Philip K. Allan - Author
@philipkallan
Author of Naval Fiction, Writer and Speaker on Naval History Visit my website to learn more at
The Medusa sailing from the Downs by US artist Mark Myers In the age of sail the Downs was a busy anchorage off the Kent coast where shipping would wait for a favourable tide/wind to take them up the Thames into London or down the Channel to the Atlantic #RoyalNavy #Navigation #Ageofsail
HMS Sandwich laying her mooring at sunset by English artist Jack Spurling She was a 90-gun second rate launched in 1759 at Chatham and designed by Thomas Slade, the naval architect behind HMS Victory. #RoyalNavy #Shipoftheline #Ageofsail
The wreck of the cruise ship MS World Discoverer, slowly being taken over by nature. She struck an uncharted reef in the Solomon Islands in 2000 and has remained there ever since. #Cruiseships #Shipwrecks #Pacific
Under Fire Off Manhattan by British marine artist Geoff Hunt One of his series showing a scene from the War of 1812 #Warof1812 #USNavy #RoyalNavy
USS Iowa (BB61) entering Portsmouth harbour in 1989, following her return to service under President Reagan. HMS Victory visible behind her. #Dreadnought #USNavy #RoyalNavy
Moonlight Barque by the early 20th century English artist Charles Pears It reminds me of John Masefield’s poem Sea-fever. #sea #tallships #maritimehistory
I have just returned from a stint as guest lecturer onboard the #SwanHellenic ship Diana, along with the brilliant Jared Diamond. Great trips ashore, wonderful staff and splendid hospitality. I can’t recommend them highly enough. #AlexanderClay #RoyalNavy #seewhatsotherdont
Martha's Vineyard - the Mattapoisett at Osborn's Wharf, Edgartown, in 1886 by British marine artist John Stobart. The late John Stobart specialised in producing meticulously researched harbour scenes, mostly of American ports. #Sea #Tallships #Ageofsail
Something for Hornblower fans - how camels work. Two water-filled boxes are lashed tightly to each side of a ship. When they are pumped out, they lift it, reducing its draft. Invented by the Dutch to get large warships out of shallow harbours. #DutchNavy #Tallships #Ageofsail
USS Constitution by Anton Fischer Her long career almost ended a month into the war of 1812, when she fell in with a Royal Navy squadron. She used her boats and ditched all her water to escape the British in a chase lasting two days and nights. #USNavy #RoyalNavy #AgeofSail
The frigate Højenhald by Christian Mølsted Seen after an attack on Copenhagen in 1659. The ship resisted repeated attacks made by Swedish troops across the ice. #DanishFleet #SwedishArmy #AgeofSail
USS United States by Geoff Hunt. She was one of the US Navy’s six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. #USNavy #Tallships #AgeofSail
American carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) in dry dock, giving some idea of her size. Her full complement is four and half thousand men. #USNavy #NavalAviation #IranWar
HMS Leopard pursued by the Dutch warship Waakzaamheid in the Roaring Forties by British artist Geoff Hunt. Readers of Patrick O’Brian may recognise it as the cover art for Desolation Island #RoyalNavy #Ageofsail #Navalfiction
Vessels in a swell at sunset by 19th century Ukrainian artist Ivan Aivazovsky A bit of calm in a stormy world #Tallships #Ageofsail #MarineArt
On the Deck of the Frigate Svetlana by 19th century Russian artist Alexander Beggrov The raised platform running between the sides was known as a bridge, and was becoming the main command centre of a warship in this period. #Steam #RussianNavy #Ironclad
HMS Victory, newly restored by British artist William Lionel Wyllie Due to be scrapped, she was saved by a public outcry. She was restored by donations organised by the Society for Nautical Research. In 1928 she opened as a museum ship. #Nelson #Trafalgar #RoyalNavy
Seascape by 19th century French artist Jules Noël #Maritime #Sea #Ageofsail
Published Worldwide Today - Clay and the Sublime Porte Book 12 in the Alexander Clay series Available on Amazon as a paperback or ebook #AmReading #AlexanderClay #RoyalNavy
Ship at night by Marek Rużyk #RoyalNavy #Sea #Ageofsail
French ship of the line Foudroyant by Auguste Mayer. Early 18th century ships may have been cumbersome, un-weatherly and struggled to operate in winter, but they did look magnificent. #FrenchNavy #LouisXIV #Ageofsail
HMS Warrior by David Bell She was an Alfred-class 74-gun ship of the line, launched in 1781 at Portsmouth #RoyalNavy #NapoleonicWars #Ageofsail
‘A huge stone cannon ball, sir,’ reported Taylor returning from the bow. ‘It hit one of the anchors and shattered. The forecastle looks like Deal beach, and poor Mr Hutchinson is quite covered in dust.’ Clay and the Sublime Porte – coming soon #AmReading #AlexanderClay #RoyalNavy
The Ij by 20th century Dutch painter Peter J. Sterkenburg The Ij is the name of the bay that once served as an anchorage for Amsterdam. #DutchNavy #DutchEastIndiaCompany #Tallships
Fight of the Wagram by Auguste Mayer Wagram was a French first rate built in 1810. The picture shows a clash between French ships and the British Mediterranean Fleet in 1813 during which she helped her out-numbered squadron escape destruction. #FrenchNavy #NapoleonicWar #RoyalNavy
Colin Baxter has produced another superb picture for the cover of my latest Clay novel. It shows a scene from the book when two 74s attack a Turkish shore battery. Clay and the Sublime Porte – coming soon #AmReading #AlexanderClay #RoyalNavy
Summer morning by British marine artist Montague Dawson #Sea #Ships #RoyalNavy
USS Philadelphia on fire in the port of Tripoli, by Edward Moran She was a 36-gun frigate that was captured during the First Barbary War in 1803 after she ran aground. A few months later she was destroyed in a daring US Navy raid. #BarbaryPirates #FirstFrigates #USNavy
‘The wind is shifting, Sir John,’ said Clay. ‘And we are here on the shores of the Aegean, where history was born. The ancients would take it as an omen that the Gods favour us. I say we force our way through to Constantinople.’ Clay and the Sublime Porte – coming soon #AmReading #RoyalNavy