Description

The remarkable story of how a handful of intrepid scientific navigators underpinned British naval dominance in the conflict with Napoleon

During the Napoleonic Wars, more than twice as many British warships were lost to shipwreck than in battle. The Royal Navy’s fleets had to operate in unfamiliar seas and dangerous coastal waters, where navigational ignorance was as great a threat as enemy guns. If Britain was to win the war, improved intelligence was vital.

In this landmark account, Michael Barritt reveals how a cadre of specialist pathfinders led by Captain Thomas Hurd enabled Britain’s Hydrographic Office to meet this need. Sounding amongst hazards on the front line of conflict, alert for breaks in weather or onset of swell, these daring sailors gathered vital strategic data that would eventually secure the upper hand against Britain’s adversaries. Tracing this pathfinding around Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, Barritt shows how the honing of this skill set revolutionised the British way of war at sea-ultimately securing a lasting naval dominance.

Publisher Review

“A critical contribution to the new naval history of the Nelson era. Barritt rescues a largely forgotten man and his work from the quiet obscurity of historical ignorance.”-Andrew Lambert, author of Seapower States

“This is a compelling story of the unsung heroes of the Royal Navy-the men in the hydrographic service whose skill and bravery helped to secure Britain’s position as a global maritime power.”-Janet Hartley, author of The Volga

“Barritt’s research into the extraordinary accomplishments of the young British Hydrographic Service in the wars of 1793-1815 matches their own diligence. A fine account of a vital factor in the defeat of Napoleon.”-Richard Woodman, author of Neptune’s Trident

“Michael Barritt is uniquely qualified to unravel and explain the complicated and patient work of British naval surveyors and chart makers. He does so brilliantly, aided by a profusion of minutely-detailed contemporary illustrations.”-Roger Knight, author of Convoys

“Nelson’s Pathfinders brilliantly highlights the crucial roles and largely untold story of hydrographers and marine surveyors in naval combat operations during the Napoleonic Wars, while also emphasizing their continuing relevance for current and future naval operations.”-John B. Hattendorf, author of Naval History and Maritime Strategy