The Historical Maritime Society

Nelson and His Navy - What is the source of the myths about Nelson's Navy?

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Phil Egginton (HMS Secretary and Webmaster writes)

Have you ever wondered why there are so many Myths about the Royal Navy of the Napoleonic Wars? Why do people still honestly believe that as John Masefield states in ‘Sea Life in Nelsons Time’ :-

“Our naval glory was built up by the blood and agony of thousands of barbarously maltreated men…...sea life…..was brutalising, cruel and horrible…which no man today would think good enough for a common criminal. There was…bad pay, bad discipline, bad food, bad hours of work, bad company. ….The Captains of men-of-war...filled up their compliments...by taking any man they could get. Press gangs brought in a number of wretches found in the streets after dusk….it did not matter if they were married men with families, tradesmen with business or young men studying for professions…”

We certainly know that this book of Masefield can be traced as one of the sources of this distorted picture – but why did he write so? He claims that the information he uses is based upon word of mouth passed down through the Navy.

I was however recently reading some of the work of Dr Andrew Lambert a well known Naval historian and in particular about the naval reforms of the 1830’s.

The Napoleonic Wars had resulted in much national expenditure. This combined with corruption, antiquated representation and self fulfilment led to reform of the political system. The Whigs came to power on a ‘ticket’ of reform and monetary control. This of course resulted in the Reform Act of 1832. However I had not appreciated that they also made a concerted attack on the Navy as part of this. In particular they abolished the Navy Board during the 1830’s which was seen as out of direct political control. They heavily criticised all the Navy Board work to date. Certainly naval expenditure had been high (representing 20% of national expenditure during the wars) and was still some 12% when the Whigs came to power who reduced it to 8%.

What becomes interesting is the appearance at the same time of a supposed true journal of a seamen from the period of the wars. This is of course that of William Robinson or Jack Nastyface as was his pen name. This was first published in 1836 at the peak time of naval reform and became very popular. This book does not put the Navy in a good light and reflects many of Masefields comments. However in his own preface to the book Nastyface states:

“The order of the present day, on land, it seems is reform: - then why should the sea-service have its imperfections remain unattended to?”

Nastyface was apparently writing not in the context of his war time experience but in that of his present ‘reforming’ time.

Other accounts which have been published give a different picture of the war times much more aligned to that of recent experience such as that in WWII. I am therefore suggesting that many of the myths have their origin in 1830 political reform not a true 1793-1815 experience. This is a hypothesis that needs more work and testing.

I welcome any views others have - please add them to our Discussion Forum.