Cochrane

October 30, 2000
Thomas Cochrane was one of the most successful captains in British naval history. He was the inspiration behind the famous novels of C.S. Forrester and Patrick O'Brian. Yet he was almost erased from his country's history by a corrupt Admiralty with whom he constantly banged heads. In this history, which should appeal to Forrester's and O'Brian's readers, Harvey attempts to return Cochrane to prominence, focusing on three aspects of his career: fighting captain in the British Navy, radical politician and expatriate military genius who, after suffering disgrace in England, helped South American countries battle for independence. In the early 1880s, Cochrane used deception, tactical strategy and expert seamanship to win battles against supposedly unbeatable opponents. His strength was such that Napoleon dubbed him "the sea wolf," and Harvey captures the excitement of his exploits in immediate, gripping prose. The sections about Cochrane's career in Parliament and his exploits in South America are less entertaining, but necessary in order to paint a complete picture of his life. The book does not shy away from Cochrane's feud with his superiors in the navy or from his alleged involvement in a stock exchange scandal, but in all cases the author comes out as pro-Cochrane. One flaw is Harvey's tendency to assign thoughts to Cochrane without any historical support for them. To his credit, however, Harvey includes many primary accounts of Cochrane's exploits. These, unlike Harvey's speculations, give the reader true insight into a man who inspired so many novels. 8 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW.