1803 - 1805 ORIGINAL NELSON ERA MANUSCRIPT CYPHER AND EXERCISE BOOK BELONGING TO A ROYAL NAVY MIDSHIPMAN ABOARD A STORIED SHIP WHILE THE ENGLISH BLOCKADE BREST AND PLAY CAT AND MOUSE WITH THE FRENCH FLEET

On offer is a superb, original 1803 - 1805 manuscript cypher and navigation book handwritten by a young midshipman James Maurice Shipton aboard the noted HMS Thunderer, a ship forever in the history books as the ship that spotted the emerging Spanish fleet and thusly began the Battle of Trafalgar and the demise of Britain's enemies and sadly the hero of the day Lord Horatio Nelson. [Notably Thunderer also took part in the Glorious 1st of June Battle against the French in 1794.] James Maurice Shipton who would one day captain his own ship and reap accolades, created this book while theThunderer worked blockade duty along the French coast. Mere months later the ship would engage in the Battle of Trafalgar and the decisive engagement by the British would end the rule of the French despot and dictator Napoleon Bonaparte. Included are a number of letters from archivists and historians providing background info on Shipton. The book is in wonderful condition, the vellum save for some soiling is better than good and the interior as well. Overall G+.; Manuscript; Folio - over 12" - 15" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, JAMES MAURICE SHIPTON, HMS THUNDERER, TRAFALGAR, MIDSHIPMAN, GEORGE III, NAVIGATION, CYPHER, SAILING, AGE OF SAIL, CHANNEL SQUADRON, BLOCKADE DUTY, LORD HORATIO NELSON, MARITIME, MARINE, NAUTICAL, NAVAL, OCEAN TRAVEL, BARGE, SCHOONER, NAVAL ACTIONS, THE ROYAL NAVY, NAVAL, MARINE, NAUTICAL, NAUTICAL LOGBOOK, SPANISH FLEET, CYPHERING, CIPHER, COMPLEX MATHEMATICS, BRITISH ROYAL NAVY, BRITANNICA, EARLY 19TH CENTURY, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, AMERICANA, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D'ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANOSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL,