Naval engagements: patriotism, cultural politics, and the Royal Navy, 1793-1815

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Patriotism, cultural politics, and the royal navy, 1793-18 15. Timothy Jenks A thsis submitted in conformity with the rquirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Department of Hinory, in the University of Toronto. ir Timothy Jenks, 2001. National Liiraiy Bibliothèque nationale du Canada A uisitions and Acquisitions et ~giogmphic services services bibliographiques 3â!5 Wfdlhgkm Street 395, rue Weüingkm OttawaON K 1 A W OttawaûN K l A W camd% Canada The author has granted a
more » ... hisnre licence allowing the Nationai LiIbrary of Canada to reproduce, loan, distri'bde or seii copies of this thesis in microfom, paper or electronic formats. The author retaEs ownership ofthe copyright in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. L'auteur a accordé une Licence non exclusive permettant a la Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduire, prêter, ~' b u e r ou vendre des copies de cette thèse sous la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. L'auteur conserve la propriété du droit d'auteur cpi protège cette thése. Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés ou autreient reprodints sans son autorisation. Absetact. 'Naval Engagements ': Patnotism, cultufal politics, and the royal navy, 1793-1815. Timothy Jenks, PhD. Department of Histo y, University of Toronto, 2001. This thesis enmines the phce occupied by the royal navy in Bxitish culture d&g the wars of 1793-1815 with Revolutionary and Napoleonic Frtlllce It explores the rnanner in which images of the navy operated in domestic British culture, and dates their significame to large dyn?mics within hte eighteenth and early nineteenth c e n n~y s M i e t y and politid culture. Chapter one is an inuoduction, which jusrifies the topic in light of recent w n M g on BnaSh national i b t i y in the period, outlines the sources employed, and inuoduces necessary terms and concepts. Chapter two investigates the cultural poli& of the fùn major n a d engagement of the wu, Lord Howe's victory over the French neet on May 29-June 1,1794. It traces the attempt made by p d a n interens to capitalise upon the naval victo y. Chapter three considers the naval mutinies of 1797 and examines th& efféct on dite perceptions of the navy's abiIity to funaion as an &ve national spmboL As it wls closely folIowed by Admiral Duncan's victory over the Dutch fleet off Camperdown on Octobu 11,1797, the manner in whkh the celebrations for hû victo y betvne caught up in a projecc of national and naval rehrrbilitation is adclressed. Chapter four explores the s o d md c u l d dpplmics b t were part and parcel of pauiotic aCnviy for contempomies. Ir examines a range of efforts made, and projects launched, to commemorate and acknowledge n a d superiority in the ycus around the banle of the Nile (A-1,1798). Admtal HonEa Nelson -the most celebrared naval hero i n Britain's histo y-is the focus of the fifth chapter. It traces the development of his public image, locating it -to a degree that kas never been before suggested-in its relatiodp to some of the manifest s o d tensions of the p e r i d Chapter six considus the parliaxnentary career of Lord Cochnne MP, and explores the manner in which he was able to exploit naval symbols and associations in the radical poliàcd cause The thesis concludes by m a h g a revisionkt assesment of m e n t interpretations of national identiy in the period, a.rguing that signiûcant dass and political tensions h v e been ignored. This thesis would not b v e been possiile without the assistance, guidance, advice, and direction pmvided by a range of individu&, Sinstini80ns, and agencies. My greatest &bt is to the Graduate Department of Histo y at the University of Toronto, aud, iP parti&, to m y thesis supemkor, Richard Hekrrnadter. I would h o like to
doi:10.5860/choice.45-1663 fatcat:a3j3cpktczbutno5vd65t6erki