The Milne Papers, vol. 1 (review)

As John Beeler rightly observes, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alexander Milne Bt. (1806–96) was amongst the greatest officers of the nineteenth-century Royal Navy. Although he never saw a gun fired in anger, his contribution to the reform of naval administration, logistics, manpower, education, and strategy mark him out as a complete naval policy maker, while his service afloat demonstrated a mastery of diplomacy, both with foreign powers, and prickly fellow countrymen.

He was also the pioneer of the nonpartisan officer corps of the twentieth century, the first Naval Lord to be retained by successive governments of different political persuasion. While Milne was denied the usual Victorian tombstone biography, probably because his long life lacked the conventional dramatic events, his extensive archive now at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and his massive presence in the Admiralty Records have made his name familiar to many historians.

Among those to exploit this archival wealth are Don Schurman, in his work on Colonial Defence and Regis Courtemache in a study of the Royal Navy and the American Civil War. Now the Navy Records Society has provided John Beeler with an opportunity to let Milne tell his own story, at full length. His career will require three massive volumes, of which this volume is the first, covering Milne's career to 1859.

Milne went to sea in 1817, on his father's flagship, beginning a connection with the North American coast that would dominate his sea service. The son of an Admiral with strong Tory political connections, his career was made from the outset, but the correspondence reveals a dedicated and thoroughly professional officer taking pride in gunnery, seamanship, man management, scientific attainments, and nonpartisan friendships. In these years two things stand out: his ability to master and work the complex and diplomatically sensitive issue of the Newfoundland fisheries, and his distress when men or boys were killed falling from the rigging. In the 1840s he served as Flag Captain to a succession of Admirals, ending with the brilliant, but difficult, Charles Napier. Largely on Napier's recommendation he was transferred to the Admiralty in 1847, as the junior or 4th Naval Lord on Lord Auckland's Whig Board of Admiralty.

Over the next twelve years, through five governments, he was intimately involved in the development of the policy and strategy, management and administration that transformed Nelson's Navy into a modern fighting service. He also provided the element of policy continuity between governments. His calm, thoughtful and determined approach combined with an almost limitless ability to take on work was in marked contrast to the episodic and inconsistent contribution of his older, politically active colleagues. During the Crimean War (1854–56) he ran the vital transport service that kept the British, French, and Sardinian armies supplied and reinforced in the Crimean theatre. He also found time to draft orders for the Franklin search missions and to consider the strategic implications of new technology.

After 1856 the growing challenge of Imperial France focussed attention on strategy, and Milne provided one of the most moderate voices, recognising that heavy calibre artillery, steam flotilla craft, and ironclads had enhanced the offensive power of a dominant Navy. The award of a Civil Knighthood recognised his unprecedented service ashore. In 1859 he requested, and was appointed Commander in Chief on the North American Station, the subject of the second volume.

While older naval histories focussed on battles and wars, warships and strategies, Milne's greatness lay elsewhere. Professor Beeler has provided a long overdue window onto a largely neglected era of the Royal Navy's history, which comes back to life in these pages. All students of the Royal Navy and naval policymaking will be better informed for reading this book, and anticipate further treasures from subsequent volumes.

Beeler is both an excellent editor and a sympathetic interpreter of his subject. This is...