To Sir Reginald Custance and Professor Laughton I am under a special obligation, for not only have they been kind enough to read the proofs of the work, but they have been indefatigable in offering suggestions, the one from his high professional knowledge and the other from his unrivalled learning in naval history.

Any value indeed the work may be found to possess must in a large measure be attributed to them.

Nor can I omit to mention the valuable assistance which I have received from Mr.Ferdinand Brand and Captain Garbett, R.N., in unearthing forgotten material in the Libraries of the Admiralty and the United Service Institution.
I have also the pleasure of expressing my obligations to the Earl of Dartmouth, the Earl of St.Germans, and Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Knowles, Bart., for the use of the documents in their possession, as well as to many others whose benefits to the Society will be found duly noted in the body of the work.
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