Showing posts with label The Great Campaigns of Nelson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Great Campaigns of Nelson. Show all posts

Saturday, May 12, 2007

The Great Campaigns of Nelson by William O'Connor Morris

[These extracts re-typed from the original book 'The Great Campaigns of Nelson' by William O'Connor Morris]

Preface

This little volume consists of a series of articles on the great campaigns of Nelson, marked by the names of St. Vincent, the Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar, which originally appeared in the Pall mall magazine. the favourable reception accorded to them, though only fugitive pieces, has induced me to republish them; I have to thank the Proprietors and the Editor of the Magazine for their permission. The text has been revised and corrected, and some additions have been made to it; but I have avoided any important changes, for this was, I think, due to the publication which gave it its sanction. Captain Mahan has most kindly placed at my disposal the maps and diagrams in his Sea Power contained in the volume; this, at least is some indication that that great authority on naval warfare does not disapprove of it con tents. My thanks are also due to Messrs. Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd., and to Messrs. Little Brown & Co., for sanctioning the use that has been made of these diagrams.

My object has been to present to the reader in tolerably exact outline, a sketch of the chief operations of Nelson at sea; and, at the same time, to glance at theories as to the impregnability of England, and her absolute security from invasion, which seem to me questionable and dangerous, should the nation rely on its maritime power only. For a full inquiry into the subject, the sources of information, original and secondary, are sufficiently known, it would be mere pedantry to do more than refer to them.

WILLIAM O'CONNOR MORRIS

Saturday, May 05, 2007

The Great Campaigns of Nelson by William O'Connor Morris

One of my many ideas for a project was to find a book which was out of copyright and then add the text to the web. A sort of public service to enrich the knowledge on the web.

The book is about Lord Nelson describing four of his great battles.

In this article I will do a bit of a historical introduction to the book. The plate to the left is from the front of the book and reads "Horatio Viscount Nelson - After the Picture in the council chamber of the City of London".

It would be interesting to find out if this original picture still exists and where it is now.

The Book itself has a prize inscription from the Eastham Education Committee to Archie Ryan for "Progress, conduct and Attendance 1910-1911". If you search the 1901 UK there is an Archie Ryan born at Essex Forest Gate, Eash Ham , Essex. If it is the same Archie then when he received this book he was 11.

The book is written by William O'Connor Morris who describes himself as a sometime scholar of Oriel College, Oxford and may well be this man described on the Offaly History website.

According to the biblio.com website where a copy of the book is being sold the book was published in 1898, although my copy may be a later printing given that it was not presented until 1911 .

The publisher is Blackie and Son Ltd who only ceased publishing books in 1991, you can find a historical description of the company provided by Glasgow University Archive Services on the archive hub website.