BIDDLECOMBE, George

Naval Tactics and Trials of Sailing; illustrated by diagrams of the several evolutions.

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Charles Wilson (at the Navigation Warehouse and Naval Academy) London, 1850. Quarto, with seven plates (five folding), and many illustrations in the text, many highlighted in red and blue; occasional light spotting, one plate browned; good in slightly rubbed original green cloth, gilt. First edition of this important study of naval tactics by the experienced mariner George Biddlecombe, RN. In this work Biddlecombe provides a substantial and detailed review of British naval tactics at mid-century, and his work was much studied at the time (although it came to be criticized for its overly cautious and mechanistic approach).

For several years Biddlecombe served as master of the St Vincent, which bore Admiral Sir Charles Napier's flag from 1847 to 1849, and it is this 120-gun vessel that is depicted under sail as the frontispiece. By the time he wrote this work Biddlecombe was safely ensconced as the master of Her Majesty's Yacht Victoria and Albert, but few officers had seen more active service in their career. He served on the famous HMS Blonde and was part of the rescue of HMS Challenger off the coast of Chile in June 1835 (so ably described by another participant, FitzRoy of the Beagle). In his later career he reconnoitred many parts of the Baltic, and was influential in the region until he took up the position of assistant master attendant at Keyham yard, Devonport, in 1855, being promoted to master attendant of Woolwich yard in 1864. He was knighted by the queen at Windsor on 26 June 1873 and received a Greenwich Hospital pension soon afterwards.

This work is not commonly seen, especially in such handsome condition. With the armorial bookplate of Sir Robert T. Tempest of York.

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• librero: Hordern House (AUSTRALIA)