Graham

The last chapter left me a bit cold. I have a healthy distrust of women, so if I were GG I'd get some insurance against any problems she could think up, whilst distancing the children from her so she could not get to me through them. Devious creatures women... I'm so looking forward to the next evolution of this story, maybe Admiral Granger; Well done Mark, hurry though ;-) Gx

Hi Mark, I hope all is well with you. Any news on furthest chapters? King regards, Graham x

A really good, interesting and well written story – Thank you. It reminds me a lot of my own past, a past that I have moved on and recovered from; but I didn’t have a kind family like Zanders who cared or indeed friends whose support is becoming available to Andy. As I’m English things were different but similar in so many ways. I have grown up now and have ‘chosen’ my own family and I have spent most my life working with and supporting disadvantaged/disenfranchised young people whose lives are devastated by abuse in all its horrific forms; hope for a better life is a key fact in moving on, but survival is a day-to-day struggle for everyone, more so I feel, for abused people. Thank you ;-) Gx

Hello, I hope all is well with you. Eminent people here mention C.S Forrester, but don't forget Patrick O'Brian... Both great maritime authors, who have given me endless hours of pleasurable, and yes, romantic adventure. I think we have a modern day mixture of both in Mark; I welcome and look forward to this new voyage... Gx

Well done Mark! Eagerly awaiting your next story in this series -Thank you

Dear Mark, I am very reluctant to say this, and wish of disrespect in any way, but I feel that over the last several chapters I have begun to lose interest in this once excellent story. For me the naval part of this story is primus and the sexual aspects of Lord Granger’s life secundus. I feel that Lord Granger is prostituting himself to all and sundry and in doing so is rapidly losing his nobility, his dignity and any aristocratic prestige he once had, let alone his Royal Naval standing and reputation. I find the latter third of chapters detrimental to the first two thirds in this story. Apologies – Graham x

Hello Mark, chapter 30, as in the previous chapters, is so very interesting, intriguing and exciting in many ways at so many levels. When reading your work, I feel as if I'm in the thick of it, with all my other ship mates, thank you. Creativity and historical writing, especially about another country’s military in the 17/1800’s is difficult enough, to say the least. So for me whatever and whenever your chapter posting schedule is, is great. Please keep doing what you do, and when you do it, all/any/quick/slow is all good and very OK for me. Gx ;-)

Well Done Mark - Thank you.

Hi Mark. You are right. Nelson was most certainly charismatic and almost exulted and venerated amongst many other things in England, and as you can see from these paragraphs taken from ‘Legacy of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson and Monuments and memorials to Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson’. “Nelson was regarded as a highly effective leader, and someone who was able to sympathise with the needs of his men. He based his command on love rather than authority, inspiring both his superiors and his subordinates with his considerable courage, commitment and charisma, dubbed 'the Nelson touch'. Nelson combined this talent with an adept grasp of strategy and politics, making him a highly successful naval commander. However, Nelson's personality was complex, often characterised by a desire to be noticed, both by his superiors, and the general public. He was easily flattered by praise and dismayed when he felt he was not given sufficient credit for his actions. This led him to take risks, and to enthusiastically publicise his resultant successes”. I think from a psychological view in this paragraph, there is a detectable ‘latency’, in Freudian terms, and is demonstrated in these lines amongst others: ‘based his command on love rather than authority’ in the RN at that time this was unheard of as brutality was more usual; and ‘a desire to be noticed’ what effeminate Gay man today doesn’t want to be noticed, in particular and in general we all like to be told we are good, kind and acceptable and recognised for what we do This aspect of Nelson can be demonstrated by his titles, listed below. Nelson's influence continued long after his death, and saw periodic revivals of interest, especially during times of crisis in Britain. In the 1860s Poet Laureate Alfred Tennyson appealed to the image and tradition of Nelson, in order to oppose the defence cuts being made by Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. First Sea Lord Jackie Fisher was a keen exponent of Nelson during the early years of the twentieth century, and often emphasised his legacy during his period of naval reform. Winston Churchill also found Nelson to be a source of inspiration during the Second World War. Nelson has been frequently depicted in art and literature; he appeared in paintings by Benjamin West and Arthur William Devis, and in books and biographies by John McArthur, James Stanier Clarke and Robert Southey. (Taken from Wikipedia) Nelson's titles, as inscribed on his coffin and read out at the funeral by the Garter King at Arms, Sir Isaac Heard, were: The Most Noble Lord Horatio Nelson, Viscount and Baron Nelson, of the Nile and of Burnham Thorpe in the County of Norfolk, Baron Nelson of the Nile and of Hilborough in the said County, Knight of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Vice Admiral of the White Squadron of the Fleet, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the Mediterranean, Duke of Bronté in the Kingdom of Sicily, Knight Grand Cross of the Sicilian Order of St Ferdinand and of Merit, Member of the Ottoman Order of the Crescent, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of St Joachim. (ibid) If this is viewed from a modern perspective, there are many parallels in today’s society in that some gay men, revel in recognition, have struggled with coming to terms with their sexuality, which can often lead to disaster and loss of life and with this big debate on gay marriage etc; all of which takes bravery, ‘considerable courage, commitment and charisma’. Gx

Excellent chapter Mark – thank you. Oh my goodness, bagpipes are absolutely dreadful, the devils instrument of torture. The Queen has a piper wake her up every morning I think it would slowly drive me insane. His Lordship came to me on the poop, and after ordering certain signals to be made, about a quarter to noon, he said, 'Mr. Pasco, I wish to say to the fleet, ENGLAND CONFIDES THAT EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY' and he added 'You must be quick, for I have one more to make which is for close action.' I replied, 'If your Lordship will permit me to substitute the confides for expects the signal will soon be completed, because the word expects is in the vocabulary, and confides must be spelt,' His Lordship replied, in haste, and with seeming satisfaction, 'That will do, Pasco, make it directly.' —John Pasco Nelly (my total all out favourite hero, and such a love) got shot poor old thing at the battle of Trafalgar; we have a statue of him up a pole and in his own square here in London, as i'm sure you know. His last words were interesting ‘kiss me Hardy’ Beatty recorded that Hardy knelt and kissed Nelson on the cheek. He then stood for a minute or two and then kissed him again. Nelson asked 'Who is that?', and on hearing that it was Hardy, replied 'God bless you, Hardy.' The flags B and Z remained flying on the Victory, and the term BZ’s all-round is still used in the Royal Navy today as a nautical ‘well done’. The signal is still hoisted on the Victory at her dry dock in Portsmouth on Trafalgar Day (21 October) every year although the signal flags are displayed all at once, running from fore to aft, rather than hoisted from the mizzenmast.

I guess this post will ‘ruffle a few feathers’ outrage some and I may get kicked off this forum for saying this but it seems to me that this ‘game people play’ (in true Eric Berne style/tradition) is one of: ‘mine is bigger/better than yours’ and is not only 'child like' but futile; and maybe seen from an outsiders perspective as ‘nit picking/one-up-man ship’. I’m all for an intellectual debate, and relish the opportunity of participation; I also have the greatest respect for authors who are ‘good story tellers’ but they, by definition, be ‘good communicators’ as well; but I think a line needs to be drawn at ‘presumptive/envious’ comments on a colleagues work. I get a lot of this type of feedback as a Psychologist. I find an innovative way to communicate with a withdrawn disenfranchised and abused young person who has tried to ‘end’ him/her self on more occasions than I can count and my colleagues ask what about transference/counter-transference or projection etc... All very valid questions, but one has to ask one’s self why they asked in the first place, when the result is plain to be seen: the young person looks up, smiles or acknowledges the existence of another person! Constructive criticism/feedback is very useful and often necessary; but when that ‘constructive criticism’ is tinged with ‘negative phraseology, innuendo, and assumptions’ it ceases to be constructive, and becomes a ‘game people play’, for whatever reason!

There seems to be some ‘point missing’ in past posts; there is something called 'poetic license' and I for one am looking forward to where Mark takes us. This story is an adventure first; historically as accurate as is possible, historic technically, in terms of seamanship and vagaries of sailing round the horn or not or indeed in any of the southern oceans is a treacherous business to say the least; but they are Mark’s choices to make. Mark is the person who is taking us on this journey, we chose to go with him, or not and if his past writing skills, his penmanship, his knowledge of history, politics and of Royal Naval protocol, Royal Court protocol and processes, and the day to day management of a sailing ships is anything to go by then that is good enough for me. I intend to enjoy the story, so please if you need to make pedantic and critical comments take into account that this is a ‘fictional story!’ Keep up the good work Mark, don’t be deterred and let us have it ‘both barrels’ erm, cannons. If I didn’t know better I would think you were a Brit; but in any case, for me, you are an honorary one; your choice of course lol ;-)

Marks story’s fire the imagination with ‘daring do’, sailing the high seas shagging, pillaging and plundering with our fellow Jack Tar’s and our Aristocratic Captain; Ah, so romantic! Ah, for such a life! HMS Victory is still in the dock yard here in the UK (undergoing a refit now). I was on her a couple of months ago with my partner. We had sex in the Ward Room Head, a bit like a mile high club but on the one and only current ‘Flag Ship’ of the RN, not far from where Nelly kissed Hardy before he died. We are both ex RN so it was fun ;-) Gx

Hello Mark, another thrilling, captivating and intriguing chapter – thank you. Although it would be great to get George back to sea ASAP; I for one think an explanation of the history, context and political nature/importance in which this voyage is taking pace adds to my enjoyment and I am grateful you are taking the time to do just that. n.b., Not wishing to be in any way pedantic, and apologies up front; but for the sake of the ‘flow’ of the story. Ibid - English/American translation: ass = arse (colloquial UK/English usage). I am so looking forward to the next chapter – any chance of making a film of the Bridgemont Saga? Wouldn’t it be great if they made a 'Mark Arbour' version of Master and Commander; with the Galapagos trip in the film as George’s trip to ‘rescue’ Berty? Many thanks and much admiration Mark!

I think Spencer, deep down knows Granger is the right ‘tool’ to use in this mutiny for various reasons, he also believes Granger to be right, but cannot be seen to be supporting this position and is ‘testing’ the political water as it were. If Granger survives the political turmoil and comes out the other end more elevated, accepted, and praised by his King (for being in ‘touch’ with the ‘men’ and resolving the issues); Spencer can take the credit. If on the other hand Granger comes out of it badly, Spencer will have a ‘scapegoat’ for the entire mutiny. As for the ‘with child’ scenario there was I believe all kinds of difficulties with linage and with the sex of the children to contend with and the Royal bastards processes throughout history gives us a clue and sets the president.; especially when power, position and wealth is at stake. Petty jealousies and sibling revelry can become murderous events as history depicts. If the eldest child was female the estate would be ‘entailed’ to the nearest male relative. More recently for the monarchy, not us common folk, there has just been a change in this process in that if William and Katherine’s first child is female she will indeed succeed William as Queen. Isn’t it incredible that this law has only just changed for the monarchy in 2012! I think there is a very interesting process in human and familial behavioural patterns that often occurs and that is: the point at which the ‘child’ becomes the ‘parent’. George, albeit the youngest son and some could argue the more ‘stable’ of the brothers, seems to have started this process in or out of his awareness. If this plays out in the usual pattern we should see George, not only becoming more elevated, powerful and wealthier than his father, but also take on responsibility for his parents ‘dotage’ and his brothers decline in status. Great fun Mark; Well Done!