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'Hornblower' by C.S.Forester Trivia Quiz

This quiz focusses on the middle stages of Hornblower's career, from his first command on the Atropos through to his devastating capture at the end of "A Ship of the Line".

A multiple-choice quiz by rosc. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
rosc

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
183,393

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
589

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. By what means of transport do Hornblower and his family travel to London when he takes up his first command in the Atropos? Hint

Stage coach

Barge

Frigate

Yacht

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Question 2 of 10

2. What request does the King make of Hornblower? Hint

To become a spy in France

To organise the state funeral of Nelson

To take his great-nephew as midshipman

To join him for dinner

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Question 3 of 10

3. What is the Atropos looking for in Marmorice Bay? Hint

a fleet of Spanish ships

potential landing sites for invasion

a family of royal refugees

a treasure trove

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Question 4 of 10

4. In 'The Happy Return', Hornblower is sent to make a treaty that will enable British trade routes across the Nicaraguan isthmus. What is the name of the man he should make contact with? Hint

Captain Fonseca

Don Julian Alvarado

Ferdinand Hernandez

Don Daniel Crespo

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Question 5 of 10

5. How does Hornblower pass the evening before the first battle with the Natividad? Hint

He organised a hornpipe contest

He wrote letters home to Maria

He spent the evening pacing the deck, unable to sleep

He invited the junior officers to play whist

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Question 6 of 10

6. What is the name of Lady Barbara's maidservant? Hint

Phoebe

Theodosia

Hippolyta

Hebe

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Question 7 of 10

7. How many guns does HMS Sutherland, the 'Ship of the Line', carry? Hint

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Question 8 of 10

8. How does Hornblower succeed in completing his crew? Hint

He gets prisoners sent from the Assizes

He sends out advertisements into country towns

He pressgangs men from the merchant ships in his convoy

He is sent men from other ships

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Question 9 of 10

9. Who, or what, are Tom Cribb and Mrs Siddons? Hint

Civilian passengers forced on Hornblower

Nicknames for the guns

Codenames for English spies

Pigs kept by the wardroom on board

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Question 10 of 10

10. Why does Hornblower surrender at the end of 'A Ship of the Line'? Hint

His ship is disabled

He switches sides

His leg is blown off

The Spanish have boarded his ship

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. By what means of transport do Hornblower and his family travel to London when he takes up his first command in the Atropos?

Answer: Barge

It is the first time Hornblower has travelled on a canal and he is very impressed by its speed(!) and smoothness. It is also significantly cheaper than a coach at just 1p a mile.

2. What request does the King make of Hornblower?

Answer: To take his great-nephew as midshipman

It was apparently commonplace for members of the aristocracy to send young male members of their family into the Navy for a short space of time. Mr Midshipman Prince is accompanied by His Excellency the Baron von Eisenbeiss, High Chamberlain and Secretary of State to His Serene Highness the Prince of Seitz-Bunau. Mr Prince quickly settles into Navy life but Dr Eisenbeiss proves a more troublesome addition to the ship's company.

3. What is the Atropos looking for in Marmorice Bay?

Answer: a treasure trove

A quarter of a million pounds in gold coin went down when the Speedwell was sunk. Hornblower is given a sailing master and a troupe of Ceylonese divers who bring almost the whole loot to the surface.

4. In 'The Happy Return', Hornblower is sent to make a treaty that will enable British trade routes across the Nicaraguan isthmus. What is the name of the man he should make contact with?

Answer: Don Julian Alvarado

His full name is 'His Excellency Don Julian Maria de Jesus de Alvarado y Moctezuma' but he insists on being addressed as 'El Supremo'. He turns out to be a mad tyrant who considers himself divine. However, as far as Hornblower is concerned, orders are orders.

5. How does Hornblower pass the evening before the first battle with the Natividad?

Answer: He invited the junior officers to play whist

The other officers were glad to share the Captain's table at dinner, commenting that the food he offered was better than the rats they had become accustomed to eat. But dinner, for Hornblower, was always followed by whist which the others enjoyed much less. Hornblower was an excellent whist player and once made his living by playing.

6. What is the name of Lady Barbara's maidservant?

Answer: Hebe

Hornblower is not best pleased at having to take Lady Barbara on board especially as he is about to fight a battle with the Natividad. But, this 'feeble woman' proves herself in the aftermath of fighting when she takes control of the sickroom. The little maidservant irritates Hornblower too and has to be locked into her cabin to keep her away from the men.

7. How many guns does HMS Sutherland, the 'Ship of the Line', carry?

Answer: 74

Hornblower calls her 'the ugliest and least desirable two-decker in the Navy List'.

8. How does Hornblower succeed in completing his crew?

Answer: He pressgangs men from the merchant ships in his convoy

He gets very few men from the appeals, is sent none from other ships though he does bring 200 from his old ship and 30-odd men come from the Assizes. But with all this he still sets sail 120 men short of a full complement. Technically, merchant seamen were exempt from pressganging but Hornblower tricks the captains into sending him the men he needs and then pretends they have volunteered.

9. Who, or what, are Tom Cribb and Mrs Siddons?

Answer: Pigs kept by the wardroom on board

The only way sailors could have fresh meat would be to have live animals on board but this was only possible when water could easily be resupplied.

10. Why does Hornblower surrender at the end of 'A Ship of the Line'?

Answer: His ship is disabled

It is a glorious defeat. Hornblower's little 74-gun two-decker takes on four French ships single-handed, disabling two of them and doing serious damage to the other two. The other English ships are too slow to come to his aid, foolishly ordering Hornblower to engage the enemy too early. Hornblower is taken prisoner, along with Lieutenant Bush whose leg has to be amputated as a result of injuries sustained in the battle.

Source: Author rosc

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