Age of Sail questions

It is known that Columbus arrived on an island in the Bahamas (he named it San Salvador), but for centuries historians debated on which island that really was. The captain's log doesn't give much information: large, beautiful island, with a lagoon. Today, there is a general consensus that it was an island in the Bahamas, named San Salvador in 1926 to match the name given by Columbus.

In the Age of Sail, the French in particular were adept at gunnery and often took the leeward position to enable their fleet to retire downwind while continuing to fire chain shot at long range to bring down the masts. Chain shot was normally not used as an anti-personnel load; this role was fulfilled more effectively by grapeshot.

Although each shot of raking fire is more likely to miss the target, it will cause more damage when successful. In addition, the targeted ship will have few or no guns able to return fire. A stern rake tends to be more damaging than a bow rake because the shots are not deflected by the curved and strengthened bow.

The attack on the ship was a revenge for the whipping of a young Māori chief by the crew. According to Māori norms, this warranted a violent retribution. Cannibalism was already a regular practice in Māori wars. News of the events stopped shipping visits to to the country over the next few years.

Nelson was wounded several times in combat, losing one arm and the sight in one eye. During the Battle of Copenhagen, he refused to retreat, raising the telescope to his blind eye, and saying 'I really do not see the signal.