Close Quarters — Adam Hardy

George Abercrombie Fox is in command of Alkon, a lightly armed Navy transport carrying wounded from the battle in Egypt back to England.

The Alkon has an encounter with Spanish gunboats before Gibraltar. Outgunned and outmanned, only Fox's tactical genius can save his ship and crew.

On convoy duty to England Fox captures the Archimede -- a French submersible and its inventor Marcel Bruant. Fox soon puts the ingenious device to good use, rescuing an old friend and Indiamen merchant ships captured by French privateers.

FOX IS NOT THE NOBLE HERO OF TRADITIONAL FICTION. FOX IS A FIGHTING MAN WHO TRANSCENDS HEROISM -- HE DOESN'T CARE HOW HE WINS AS LONG AS HE WINS. HE'S MEAN, CUNNING AND MOST VICIOUS WHEN TRAPPED. THERE'S NO WAY TO OUTFOX FOX!

Adam Hardy was a pen name used by Kenneth Bulmer (1921-2005). A prolific writer, Bulmer wrote over 160 novels and many short stories, both under his real name and various pen names. He is best known for science fiction, including his long-running Dray Prescot series of planetary romances, but he wrote in many genres.