The taking of the Java

February 20, 2007

It was in late December, 1812, at the beginning of The American War. The the almost new frigate, USS Constitution, took and burned the English frigate HMS Java off the coast of San Salvador. How do I know all this stuff? Why, from reading the sea novels of Patrick O’Brian, of course. Any gate, I ran across this image while lurking in The Gunroom, the POB mail list, and since the person who originally stole the image is probably several thefts removed by now, I will share it with you.

Taking of HMS Java

This may be as good a time as any to record that I am reading away on my umpteenth pass through the POB canon, presently delighting in the blooming of Brideen on her first voyage in the Ringle, a topsail schooner of the Baltimore Clipper type, a model of which is languishing on my workbench. This is in The Commodore, Volume seventeen of the canon. This is perhaps the best of the twenty books in the series, for what that may be worth.

Dave, which he is not getting sea-sick, at all.

Posted by Dave | Filed Under Literature 

Comments

2 Responses to “The taking of the Java”

  1. Larry Ayers on February 20th, 2007 10:35 pm

    That’s a very nice painting, Dad! I wonder who is responsible?

    I still haven’t started my fourth re-reading of the POB series; maybe next winter!

  2. admin on February 21st, 2007 9:25 am

    I’m afraid I don’t know. There seems to be a lot of unattributed images floating around the Internet, as you know, I suppose I ought to email the poster of the link, but I doubt that I shall.

    I find that every fresh pass through the novels finds me reading it slower
    and savoring it more, still discovering more of POBs sly little tricks. More chuckles per page.

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