Dragaera

The criticism of O'Brian

Fri Apr 28 12:08:27 PDT 2006

Matthew Jennings wrote:

>"what idiot in the Admiralty would ever think that you could get much 
>use out of a spy in such a position"
>
>This is interesting too, because although there are large periods where 
>Maturin is 'at-sea', he also finds himself in enough places/times 
>to 'thwart the enemy' that it is worth gaps.
>  
>

Except that Britain didn't use agents in this manner at this time--this 
is a 20th century device.  The Admiralty gathered intelligence, all 
right, but that's what it was:  intelligence.  Given that some ships 
would not touch land for *years* at a time (resupplied at sea while on 
blockade duty), and frigates would routinely be out of sight for 6 
months or more, a ship's doctor makes for a pretty implausible spy--in 
the realistic sense.  (Not to mention that any counteragent would be 
bound to wonder how it was that a ship's doctor could ever stray so far 
from his post.)  Agents of this type would be run by Canning & Co., and 
they would stay on land.  I'm afraid I'd have to see an actual 
historical case before I could swallow this.

Snarkhunter