Review: The Mauritius Command, by Patrick O’Brian

The Mauritius Command is the fourth of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin novels, following after H.M.S. Surprise. In form it is similar to its predecessor; Captain Jack Aubrey, newly-married with twin baby girls, is given a long mission to Indian Ocean. In this case he is given command of a large frigate, the Boadicea, and also is named commodore of a small squadron. (In the Royal Navy of Aubrey’s day, “commodore” was not a permanent rank, but a temporary rank given to a senior captain to indicate that he had command of a squadron in absence of the relevant admiral.) His task is to take the islands of Mauritius and Reunion away from the French, who are using them as a base to harass Britain’s India trade. We have all of the usual elements, then: a long sea voyage; storms, calms, and good weather; venal superior commanders; daring cutting out expeditions; bombardments and attacks; and ship-to-ship actions. To this we add Jack’s first experience of the cares that go along with flag rank, and the need to bear with captains he may not see eye-to-eye with.

That’s the outer story. The inner story is more like that of Master and Commander, which concerns an unspoken rivalry between Jack Aubrey and his first Lieutenant, James Dillon. Dillon longs to prove himself and be promoted as Jack Aubrey has been; but as an Irishman and one-time supporter of Irish independence he has divided loyalties. In The Mauritius Command, Dillon’s place is taken by a junior captain, Lord Clonfert.

Clonfert is a poor Irish noblemen (a sorry lot, most of them, on Stephen Maturin’s account). He longs to be well-thought-of; he longs to be Jack Aubrey. He surrounds himself with toadies who will flatter his consequence; he takes unreasonable risks; he tells absurd stories about his exploits, and expects them to be taken seriously; mercurial, he can be cast down by the slightest criticism. Ironically, he is also a skilled seaman who runs a reasonably taut ship; and if he would simply stop letting his esteem issues lead him into distempered freaks he would soon acquire the reputation he desires.

The Mauritius Command isn’t one of my absolute favorites in the series, but I always enjoy it; and the climax is a joy and a delight that I won’t spoil.