h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... and surely the next entry will cover "Nelson's Navy"? I have a great coffee table book with that title, a very interesting period.

Yes indeed - it's nearly ready for the Front Page - A11689239

Nice entry, it must have taken a lot of work.

The footnote about Nelson's famous (intended) message strikes me as odd:

"England confides that every man will do his duty"

Seems like a strange use of the word "confide" - the actual message with "expects" makes more sense to me.

The way of thinking at the time was every man knew he was meant to do his duty without so much as being asked, as a matter of pride etc. Using the word 'confides' alludes to the pride with which the navy operates - basically 'we all know we'll beat them because we do a better job of it'. Using 'expects' implies that the seamen would otherwise be slacking off and not doing their duty, which was not the case.

OK, thanks, I can sort of see the distinction. I vaguely recall reading that the men were not too pleased with the message for another reason, that "England" was a distant bureaucracy they did not feel too much a part of. They felt they were fighting more for their hero, Nelson himself. Or maybe its the same thing, "England expects ..." being objectionable.