Franckfurth & Leipzig, 1745.
8vo. In contemporary full calf with five raised bands and richly gilt spine. Small paper-label pasted on to upper compartment on spine. A few occassional brownspots, otherwise a fine copy. (20), 152 pp. + 3 folded hand coloured maps and 1 double-page frontispiece.
Rare early German account of Admiral Thomas Mathews life, published only one year after his catastrophic Battle at Toulon. During this battle, the British Royal Navy, under the command of Admiral Thomas Mathews, engaged with the combined fleets of France and Spain. The battle was marked by a series of misunderstandings and miscommunications among the British commanders. The most notable incident was the indecisive nature of the engagement, and Mathews faced criticism for not pressing the attack more aggressively. Following the battle, Mathews faced a court-martial in England, where he was found guilty of not doing his utmost to destroy the enemy and was relieved of his command. The outcome of the court-martial was controversial, with some arguing that Mathews was unfairly scapegoated for the failures of the overall campaign.
Mathews was tried and convicted of the charges, and dismissed from the navy. He returned to his estates at Llandaff, before moving to London and dying there in 1751.
Order-nr.: 60592