Hi all.
Just showing my face after a somewhat lengthy sabbatical. And I'm back with a question.
There are now various editions of the Regulations and Instructions Relating To His Majesty's Service at Sea available on Google Books. To read online or download.
I find some of the content really fascinating.
My question concerns not the content - but the administration of these R & I. i.e. who would have had a working copy? Would it just have been the senior officers or would it have been all levels of officer including the warrant officers.
Either way you would imagine that quite a lot would have survived in the public domain. But on Bookfinder there are only about 3 original copies for sale covering 200+ years.
So has anyone got a clue as to who they were given to and what then became of them. It could be that when a new edition was published all previous copies had to be destroyed. But knowing human frailty I'm sure a few would have slipped through the net.
Any facts, opinions or plain guesswork would be much appreciated
Thanks in advance . . . . . . .
MB
