Commander John Spratt, RN
and his Homograph

by Louis Roeder


As usual with naval logs, one entry in the Defiance's on 21 October 1805 was typically laconic:

    "...Stood on for a French two-deck ship ( l’Aigle ). About 3.10 run alongside of her and made her fast. Boarded and got possession of the quarter-deck and poop. Struck the French colours..."
Much too laconic for the heroic deeds of Midshipman James Spratt that afternoon.

A brief account of Commander James Spratt, R. N., and an introduction to his HOMOGRAPH, a forerunner of semaphore.

download the article (60 Kb)
download a re-edition of the Homograph (24 Kb)

(This article was first published in the Trafalgar Chronicle - 1805 Club)

 

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