There’s more, but it’s encouraging to see that similar tactical difficulties were met by the British military in the 19th century, as in our own. I suppose the difference would comprise the quantity of salt we might apply to our own wounds.

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…so completely revolutionised and turned turvy all preconceived ideas of Naval Tactics and their necessary adjuncts as heretofore understood at Whitehall that while under pressure the important post he at present fills he in view of the forthcoming Demonstration promised shortly

  1. As a rule never go into action if you can possibly help it with ship bottom upwards
  2. If unsupplied by the Authorities with proper despatch vessels any pressing emergency fall back upon a torpedo boat and if this up at once as it probably will with rough usage like brown requisition the nearest port for a coal barge or two and man them with any war correspondents who happen to be on board. Failing this get into your own dingy after dark and take the message as well as you can yourself to the nearest marine post office
  3. If in command of one of HM s first class four masted Thundereri on sighting an enemy prepare for action by instantly hacking down the whole of her rigging sails spars and tackle and bodily stowing it away in the Senior Officers Mess room. Here let it be cut up into convenient lengths and conveyed to the furnaces. By a rapid recourse to this handy device not only may the smashing in of the ship’s upper decks and decimation of her crew be pleasantly avoided but an additional knot an hour be comfortably added to her usual pace.

Punch  By Mark Lemon,  Henry Mayhew,  Tom Taylor,  Shirley Brooks,  Francis Cowley Burnand,  Owen Seaman