ix In this spirit, this journal is devoted not just to Nelson, but to those who served with him, followed in his wake, or were inspired by his actions. The way we write about naval men of the past requires sympathetic attention, as much as our approach to their graves and memorials needs to be considered and purposeful. I’m grateful to our contributors this year for as sensitive and erudite a range of articles as we have ever had. I’m pleased to be able to publish the biographies of a number of Trafalgar veterans here, and to introduce the lives of other men who deserve our attention. There’s even some space for Napoleon – but not too much, perish the thought. Other articles give a sense of the maritime culture of this period, whilst some explain in more detail the legacy of Nelson’s achievements at sea. In this bicentenary year, it is also right to give due attention to the War of 1812 and we will do so next year too, following the conflict as it sprawled into other theatres. This journal welcomes a range of expertise, with leading naval history professors and established authors sharing pages with club members and young post-doctoral researchers. We celebrate research that careers across a range of scales too, from broad naval strategy, the legalities of prize money, through to public sculpture and memorials, a little literary detective work, some small-boat sailing, or even reflections on a silver muffineer that might have graced a king’s breakfast table. I’m delighted to be able to publish some of the final writings of the late Colin White, a Nelson man like no other, and a kind soul who set me off on my early forays in the archives, searching, like Nelson, for polar bears amongst the ice. I’d also like to take this chance to mark thanks, in particular, to my good friend Anthony Cross for almost a decade of support in producing previous editions of this journal together. He welcomed me onboard in 2004 and I’ve enjoyed his fellowship ever since. Huw Lewis-Jones
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