Naval leadership in the age of sail (1750-1840) - the Royal Navy Museum, Portsmouth

Sponsors

Society for Nautical Research, United Kingdom

The National Museum of the Royal Navy, United Kingdom

1805 Club, United Kingdom

The Gunroom, HMS Surprise

Fédération de recherche "Histoire et Archéologie Maritimes" (Université Paris IV - Sorbonne et Musée national de la Marine), France

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain (CSIC)

Interactional Directors

Britain Captain Peter Hore

France Dr Olivier Chaline

Spain Dr Agustín Guimerá

USA tbc

Organising Committee

Dr Agustín Guimerá

Captain Peter Hore

Justin Reay

Peter Warwick

Dr Olivier Chaline

The directors and organisers propose an interdisciplinary, international series of conferences to enhance the understanding of the concept of leadership. The conference in Portsmouth will be the first of a series of [three] [four] international conferences in preparation for the publication of a comparative study of leadership.

Studies of leadership tend to be individual and national, and to concentrate concentrate either on the personalities themselves or the period in which they lived or the cult of heroes: often they emphasise the leader’s influence, effectiveness and achievements to the prejudice of a study of his intrinsic qualities of legateship. However a leader must have values and visions, which can be shared with and help to inspire others.

While leadership is necessary in all ages and at all levels of human activity, whether in politics, business, science, arts, etc., it is generally acknowledged that the acquisition of the required standards of leadership is a challenge in all societies.

However, studies of leaders tend to be overly influenced by contemporary culture and politics and an objective and comparative study needs to be set in a period when the leader’s results are well-known and personalities and traits can be compared objectively.

The international directors and national organisers therefore propose to investigate naval leadership in 1750-1840, during the transition from the Old Regime to the Liberal State in Europe, and human values in the years between the ages of Enlightenment and of Liberalism, and the change from gentlemen’s war to wars of annihilation in modern time.

From the mid-18^th century, a wave of reforms took place, led by European monarchies seeking imperial expansion, status and security, and the evolution of the Atlantic Empires in an international struggle saw the decline of the Spanish Navy, the affect of revolution upon the French Navy, and the rise to hegemony of the British Navy.

The aim of the conference series is to compare and draw lessons from a study of distinguished leaders in naval politics, administration, and the command of fleets in the period 1750 to 1840.

Draft programme (three sessions)

“Types of naval Leadership”