0100,0100,0100I have just started reading William Butcher's excellent new annotated translation "The Adventures of Captain Hatteras" in the Oxford World's Classics series and was impressed by the similarities between the opening chapters of this book and Les Forceurs de blocus. Some of the similarities are; 1. The description of the ship building process is detailed as is the place of construction (Birkenhead in the case of the Forward and Glasgow for the Delphin...both on estuaries leading to the North Atlantic). In both cases the names of the shipbuilders are given (Scott and Co. for the Forward and Tod and McGregor for the Delphin) 2. Technical detail of the engines, speed, tonnage are given as are certain unusual features which give rise to speculation by the watching crowds ( the cutting edge on the bow of the Forward, the two independent propellers on the Delphin). The manufacturers of these special features are named and were real, not imaginary companies. 3. In both instances, the vessels are orderd by wealthy individuals (Vincent Playfair and Hatteras) and each has a specific, secret project in mind. 4. The launch of the Delphin and the sailing of the Forward are accompanied by large crowds with much guesswork as to their function and destination. 5. Both vessels leave the estuaries accompanied by a pilot who leaves the ships at the approach to the open Atlantic and the start of the adventure proper. There are some differences between the vessels reflecting their intended purpose. The Delphin is much larger, swifter and more manoeuvrable than the Forward...reflecting the need to hold a large cargo and to outrun the blocus. The Forward is a smaller but very strong vessel to resist the force of ice. But it could be argued that from the point of view of establishing the structure of the plot, there are remarkable similarities between the two novels. Christian Robin has noted the similarities between Les Forceurs du blocus and Les Enfants du Capitaine Grant, especially the descriptions of the Clyde estuary (both published at approximately the same time). But equally it could be argued that there are close similarities with Captain Hatteras, published only two years later. Specifically the notion of launching a "mysterious" ship for a "mysterious" and secret destination was an almost identical literary device for "launching" the narrative, in effect recycled in three successive novels over a couple of years. Perhaps this observation has already been made? Ian Thompson