What was it like to serve as an officer in the Royal Navy during the great age of sailing warfare? The varied careers of four closely-related men illustrate the challenges encountered by many officers as they rose in the naval hierarchy. The Schombergs had an unusual family background (they were descended from an immigrant German-Jewish doctor), but they survived storms, battle and even their own mistakes, as they found important roles in the competitive world of the Royal Navy.
This work follows the fortunes of these four sailors over 90 years, as they served afloat in locations from Quebec to Mauritius, in vessels ranging from a royal yacht to a ship of the line. Ashore they enjoyed the pleasures of eighteenth-century Dublin, wrote books and befriended artists, while navigating the changing world of Georgian Britain. The events described in this book are based on unpublished documents, lavishly illustrated with more than fifty colour and black and white images (including original artwork) and ten maps. The result is a panorama of war at sea and life on land, seen through the lens of a single talented family.