Captain Cook's war and peace : the Royal Navy years, 1755-1768

Why was James Cook chosen to lead the Endeavour expedition to the Pacific in 1768' As this new book shows, by that date he had become supremely and uniquely qualified for the exacting tasks of exploration. This was a period when who you were and who you knew counted for more than ability, but Cook, through his own skills and application, rose up through the ranks of the Navy to become a remarkable seaman to whom men of influence took notice; Generals such as Wolfe and politicians like Lord Egmont took his advice and recognised his qualities. During this period Cook added surveying, astronomical and cartographic skills to those of seamanship and navigation. He was in the thick of the action at the siege of Quebec during the Seven Years War, was the master of 400 men, and learned at first hand the need for healthy crews. By 1768 Cook was supremely qualified to captain Endeavour and a reader might ask, 'why would you choose anyone else but Cook to lead such a voyage.'Highly readable and displaying much new research, this is an important new book for Cook scholars and armchair explorers alike The author of two critically acclaimed books on Captain Cook, John Robson has now turned his attention to the decade leading up to Cook's famous 1768 expedition to the Pacific. This new book investigates why Cook was chosen to captain Endeavor and how he became uniquely qualified for the exacting tasks of exploration. Displaying much new research, it examines Cook's remarkable seamanship qualities and his surveying, astronomical, and cartographic skills, as well as his actions at the siege of Quebec. Cook scholars and armchair explorers alike will appreciate this important new study. John Robson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [199]-209) And Index.