While I was reading this story about the Archbishop of Atlanta’s new residence and wondering why the National Schismatic Reporter wasn’t paying any attention to it – they are usually all over this sort of thing – I spotted this very cool video on the sidebar of the news site.
This is about a WWII era British submarine, HMS Alliance. It is the only one of its kind remaining. It has been refurbished, brought back to its pristine character, and can be visited in Portsmouth, where you can also find HMS Victory and Mary Rose. If you haven’t been to the Historic Dockyard, you are in for a treat. The sub is part of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, on the same side of the harbor as the Historic Dockyard, not too far a walk, judging from the map and my memory.
Here is a video:
The Brits do this sort of thing really well. Be sure to visit the Imperial War Museum and the War Rooms, both in London.
UPDATE
In other news, HMS Surprise is getting an overhaul.
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And if you visit Pompey over a weekend, if you’re so inclined you can also attend the EF Mass at our beautiful Cathedral (St John’s) at 8am on Sunday.
smithUK: I would enjoy visiting Pompey again. I have a couple friends there. Perhaps at St. John’s they wouldn’t mind a guest celebrant or they would like to have a Solemn Mass.
I’m sure a guest celebrant would be most welcome when you’re next over this way :-) Father is a little rushed each Sunday as he has to shoot off back to his regular parish after saying the EF Mass.
Also worth visiting is HMS Warrior, the world’s first iron-built capital ship, which when launched in 1860 was the dreadnought of its day; in range and firepower she outclassed every other warship in the world. Everything from guns to engines was state-of-the-art, and she was also fully-rigged as a sailing ship. She was too long to be conned from the quarterdeck and so there is a ‘conning-bridge’ amidships (which actually resembles a bridge).
Within ten years she was obsolete, such was the 19th century naval revolution. Compare this with the present day, where even submarines have a 30-year lifespan and the big US carriers are expected to last 50 years.
When you’re done in Portsmouth, try to fly back via Boston where you can visit the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, USS Constitution. (HMS Victory is in permanent drydock.) The comparison is awe inspiring, especially if you see her on one of her periodic harbor cruises. [I have seen her, but I haven’t been aboard.]
In keeping with this blog, it is worth noting that USS Constitution is also the ship that hosted the first Papal visit to the United States, Pope Pius IX in 1849!
In the novels, Jack Aubrey served aboard the Surprise as midshipman and carved
his initials into the cap of the mainmast. It would be a lovely touch if someone thought to
carve those initials on the mast cap of the ‘flesh-and-blood’ Surprise.
[Excellent thought!]
One of my fondest and earliest childhood memories was going aboard a replica of The Golden Hind, Sir Francis Drake’s ship, as it sailed around the country (now docked in London). Also worth a visit. Following on from Cantor’s comment, the comparison here is almost comical – The Hind is as a thimble next to the warships which followed.
Last fall, we, 40-50 Boy Scouts and adults, spent the night on a replica of the Santa Maria in Columbus, Ohio. The Scouts and adults, prior to boarding the ship, spent the day learning about their voyage and their faith. In the morning we attended an EF Mass. It was the first EF Mass for everyone, except me, from my Troop. The Scouts and adults earned a local religious emblem. ( A great medal to be worn on special occasions.) http://www.cdeducation.org/oym/dccs/stmaria.html
I’ve also been on the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery at Jamestown Settlement in Virginia. http://historyisfun.org/Jamestown-Ships.htm
Unfortunately, that has been the closest I’ve been to a wooden ship adventure. I’m hoping to go a small ship through BSA’s Seabase.
I still have a strong impression of my boyhood visit to the U-505 at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry!
A pair of screws athwart the rudder? Looks like Lucky Jack’s ship did pack a surprise.