"Touch and Go"
by C. Northcote Parkinson
This is the 3rd book in the Richard Delancy series by Parkinson. I had heard of these books for several years but until recently was not able to obtain one. Most of the action takes place in the Mediterranean Sea in 1799. Delancy, Captain of the sloop HMS Merlin, is sent on several escort missions, and encounters Lord Cochrane and his ship the sloop Speedy. Cochrane tries to enlist his aid in a little ambush of French sloops raiding British commerce, but Delancy will have nothing to do with it, having his orders to escort a valuable ship and dispatches.
Delancy arrives at Gibraltar just before a major engagement with several French Ship of the Line at the port of Algerians, just a few miles from Gibraltar. The British and French fleets tear each other to pieces and retire with neither side the victor. The British work frantically to repair damage and put to sea to meet the expected Spanish reinforcements. When the Spanish arrive, they and the French attempt to retire to Cadiz, but are pursued. Two 100+ gun Spanish ships are completely destroyed and a damaged French ship is captured.
On his way back home to Portsmith to await the end of the war, Delancy captures a fat French merchantman and returns to port St. Peter on Guernsey Island, His home. He and his crew were in desperate need of prize money and this one capture was just what was needed.
This book was a lot of fun and the main character is wise in the ways of the sea and the handling of men aboard ship. During engagements, Delancy is cautious with his men's lives and only fights when useful. He has the respect of his crew and other officers, though he has little fame. Not as epic in proportion to other books of this genre, but by all means a most excellent read.
Reviewed by
Ken Smith 10 August 1999
Available from:
Playboy Press Paperbacks
747 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(Published in 1980 and hard to find)
