Laughton Naval History Lecture

If anyone happens to be in London on Monday 16th of April Professor Andrew Lambert will be delivering the 2012 Laughton Naval History Lecture at the Great Hall, King's College. Blurb as follows:

In June 1812 the Unites States declared war on Great Britain, invaded Canada and attacked British Shipping on the Atlantic. Despite the distractions of a far greater war being waged against Europe, Britain beat off the initial American assaults, secured command of the sea and then launched a series of counter-attacks. These were targeted at the states that had voted for war, and the Capital, which was captured and burnt in August 1814.

Within weeks the American Government was bankrupt. The British Government, preoccupied by the political future of Europe, offered a peace settlement based on the status quo ante.

For two hundred years the history of the war has been written by Americans and Canadians. This lecture re-examines the conflict from a British perspective.

The lecture is based on Professor Lambert's new book The Challenge, due for publication in April 2012.

Further details here.

Now, Professor Andrew Lambert happened to be at the New Researchers in Maritime History conference a couple of weeks ago. He was sitting in the second row as nodbear and I were speaking and the rotten sod spent almost the entire presentation staring out the window! Okay, so we were on right after lunch but he could at least have pretended to be interested!