Letters

"The Dear Surprise" website is dedicated to Patrick O’Brian’s epic Aubrey/Maturin series

April 17, 2010

Hello,

My name is Ava and I just discovered your site while looking for information on the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. (see "Battle of Cape St. Vincent. 14th. of February 1793") The article I found on your site was remarkably thorough!

I'm writing because I run a website of my own. It's called The Dear Surprise ,www.thedearsurprise.com and is dedicated to the Aubrey/Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian, which feature a captain in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The point of the site is to gather as much historical information from the time period in which the novels are set and make it available to fans of the series to help enhance the reading experience.

It is my hope that you'll allow me to post your breakdown of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on my site, as that battle is
mentioned frequently in the series and I doubt I could explain it better myself! I would give full credit back to you of
course, as well as a link so others could find your site.

If you'd like, I'd also love to enter into a link exchange with you, putting a link to your site on the main menu of mine...

I think a lot of the people who like the Aubrey/Maturin books are interested in all kinds of naval history, including the more recent, and it's possible that fans of WWII naval history might be interested in the Napoleonic Era as well...

Anyway, I hope all is well with you, and please let me know your thoughts on this!

Ava
http://thedearsurprise.com


Ava,

Please do post my account of The Battle of Cape St Vincent on your site, and  a link to AHOY would be fine.

I am indeed flattered that you consider some of my writing worthy of being reproduced.

By a copy of this mail, I will ask my Web Master, Terry Kearns in Atlanta Georgia to add a link to your site on our AHOY site, its a joint affair with Terry whipping into shape my writing and research and getting it up for anyone who happens to visit on the WWW.

Naval History is a passion of mine and I am well aware of Patrick O'Brians influence with his naval novels featuring his Aubrey and Maturin series.

Best wishes and regards,
Mac.


April 20, 2010
Mac,

Thank you so much for your kind permission! If you go to the main page of my site, http://www.thedearsurprise.com, you'll see your website link in the right hand margin :) I also posted your account of the battle, and you can see it here:
http://www.thedearsurprise.com/?p=560. I'll be following up with Sir John Jervis' dispatch and Nelson's as well tonight.

I just want to say that I really love your site, and I was riveted by your account of the sinking of the Canberra. Thank you so much for having your site and sharing your knowledge of naval history with the rest of us!

Ava


Ava

When I was one of 12 thirteen year old boys to join the Royal Australian Naval College in January of 1936, each of the 4 years of Cadets took the name of an eminent Admiral.

I am pleased to tell you that my year took the name Jervis Year, and although my surname starts with G, I was first in alphabetical order, and was therefor J1.

Of that original 12,  we still have 7 alive, and all would be like me 88 years old.

Just another coincidence and connection with Sir John, Earl St Vincent.

Thank you for the nice introduction on your site, and your comments about HMAS Canberra at the Battle of Savo Island.

Best wishes,
Mac.


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