, beaten or flying; or shall not relieve or assist a known friend in view to the utmost of his power; being convicted of any such offense by the sentence of a court martial, shall suffer death. 

My 2nd Annual Regency Ball!

It occurred to me that I have not had the opportunity to tell you about my attendance at the annual Regency Ball in Pasadena, California. Of course, part of the fun is the sewing up of an outfit to wear, and then learning the particular dance steps to English Country dances. The ball is better known as the Jane Austen Evening, and it is just one of this type of ventures into the world of Austen's literary works. You step back into time, with your outfit, the music played by an authentic chamber ensemble, the punch bowl, the fans fluttering, the dance card, and the general ambiance. People take these events rather seriously, but if you make a dance-step error, most people are not tremendously offended. There are some snobs, but most people go to have fun, to pretend they are Mr. Darcy, or Elizabeth Bennett (no matter what their age).

Last year was my first time out, and I made a traditional "Austen"-type empire gown. This year, I paid homage to Admiral Lord Nelson, by sewing up a Spencer jacket that had a military, or rather, Royal Navy, feel to it. I enjoyed making it, though now that I completed it and wore it, I see I could have done more. Isn't that always the way?! Nevertheless, it was fun to be there again, and I look forward to the chance to sew again, to design and embellish another Regency ensemble.

Meanwhile, I thought I'd mention a bit about the English Royal Navy uniform from that period. Of course, the officers wore the blue frock wool coat, with various degrees of gold braiding and buttons, depending on rank. There was the white shirt with neck tie, white vest and breeches. White hose, and black plain pumps. I wore my black flats, too, as you can see below. Sometimes the pumps were adorned with gold buckle. And, of course my favorite part is the black tricorne hat. Makes quite a statement.

Though mostly worn by military men, Catherine the Great was fond of the hat as well. I think I should have included one just to shake up the snobs! Ha Ha!

Admiral Horatio Nelson - A January Tribute

Admiral Nelson, Britian's hero of the Napoleonic Wars, was quite busy in his January months. Here is a summary:

1)  Born in 1758, his naval career began on January 1, 1771. He reported to the HMS Raisonnable as an ordinary seaman and coxswain. His maternal uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling commanded the vessel. This was a typical way for young boys to get a start. After a short time on board, he was appointed midshipman and began officer training. It was at this time that he discovered, ironically, that he suffered seasickness, which became a lifelong complaint.

2) In January 1784, he returned to England and attended court as part of Lord Hood's entourage. He enjoyed politics, and contemplated standing for Parliament as a supporter of William Pitt, but was unsuccessful. Lucky for all, he went back to sea.

3) So, it was back in January 1796 to the Mediterranean, appointed by Sir John Jervis (Old Jarvie) who was commander-in-chief of the Fleet, to the position of Commodore running blockage near the French coast. When the blockade was eventually found useless, he was back in England, and appointed second-in-command of the Channel Fleet under Lord St. Vincent, another luminary of the British Royal Navy.

4) On January 1st, 1801 he was promoted to Vice Admiral of the Blue. On January 29nd of that same year, he daughter Horatia was born, his child by the notorious Emma Hamilton. Their affair was really a scandal, and unfortunately, Emma, though quite the thing in her day, was reduced to the life of a beggar upon his death. The Admiralty did not recognize her in any way, shape or form. He did leave his daughter a legacy of 200 British Pounds a year for her life.

5) In January 1805, the French fleet escaped Toulon and Nelson set off in pursuit. The French commander managed to elude him, passing through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Atlantic. Eventually, of course, they were intercepted by the British fleet at the Battle of Cape Finisterre.

6) Here's a sad one: Nelson was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar in late 1805. By this time in his life, he had become a national hero, a larger-than-life figure, and his death shocked the nation. It was on January 9, 1806 that there was an enormous funeral procession for Nelson in London to St. Paul's Cathedral. The procession was what amounted to a state funeral, with 32 admirals present, over 100 captains, an escort of 10,000 soldiers who took the coffin from the Admiralty to the Cathedral. After a four hour service, he was interred in a sarcophagus originally carved for Cardinal  Wolsey (of Henry VIII's time). The sailors who were charged with folding the flag draped over Nelson's c

offin and placing it in the grave, instead tore it into tiny pieces, each taking one as a memento.

I have made the pilgrimage to see his tomb, and it is impressive. In the crypt of St. Paul's, it is in a rotunda, cool and dimly lit, and quiet. Though personally he was a flawed figure, he was a giant to the British people, the leader they could look up to in troubled times. His memory also endures in Trafalgar Square in the heart of London, where he overlooks the scene from his Nelson Column!

Here's to Horatio!

Well, my friend over at http://dressedintime.blogspot.com reminded me that yesterday was Trafalgar Day! A day to honor Lord Horatio Nelson's victory at the famous battle of Trafalgar, in October 1805! As she is the consummate seamstress, she sent along something She KNEW I would enjoy. A wonderful Trafalgar quilt she found on line with the famous saying on it, "England expects every man to do his duty". Signal flags were run up that day before the battle....Nelson's message to his men.
This past summer, I cross-stitched an Iphone case with the same message!

An Amazing Find!

In the Summer of 2010, archeologists discovered the remains of an 18th Century ship at the World Trade Center's new construction site. Can you imagine the amazement?!

The ship was unearthed and after study, it is determined that it pre-dates the American Independence! Scientists at Columbia University found that the wood used in the ship's construction came from a Philadelphia-area forest from 1773, before the Declaration of Independence was signed. It was further investigated that the ship was fashioned from the same kind of oak that was likely used to build Philadelphia's Independence Hall.

 

It is a sloop ship, designed by the Dutch, to carry passengers and cargo. Finding show that after sailing for 20-30 years, pieces of the 32-foot ship were used for landfill to extend lower Manhattan.

Currently, The majority of the ship's remains are being kept at Texas A&M University, and owned by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. There is talk of preservation or a recreation of the sloop, but time will tell. There are no plans at present.

All in!

As a bit of a tribute to D-Day, I purchased Band of Brothers, the 2001 HBO mini-series. I have a thing about WWII, and this series is certainly one of the most exceptional in terms of historical accuracy, the horror, the grit, the ugliness, and yet the beauty of war. Certainly not a beauty easily perceived, but when men band together to accomplish the nearly-impossible, not for themselves but for the good of others, yes, I think there is beauty there. Ok, I'll admit it...I'm a bit of a romantic, and further....there's something about a man in uniform (haha). 

Anyway, the title of the series is taken from the famous St. Cripin's Day speech from Shakespeare's Henry V, Act IV, Scene iii.

From this day to the ending of the world,

But we in it shall be remembered -

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers:

For he today that sheds his blood with me

shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition. 

And gentlemen in England now-a-bed

Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

 

Well, here's a bit of interesting 18th Century "band of brothers" information:

Rear Admiral Horatio nelson of the British Royal Navy used the phrase at the Battle of the Nile, in 1789. Actually, he applied the term many times, referring to his captains and men under his command. The battle was fought in Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, the climax of the naval campaign against Napoleon at the time. A decisive victory for the British, Nelson wrote afterwards to his commanding officer Lord St. Vincent, referring to Admiral Alexander Ball:

"His activity and zeal are eminently conspicuous even amongst the Band of Brothers - each, as I may have occasion to mention them, must call froth my gratitude and admiration."

In January 1799, to Admiral Earl How, "I had the happiness to command a Band of Brothers."

And again, after the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805, he writes, " Yet, if I know my own thoughts, it is not for myself, or on my own account chiefly, that I feel the sting and the disappointment! And no! it is for my brave officers; for my noble-minded friends and comrades. Such a gallant set of fellows! Such a band of brothers! My heart swells at the thought of them!"

Nelson had the admiration of his men because, though he was their commander, he had great respect for them all. He wanted their input, and in whatever the engagement, he made sure they were a team, they went all in together. He might have been their band leader, but they definitely were an integral part of the band.

 

 

Attention to Details

I am almost finished reading Moby Dick. A long book, but worth the read. I came upon Chapter 110 the other evening, entitled "Decanter". It begins with principal character Ishmael telling the story of the first major English whaling family to sponsor voyages in 1775. Of course he says that Americans were whaling at least 50 years before that. Anyway, the family was Samuel Enderbys and Sons, and he mentions their ship the "Amelia", being the first to round Cape Horn and hunt in the South Seas. Then he mentions another of their ships, the "Syren", commanded by a Nantucketer, first to go into the waters near Japan for the same purpose.  Enderby's company, the Southern Fishery, was registered in London and in Boston.

And here, I stopped, thinking for a moment about the film Master and Commander, when Capt. Aubrey disguises his ship the "Surprise" into a whaler in order to confuse the French frigate headed their way. Ah-ha! I thought. 

The scene depicts the Surprise crew painting out the letters S U R P R I S E on the stern, in favor of the name S Y R E N!

Mr. Patrick O'Brian, author of the M&C series, probably read Moby Dick as well as researched English naval history, including not only military vessels, but whalers! All great story tellers do their research, even to the smallest details.

The Syren sailed on 1819 in August, commanded by Capt. Frederick Coffin, of Nantucket, MA. The ship returned from Japan on April 22, 1822 with a cargo of 346 tons of sperm oil!

By the way, in O'Brian's "Far Side of the World", the voyage of the Amelia is interjected into the story. This is why I have loved reading O'Brian. He maneuvers his characters among real events. It help to flesh out real history in a way that is provocative and exciting, rather than the dry accounts we used to get in history class.  

My Baby wrote Me A Letter!

The other day I read an article about a young woman that was very seriously ill, and rightfully depressed about it almost to the point of suicide, but she felt if she got up each day, and wrote to someone, even a stranger, to encourage THEM, she might in turn find some peace and happiness for herself. She used her Facebook to reach out, and told people if they gave her an address, she would write to them, a handwritten, encouraging letter with a stamp, coming to their mail box! The response was overwhelming! She wrote over 3,000 letters. People shared their problems, hurts, sadness with her. She said the letter she would send would be something they could keep, and pull out of their wallet, or purse, or desk, and know that someone cared.

In today's world, many people are isolated, and even though they communicate with strangers over the internet, something is missing. That bit of humanity that real correspondence can bring. The fact that she needed to find a support system of her own is telling.

The written word is a beautiful thing. There is something magical about opening the mail box and finding an actual letter. It may not be immediate news, but it lets someone know that you sat down, and took the time to write you their thoughts.

The art of letter writing is almost lost.

In the 18th Century, the etiquette of a letter was extremely important. Letters were very different then. For one thing, they were formatted as "cross letters", which actually saved the recipient money! A recipient paid a fee based on the letter's size and the distance it travelled, so in order to conserve space, someone wrote down the page, then turned the paper and wrote again, over the original sentences.

Also, there was no standardized spelling, so often, a "Y" was used in place of an "E", as an example.

Every quill was unique, and took some time to prepare in order to write. And, of course, the quill would only last so long.

Formality and protocol was also very important. For non-military letters, you could end with the following type of greetings:

 

Believe me yours faithfully,
Belive me, dear Sir, Your obliged and faithful humbl. sert.,
Belive me at all times with sincerity and respect, your faithful and obliged servant,
Yours ever,
Affectionately yours,
With best love, &c., I am affectionately yours,
I am yours ever,

But if you were in the military, there were other specific, more formal greetings:

Yours faithfully,
Very respectful,
I have the honour to be, &c.,
Your Obliged, &c.,
I am, &c.,
Your most obedient servant,

  

Then, one would close with rank, and the name of their ship, as the address. Now picture an officer  of the British Royal Navy mailing a letter to a loved one, while he is somewhere at sea, in the Atlantic. He would write his correspondence, sometimes adding to it day after day, until his ship crosses paths with another friendly vessel bound for England. This may involve weeks, or months. Only then will his correspondence have a chance to make it to its destination. Precious, indeed, will this small, folded and waxed-stamped piece of paper be! By the way, envelopes came much later, so letters were folded and sealed, and hopefully no one made attempts to open them.

The Battle Ensign

The other night I watched Master and Commander again. I have seen it so many times, and yet it never disappoints. Each time, though, since I know the story by heart, I look for other things, sometimes something small that peaks my attention.

This time it had to do with disguise and going into battle. Captain Aubrey is bent on taking a French enemy ship as a prize. His friend and naturalist Dr. Maturin is showing him a particular find from his explorations around the Galapagos Islands. It appears to be a stick, but on closer viewing, Aubrey is surprised to see that it is an insect that has disguised itself to avoid any predators. Aubrey receives a flash of inspiration: If he disguises his ship, the Surprise, as a whaling vessel, perhaps the enemy will want to investigate and then Aubrey can spring his trap! And so the captain paints and cloaks the Surprise in "whaler" disguise, going so far as to burn old rope that creates billows of smoke, like a whaling ship might appear as it burns whale oil.  And a rather obscure and generic flag is flown.  

 

But at the precise moment before battle is to ensue, Aubrey cries, "Let fly!" and the ensign of the British Royal Navy is immediately hoisted up, a declaration of military intent. I love that part...it is a gesture of honor and protocol of battle. These things are not to be taken lightly.

A battle ensign is the name given to a large war flag which is flown on a war ship's  mast just before going into battle, identifying the allegiance of the ship, in what might be considered a confusing situation, with cannon fire and smoke and sails all fighting for attention. That is why the ensign is quite large, about 20x40ft. It was commonly accepted that as long as a ship flew its ensign, it was an active and legitimate participant in battle; prior to action, it was acceptable to fly a false flag.

The ensign is flown from an ensign staff at the stern of the ship, just behind the quarterdeck, which is the holy of holies, where the captain stands.

If a ship surrendered, its flag must come down, and hence the phase, "strike one's colors". Of course, the British Royal Navy did not give up easily, and so another phrase, "nail one's colors to the mast" indicated that they were determined to fight on and NEVER surrender! The battle ensign is a matter of morale to its crew. If a ship was to sink, a senior officer was entrusted to see that the flag was saved. No matter what other flags are flown from any other or higher masts, the stern is always the superior flag location. The battle ensign features the white field with red cross of St. George, patron saint of England, and the union jack in the upper right hand corner.

 

And the final honorable gesture, if a ship is defeated by another, the captain surrenders his sword to the winning captain. That will be investigated another day, but for today, the ensign is our concern.

In a Lather!

Recently I watched a wonderful movie, To the Ends of the Earth, based on the trilogy of the same name by William Golding. Golding is best-known for the Lord of the Flies story.

 

The movie has a great cast of British stage and film actors, and the plot through three separate films, revolves around a young man, a British aristocrat named Edmund Talbot, traveling by ship to Australia to take up a post with its governor. As the title of the first installment suggests, it is a Rite of Passage for Talbot. The year is 1812, and Talbot learns more about real life and himself than he would otherwise have encountered back home in a comfortable drawing room filled with his elegant  peers.  He keeps a journal of his impressions, writing with ink and quill as the ships rolls on through storms, disparaging events, the antics of the different social classes, sickness, problems with the ship's sea-worthiness, etc. etc.

At one point, Edmund is plagued by a terrible skin condition, a hideous rash, exaserbated by wearing damp or wet clothing. An officer takes a look at him, and explains, "It's the salt water. Bathing and washing clothes in salt water is just not the thing. The officer asks Talbot if he used the soap provided in his cabin. Talbot thinks the soap is a brick, maybe something to act as a paperweight of sorts. Talbot even says the "brick" was not fragrant, and he is asked, "Do you think all soap is perfumed?" Talbot's answer, "Is it not?" 

It's nighttime, and it's raining, and the officer tells Talbot to go on deck with the soap and as many clothes as he can carry, and to wash. Edmund races out stitch-stark naked to do his laundry and to shower in the pouring rain.

And here comes the underlying question....At sea, does it rain salt water or fresh water? Because if it rains salt water, it's not going to do Edmund much good.  I looked this up, and found the following:

All the rain -- no matter where in the world it is -- is freshwater......(mostly).

"Why? It has to do with the evaporating process. When water evaporates from the ocean, only the pure H2O molecules are involved -- it's basically energy turning the water from liquid state to vapor state. The salt particles are left behind.Rain water isn't 100% clean. To form, a raindrop needs some sort of particle to cling to -- usually this can be a speck of dust or dirt or soot or whatever. (That's how you can get acid rain, if the drops cling to sulfur particles or other pollutants). But it can also be a particle of salt, so you could technically get a raindrop that has a tiny amount of salt in it, but it's negligible and is still considered fresh water."

So there you have it, an interesting question solved.