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16 Re: BATM: Accident report -- rank: 633

There were no international standards for navigational lights in 1815. On the open seas, there was probably no use at all with the exception of ships traveling together such as a merchant convoy or a squadron of warships keeping station on each other. A single ship would not have any reason to show a light. A merchant ship would want to remain invisible to any predator, and a single cruising warship would want an element of surprise. I have come across very few references to top-lights. ...

Poster's Name:	Don Seltzer
Poster's Email:	timoneer_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2017-05-10 14:51:32 UTC

17 Re: BATM: Accident report -- rank: 633

Ok the law enforcement thing was tongue in cheek. But an official who could be court marshaled and cashiered for negligence, MIGHT NOT enthusiastically report his failings. I was not impugning the honor of the US Navy or any other Navy. Just if the investigators were horrified by the damage and willing to blame the other guy, at what point do you interject 'Well I wasn't showing proper sailing lights, so it's my fault"? RE1, I meant the dutch built bugger should have stopped, not that ...

Poster's Name:	lou illiano
Poster's Email:	svjerseylily_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2017-05-10 08:49:13 UTC

18 Re: BATM: Accident report -- rank: 633

Thanks Lou, you made me go back and read those sections with a more careful eye. On 1), you'd have to give the other vessel a pass. There was a horrendous, unavoidable collision in pitch darkness. All hands on Surprise were flat out for the rest of the night just trying not to sink and the same was likely true for the merchantman. On a 'truly dirty night', with 'a damned awkward veering wind and as black as the Devil’s arse', once they had repaired their own damage what chance would they have ...

Poster's Name:	Stuart Burnfield
Poster's Email:	slb_at_WESTNET.COM.AU
Message Date:	2017-05-10 06:35:13 UTC

19 Re: BATM: Accident report -- rank: 633

I can only (perhaps) answer #3. I was never taught that US Navy ships were automatically "in the right." I cannot answer to past policies. I will say, however, that we were always taught, --and it was hammered regularly into our thick skulls-- that you always scrupulously held to the Rules of the Road in peacetime. Thus, usually, the other ship would be in the wrong simply because they were not as well trained on them. By the time I graduated, I could practically quote them, and ...

Poster's Name:	rock harris
Poster's Email:	nombre7_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2017-05-10 00:48:22 UTC

20 Re: BATM: Accident report -- rank: 633

The rules of the road are clear: Surprise was on the starboard tack and thus had the right of way. Top lights don't signify. Seriously, I think that this is a bit of clumsy writing. What was POB thinking, treating it like some modern day hit and run accident, with the miscreant to be hunted down and given a ticket. What is interesting is that incident is one of a number in the opening chapters of BATM that are essentially rewrites of events that were given short shrift in THD. POB need ...

Poster's Name:	Don Seltzer
Poster's Email:	timoneer_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2017-05-10 00:21:13 UTC

21 Re: BATM: Accident report -- rank: 633

1) After any collision the "law of the sea" would require the vessel to stop and render aid if necessary, he would have no way of knowing how badly damaged the "hit" ship was. 2) Jack's seamanship is often praised through out the novels. Does the fact that the toplight could not be repaired imply that no other jury rigged light was deployed? Most semi competent Captains, even amateurs, would get some sort of light showing. 3) Assuming I am all wet on point 2, perhaps J ...

Poster's Name:	lou illiano
Poster's Email:	svjerseylily_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2017-05-09 20:32:42 UTC

22 BATM: Accident report -- rank: 633

VERY MINOR SPOILERS In BATM, in extremely bad weather, Surprise's top light comes adrift and can't immediately be repaired. Later that night Surprise collides with a mystery vessel. Whewell tells Jack that "the forward starboard look-out had hailed 'Light on the starboard bow' seconds before the enormous impact; that he himself had seen a huge, dark, and otherwise lightless craft coming right before the wind at ten knots or more, strike the frigate’s bows, cross her shattered stem and r ...

Poster's Name:	Stuart Burnfield
Poster's Email:	slb_at_WESTNET.COM.AU
Message Date:	2017-05-07 09:42:53 UTC

23 Re: Thoughts on BATM (Was: The Commodore) -- rank: 633

Well said, Stuart. Much to enjoy, but not the same. It echos life in a way, doesn't it?

Poster's Name:	Debbie DeVioleta
Poster's Email:	debbie.devioleta_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2015-08-12 17:37:56 UTC

24 Thoughts on BATM (Was: The Commodore) -- rank: 633

On Tue, 11 Aug 2015 09:29:47 -0400, Don Seltzer <timoneer_at_GMAIL.COM> wrote: >That left POB the choice of just making up naval missions and battles, and >it is here that I believe he began to falter. He once wrote with pride >that his naval actions were closely based upon real events, giving them the >ring of authenticity. The last battle in WDS, the squadron actions off of >Africa, and the final battle in Irish waters do not have this historical >underpinning. In ...

Poster's Name:	Stuart Burnfield
Poster's Email:	slb_at_WESTNET.COM.AU
Message Date:	2015-08-11 14:15:58 UTC

25 Re: What game was POB playing in BATM? -- rank: 633

I think it was first described by Shaw (1796, Sierra Leone), so it quite possibly did once have that name, but here he's calling it by its scientific name and describing it as Shaw's. The first part of the name can change as opinions change about what family it belongs in. Some websites are calling it by the original name, so I suspect it was changed to Macroditeryx, then recently changed back to the original. Sent from my iPad On 28/04/2013, at 1:07 AM, "Graham Wellstead" <weyv ...

Poster's Name:	Peter Shute
Poster's Email:	pshute_at_NUW.ORG.AU
Message Date:	2013-04-27 21:33:51 UTC

26 Re: What game was POB playing in BATM? -- rank: 633

On Apr 27, 2013, at 10:26 AM, Dennis Thompson wrote: > I rather liked her, a genuine soul mate for Stephen sharing his interests > and loving Pottos after all. Perhaps not as completely drawn as Diana nor > Sofie for that matter but still, > for Stephen, a much better fit than > Diana. On paper. Lois To be removed from the GUNROOM list send a blank message to UNSUBSCRIBE-GUNROOM_at_HMSSURPRISE.ORG (Please remove this message when replying)

Poster's Name:	L
Poster's Email:	losmp_at_EARTHLINK.NET
Message Date:	2013-04-27 20:23:33 UTC

27 Re: What game was POB playing in BATM? -- rank: 633

POB may be playing word games. There are a large number of Nightjar's world wide, and indeed there is a species *Macroditeryx longipennis* but its not called ' Shaw's Nightjar, rather it is known as the Standard-winged Nightjar and hails for Senegal and Ethiopia and there is* M.vexillarius*found in Angola and Transvaal - known as the Pennant-winged Nightjar. It is, of course possible that taxonomists have changed the name, but there are others - Bates, Franklin's, Sykes and Vauries to nam ...

Poster's Name:	Graham Wellstead
Poster's Email:	weyvalleyfalconry_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2013-04-27 15:07:45 UTC

28 Re: What game was POB playing in BATM? -- rank: 633

The innuendo is unmistakable, and exactly the kind of wordplay O'Brian loved to tease his readers. On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 10:26 AM, Dennis Thompson <dennist861_at_gmail.com>wrote: > I rather liked her, a genuine soul mate for Stephen sharing his interests > and loving Pottos after all. Perhaps not as completely drawn as Diana nor > Sofie for that matter but still, for Stephen, a much better fit than > Diana. > > > On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 6:43 AM, Geraldine ...

Poster's Name:	Susan Wenger
Poster's Email:	susanwenger_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2013-04-27 14:30:41 UTC

29 Re: What game was POB playing in BATM? -- rank: 633

I rather liked her, a genuine soul mate for Stephen sharing his interests and loving Pottos after all. Perhaps not as completely drawn as Diana nor Sofie for that matter but still, for Stephen, a much better fit than Diana. On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 6:43 AM, Geraldine Strey <geraldinestrey_at_gmail.com>wrote: > Apart from the possible innuendo, I fear that POB may have been padding his > narrative. Where in earlier books natural history occurred naturally and > gracefull ...

Poster's Name:	Dennis Thompson
Poster's Email:	dennist861_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2013-04-27 14:26:33 UTC

30 Re: What game was POB playing in BATM? -- rank: 633

Apart from the possible innuendo, I fear that POB may have been padding his narrative. Where in earlier books natural history occurred naturally and gracefully (think the twinkling legs of the rhinoceros in TGS); here it appears as a solid, unleavened lump dropped in the reader's lap.. But then I never found Christine a believable character. Gerry Strey Madison, Wisconsin On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 10:18 PM, Jim Muller <jimmuller_at_rcn.com> wrote: > Possible spoiler of a social, ...

Poster's Name:	Geraldine Strey
Poster's Email:	geraldinestrey_at_GMAIL.COM
Message Date:	2013-04-27 13:43:51 UTC