From the exhibition
The Lost Corvette; or, Blakeley's Last Cruise
· May 14, 1884
"The Lost Corvette; or, Blakeley's Last Cruise" by Captain Fred Whittaker, serialized in this May 14, 1884 issue of Beadle's Dime Novels, concerns an Irish-American naval officer commanding HMS Wasp during the War of 1812. The narrative opens with the fishing lugger Faugh-a-Ballagh meeting the Wasp in stormy seas off Ireland. Captain Matthew Blake, an Irish fisherman, boards the warship to meet "Master Jack"—revealed as Jack Blake, a young Irish officer seeking revenge against England for his father's death. In the cabin, Blake reveals he commands the Wasp to support an anticipated American invasion of Ireland. Matthew expresses skepticism about whether Irish citizens would rise in rebellion, citing fear of British reprisals against families, though he believes they might act if given genuine military support.
Public domain (pre-1929), restored and presented by comicbooks.com public-domain