The Merriman Chronicles

The year 1792. With French revolutionary agents traveling freely but secretly between Ireland and England and war with France inevitable, the English government of Mr. Pitt is desperately anxious to uncover any plots between Irish rebels and the French. Lieutenant James Merriman with his ship, the sloop Aphrodite, is ordered to the Irish Sea to assist the principal treasury agent Mr. Grahame in this work. Merriman is plunged headlong into the world of espionage, and when Grahame is seriously wounded, it falls to Merriman to carry on the investigation.

The year is 1793 and Captain James Abel Merriman has been sent to the West Indies as Captain of His Majesty’s sloop Aphrodite. Once again seconded to Mr. Grahame of the Revenue Service and under orders of Lord Stevenage of the Treasury Service, they are to discover French and Spanish activities across the islands which will decide their future actions. England's oldest enemy France - now under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte - is in the throes of the revolution and also is at war with Austria and the Netherlands. At this point in history - February 1793 - France declares war on England.

Recalled home from the West Indies, Lieutenant James Merriman is promoted to the rank of Post Captain and given command of the frigate "Lord Stevenage." It is known that the French are amassing an army and a fleet to invade Ireland and join with Irish rebels. If it succeeds, then England will be ringed by enemy countries under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte, and only the navy stands between France and England.

The year is 1798 and it is known that Napoleon is putting a fleet and army together to attack Egypt, from where he might be able to threaten and even attack India to join with Tipu Sahib the ruler of Mysore, a known ally of the French. A British fleet under Admiral Nelson is hoping to intercept him but there is no word of their progress. Merriman has been ordered to take the Treasury Agent Mr Grahame to Bombay where their orders are to help The East India Company protect their shipping from pirates and also to find out how far Tipu’s naval building has progressed.