Religion in the British navy 1815-1879

摘要

The relationships between religion, morality and institutional development are ably brought out in this discussion of a fervent and purposed manliness. The context for nationalism is ably handled. The sequel to Blake's Evangelicals in the royal navy, 1775-1815 (Boydell, 2008), this book matches the content and tone of that study. Blake is greatly to be praised for bringing light to a topic that has received insufficient attention. He convincingly demonstrates the extent of Christianisation in the navy. Worship contributed greatly to the new image of naval manhood that developed after the Crimean War (1854-6). By the 1870s, there were prayers in every ship as part of daily divisions; all large ships had chaplains and held monthly communion services, and Sunday worship was obligatory unless special exemption had been granted. As a result, the values of Christianity became widely professed and the reference point of ethics even for the people who did not believe its creed. The suppression of the Atlantic slave trade was an aspect of this mindset. As Blake notes, a focused interest in African slaves broadened and deepened into a global missionary movement, although the latter proved difficult. The navy was an aspect of this interest, and, more generally, the global reach of naval piety emerged clearly. This was force projection of a particular character. Religion is skilfully located in a number of contexts. As Blake shows, moral reconstruction was an aspect of what was seen as a deliberate programme of personal and communal strengthening. Piety helped address issues that concerned naval officers, including discipline, punishment, popularity, alcohol abuse, health, education, sexual behaviour, and leave. Thus, evangelicalism was regarded as of pragmatic value. It appeared an alternative to unacceptable severity in discipline. The question was how best to manage a volunteer navy on acceptable ethical principles without sacrificing its martial qualities. Blake's book is very valuable not only for those interested in religious and naval history, but also to those concerned with intellectual history and nineteenth-century reform.