The Portsmouth Telegraph, or Naval and Military Journal was published weekly back in 1801 and is packed with information. Naval appointments and ship movements were publicised along with letters from captains and admirals, prize money for the capture of ships and news from the fleet around the globe. Auctions were held at Taverns and Inns in Cowes, Gosport, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester where ships and cargo were sold along with properties. Punishment was severe and execution, whipping or transportation to New South Wales for stealing items such as geese and sugar was the norm.

The image to the left is an interesting article from volume one of this series. It describes a duel at twelve paces that took place between Lieutenant Minster, of the Marines, belonging to HMS Monarch, and Lieutenant Christian Laschen, of the Latona frigate, at Queenborough, near Sheerness in 1801.

The first CD-ROM in this series is now available and contains over fourteen hundred pages from 1849. The author, William R O'Byrne, took it upon himself to contact the families of every Naval officer mentioned in the "Navy List" for 1845. From the information gained from the families and from the Admiralty he has produced what he has described as "The Life and Service of Every Living Officer in Her Majesty's Navy". Although in no way connected to the Navy, the author spent six years researching the material to produce this volume.

The image to the left is a typical entry, Augustus Baldwin entered the Navy in May 1794. on board the Trompeuse sloop, he actively served on the Home and Halifax stations in the Trompeuse, the Garland and the Boston until December 1804 when he joined the Prince of Wales. While in that ship he was present during the action of July 22nd 1805 and also at the attack upon Copenhagen in September 1807. In January 1808 he became First of the Implacable where he highly distinguished himself in a gallant engagement with the Russian ship Sewolod, which was completely silenced. Shortly afterwards, with the assistance of the Centaur he captured and burnt the Sewelod in sight of the whole Russian fleet near Rogerswick, on which occasion the enemy sustained a loss of 303 men, and the British, in both ships, of not more than 62. Mr Baldwin was rewarded with a Commander's commission dated September 18th, 1808. He did not however succeed in procuring further employment afloat until February 7th 1812, when he was appointed to the Tyrian brig, in which he served in the channel until posted on January 1st 1917. He accepted the retirement on October 1st 1846.

The CD-ROM's in this section containin thousands of digital images taken from photographic collections, First World War Newspapers etc... Spanning the period between 1900 and late 2002. Photographs of Naval personnell are included as are pictures of Naval Vehicles, Ships and Submarines, launches of several major warships, such as that of H.M.S. Dreadnought in 1906. As well as British Warships, German, French, American, Japanese and Russian Warships are included.

The above image is the light cruiser 'Highflyer' which sank the German armed merchant cruiser 'Kaiser Willhem der Grosse' off the mouth of the Ore River, West Africa on August 27th 1914. The 'Highflyer' a 20-knot light class cruiser with a length of 350 feet and a displacement of 5600 tons carried eleven 6-inch guns, nine 3-inch, one 3-pounder, two machine-guns, and two torpedo-tubes.

The CD-ROM's in this section contain thousands of digital images spanning the period between 1805 and 1914. The Navy Lists contain a list of officers serving in the Royal Navy at the time of publication. Often Royal Marines are included along with retired officers, civillians, ratings permitted to wear medals, commonwealth naval officers, etc.. Full details can be found in each table of contents on the productpages.

The image to the left is of Victualling Regulations from the 1830 Navy List list. One pound of bread, one gallon of beer, one ounce of cocoa, one and a half ounces of sugar, one pound of fresh meat, one half pound of vegetables and one quarter ounce of tea were allowed daily to every Person serving in His Majesty's Ships. The bread could be substituted for biscuit, and the gallon of beer beer for a pint of wine or a quarter pint of spirits.

When fresh meat and vegetables were not issued three quarters of a pound of salt beef and three quarters of a pound of flour, or three quarters of a pound of salt pork and one half pound of pease were substituted.

Half a pint of oatmeal and half a pint of vinegar were issued weekly, and one pound of flour could be substituted for one pound of raisins, one half pound of currants or one half pound of suet.

Of great use to historians and genealogists alike, this CD-ROM lists Portsmouth residents and their roll in The First World War. Over seven thousand residents are listed, with a brief history of their service and their contribution to the war. As well as people serving in the Armed Forces, Special War Workers are also listed such as people employed in the Dockyard. The following is the first entry; “Abbey. A., Private, 8th Norfolk Regiment. He volunteered in October 1914, and in the following year was sent to France, and was in actionat Albert. In 1916 he was transferred to Egypt, and thence to Palestine and was engaged in transport duties. Later he returned to France where he took part in the Retreat and Advance of 1918. He was demobilised in March 1918, and holds the 1914-15 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals. 27 Henrietta Street, Southsea.”

ISBN1903129860 List price: £11.95