Master & Commander, the Far Side of the World Quiz

Answer: Britain and France

This period, from the late 1793 to Napoleon's defeat in 1815, has proved to be very popular with writers of naval fiction. The most well known is perhaps C.S. Forester, who created the character Horatio Hornblower, brought to the screen by Gregory Peck and latterly to the small screen by Ioan Gruffydd.

But Patrick O'Brian, who wrote the books "Master and Commander" and "The Far Side of the World" among 18 others, has surpassed them all. Not only does he describe ship actions between the British and French Navies but also between other nations who were taking advantage of the turbulent times.

Answer: HMS Surprise

HMS Surprise (her name is shown on screen right at the beginning of the film, together with the numbers of her guns and crew) was a real-life ship. Originally L'Unite of the French Navy she was captured and brought into service with the Royal Navy - a common event for both navies at the time.

The other three ships mentioned are also historical, the line-of-battle ships Victory and Bellerophon ("Billy Ruffian") being at the Battle of Trafalgar and the frigate Indefatigable being the ship upon which Horatio Hornblower supposedly served.

Answer: Lucky Jack.

Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey was so-called because of his ability to find ships to capture. These were called "prizes", and the money the Admiralty paid to buy it into the Navy (if a warship) or from the sale of the cargo (if a merchantman) was shared between the Admiral in command (if any), the Captain, officers and crew. Prize money could enable a seaman to retire and set up in a shore-based business. "Black Jack" was the nickname of US Army General John J. Pershing, "yellow jack" is a viral disease properly called yellow fever, and "Jack in the Green" is a character appearing in May Day parades and celebrations.

Answer: Stephen Maturin

Esteban Maturin y Domanova, to give him his full name, is the illegitimate son of an Irish officer and a Catalan lady. He marries Diana, cousin to Jack's wife Sophie.

Answer: Violin (Aubrey), cello (Maturin)

Both actors learned to play their instruments to give a realistic performance on screen. Paul Bettany is on record as having said "the cello makes an awful sound, like trying to climb inside a squirrel".

Answer: Acheron

Aubrey sees her name on the stern through his telescope, as she circles for the kill, before Surprise escapes into the fog. She is a French frigate, larger than the Surprise and carrying guns which fire heavier cannonballs. That's why she causes so much damage to the Surprise and why, later in the film, Aubrey has to get close enough to board her.

The other three ships fought at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Answer: Padeen, his servant

Padeen Colman is Stephen Maturin's servant, an Irishman who speaks little English (which I suppose is why his is a non-speaking role). He is also a "loblolly boy" i.e. one who assists the ship's surgeon in his work. He was played by John "Big John" DeSantis, a Canadian actor hailing from Nanaimo, British Columbia, and standing at 6'9" (2.06m).

Answer: Stick insect

Stick insects are also known as "walking sticks", "stick bugs" and "ghost insects". They have bodies adapted to resemble twigs or leaves so that they merge into these backgrounds and become all but invisible. Aubrey has to use a magnifying glass to see the specimen Maturin shows him.

The name "phasmid" comes from the Greek for "phantom", and "The Phantom" is what the crew of the Surprise calls the Acheron.

Answer: To announce the time

Though an officer may have had a pocket watch, by far the majority aboard would have no means of telling the time, apart from the ringing of the ship's bell. The bell was struck every half-hour, the number of strikes increasing by one each half-hour up to a maximum of eight. "Eight bells" marked the end of a watch and the beginning of the next watch.

The strikes were grouped in twos, giving the classic "ding-ding, ding-ding, ding-ding, ding" pattern at seven bells, for example. All watches were four hours long except for the two two-hour Dog Watches between 1600 and 1800 (First Dog), and 1800 - 2000 (Last Dog).

Answer: The Acheron's surgeon

Once the prize is taken, Aubrey sends it into Valparaiso with his First Lieutenant, Tom Pullings, in command. Later, Maturin tells Aubrey that there was no surgeon on the Acheron as he had died of fever months earlier, and the wounded would have to put up with Maturin's assistant, Higgins. Aubrey realises the "surgeon" he had met must have been the Captain in disguise.

The film ends with the Surprise changing course to intercept the Acheron, hoping to catch her in time. Let's hope the stage was being set for a sequel!