The Dano-British gun in a corner of the museum shop in Tower of London.

This 4-pounder bronze gun, cast in Woolwich in 1785 bears both the Danish coat of arms and the arms of Charles, the 3^rd Duke of Richmond, Master General of the Ordnance, and the British coat of arms. The reason why it has this peculiar heraldic combination is the fact that it originally was part of the armament of the Danish Crown Prince’s Pleasure Frigate. Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark was a nephew of Britain’s George III (“The Mad King George”). And in 1785 George presented his relative with a rather luxurious gift of a frigate. Not just a small pleasure craft, but an 89.9 feet long, 23.6 feet wide frigate armed with 10 4-pounder guns. The complement was 59 sailors and officers. The frigate was built at Deptford Royal Dockyard.

But why is the gun now in England? That has something to do with the British attack on Copenhagen in 1807. After the attack the Danish Navy was forced to surrender its entire fleet along with the equally valuable naval stores in Copenhagen to the British. 17 ships of the line and as many frigates were surrendered and brought to British port. The Danes were infuriated but powerless. When the Naval Dockyards were surveyed after the British had left, one vessel was found left by the enemy – the Crown Prince’s Pleasure Frigate… It had not been thought proper to seize this present from the British King to the Danish Crown Prince.

However, as a bold gesture, Crown Prince Frederick returned the frigate to the British in 1808. He manned it with captured British sailors that were to be exchanged with Danish sailors. The British sailed the ship back to England, and word has it that Frederick sent a message with it somewhat along the line that the frigate seemed to have been inadvertently forgotten! I have tried to establish what became of the frigate after it had been returned, but with no avail. However, it was a 22 year old ship so it might not have been found fit for fighting service. At least, now I know what became of one of its guns.

The text in Tower of London:

“The arms of Charles, 3rd Duke of richmond, Master General of the Ordnance, appear on the chase. The Royal arms appear on the reinforce with those of Denmark nearer the breech. The base ring bears the date and name of Peter Verbruggen, joint Master Founder with his father, John.

This gun is from “The Crown Prince’s Pleasure Frigate” presented by George III to Frederich, Crown Prince of Denmark. When the Danish fleet was captured in 1807 the frigate was not removed to England, out of courtesy, but it was sent back by Frederich with at message that the Prince imagined “it had been left in mistake”.

Transferred from Central Ordnance Depot, Donnington, 1964. XIX.44.”

Obviously, I couldn’t attend all the lectures, but even then, it was great just being there and absorbing the whole atmosphere. I had the chance to meet lots of colleagues, whom I had previously only heard of or read. I enjoyed the true international perspective of the conference and gained some insights to put the history of the Danish Navy in perspective.

A marvelous venue! The Old Naval College in Greenwich, home to the Maritime Institute of Greenwich University.

I was very inspired by a couple of the lectures that were particularly relevant to my research. During the next days I shall try to reflect on them on this blog.

I should have blogged about this conference a month ago – but I became absorbed with holiday and family when I got home. There is a time and place for everything…

I work on a Ph.D. thesis on the social history of the Danish Navy in the eighteenth century. I find much inspiration in the works of Professor N.A.M. Rodger, especially in his wonderful book “The Wooden World” which was published 1986. My thesis will have a comparative aspect, and comparing the Danish Navy and the British Royal Navy of the eighteenth century is fascinating. There is a huge contrast between the tightly run navy of the absolute Monarchy of Denmark on the one side, and the almost anarchistic British Royal Navy on the other. The Danish navy was very top-down, and everything was under strict control from the King and the Admiralty.

However, in my recent research I have established that the Danish Naval Articles that were published in 1752 were substantially inspired by the British naval articles, “Regulations and Instructions Relating to His Majesty’s Service at Sea”, Published 1731 in London. The Danish 1752 articles replaced a set of articles dating back to 1700. Among the significant changes is the reduced role of religion in the articles, and the emphasis on military rank and the chain of command. The punishments were much toned down in the 1752 articles, and the cruel keelhauling punishment was abolished altogether.

The first page of the Danish Naval Articles of 1752.

I will try to blog some posts in English along the way, but I guess most posts will still be in Danish language. Among the links to the right you will find a link to “English language”. This one is the first.