The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships

By C Nepean Longridge, Published by the Naval Institute Press, Anapolis MD, 1961

Contains over 158 drawings, 12 fold out plans and 76 plates. 283 pages with index.

Mr Longridge is a model ship builder would built the model of the HMS Victory that now resides in the Science Museum at South Kensington. He was present during the restoration of the Victory and the book includes photos of it and the HMS Implacable (the pictures were taken just before it was scuttled). No detail is too small for this book, right down to how to make the knots on the Reef nettles. The level of detail is simply staggering. This book shows exactly where every sheet, buntline, clew, halyard, brace, stay, shroud, and lift was fitted and how they were belayed on deck. It shows every block and every piece of tackle. It shows how every piece of wood on the ship was fashioned and how to recreate it in a model. It simply is the best book I have ever seen on how a ship of the line actually operated and why you needed 400 crewmen. Attachment 11606Attachment 11607Attachment 11608Attachment 11609

LOL, 400 on Victory would be a skeleton crew, and rather light even on 74's... Good find!

Very nice, indeed, Kenneth. I like the pictures presented.

The more I learn about these ships, the more impressed I am with the knowledge captains and others must have had.

Very cool! Thanks for the photos.