This thrilling true story is as interesting as any fiction based on the age of sail. The powerful civilian members of the Admiralty Board commissioned the collection of visual information to help them understand the theatre of operations in which the British Fleet operated its blockade of the French and Spanish navies during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The marine artist J. T. Serres joined the frigate blockade at Brest. The resulting paintings are beautiful, and the story of this endeavour is thrilling. The story involves espionage, shipwreck, mutiny, and hydrographic controversy. Captain Baritt retired from a career in the Royal Navy as Hydrographer of the Navy and Captain Hydrography and Meteorology on the staff of the Commander in Chief Fleet. He is a long-standing member of of several societies related to his work for the Navy. Beautiful book in beautiful jacket. Like New. National Maritime Museum. Greenwich, London. 2008. Hb, Dj. USED. $45.00