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From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2023 Oct 17, 15:25 -0400
Eclipse and Quercus ilex procrastinations over, I’ve got to get started dusting off the William Bligh talk I’m committed to on 25th Oct. One thing which has had me perplexed for a while is this painting, one of three by the English painter Samual Owen (1768-1857), which shows Bligh in HMS Director capturing the Dutch Flagship Vrijheid (Freedom) at the Battle of Camperdown. https://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/painting_282422/Samuel-Owen/H.M.S.-Director-raking-the-Dutch-flagship-Vrijheid,-during-the-Battle-of-Camperdown,-11th-October-1797 . The lie of pennants and ensigns show Director lying to windward of Vrijheid, but If Bligh had just run slowly across Vrijheid’s stern to rake her, he must have ended up to leeward of Vrijheid, which would also have given his broadsides more loft to attack Vrijheid’s running and standing rigging and bring her canvas down across her gunports. Showing Director to windward is probably artistic license, but I noticed one more thing I today. After rounding-up alongside Vrijheid, Director’s fore-topsail boom appears to be backed. I this more artistic license, or did Bligh leave it backed to keep Director in line with Vrijhei, so he could continue to pound her to greatest effect? DaveP