Fifty-two Stories of the British Navy, from Damme to Trafalgar

Fifty-two Stories of the British Navy, from Damme to Trafalgar, is edited by Alfred H. Miles. The prefatory note says the volume contains fifty-two stories of the British Navy from Damme to Trafalgar, arranged chronologically. The text says the Cinque Ports were at their highest tide of prosperity during the reign of Edward I., who, in 1300, took thirty of their ships with him in his expedition against Scotland.

The text says that in 1339 the French fleet burnt Portsmouth, inflicted severe disaster upon Southampton, threatened Sandwich, and, diverging to Rye, landed and ravaged the immediate neighbourhood. The text recounts that Kirby kept always out of gun-shot after two or three broadsides, and that he kept two or three miles astern all the second day, though commanded again and again to keep his station. The text says Nelson sat down to table with a large party of his officers, in high spirits as he was ever wont to be when on the eve of action, and drank to a leading wind and to the success of the morrow.