Under the White Ensign — Brian Smith

Roy Savile fails at school. Suddenly his dream of joining the Royal Navy and experiencing sea life and adventures in far-flung lands seems but a distant fantasy. But one should never give up hope! With determination and a pukka effort even the most daunting obstacles can be overcome. The White Ensign keeps beckoning and Roy knows that he must act decisively.Under the White Ensign is a thrilling tale of service in the navy and of battles and adventures amongst slavers, cannibals and savage tribes.Arthur Lee Knight (1852 - 7 Jul 1944) was a popular author of adventure books in the late 19th and early 20th century. Around 1868 he joined the Royal Navy at the age of sixteen as a junior midshipman, where he served on the 51-gun screw frigate HMS Forte.Having been a midshipman in the navy he was familiar with life in the navy and many of the episodes in his novels - such as hunting Arab slave traders - are clearly events he experienced himself and give unique insight into the world and people in the Victorian age. His readable and often racy stories are characterized by authentic navy language of the time and evocative descriptions of seascapes, distant countries and unusual people.