Frank Mildmay Or, the Naval Officer

"Frank Mildmay" was published in 1829, the first book to flow from
Marryat's pen.  It had been written while at sea, during a long search,
which Marryat considered ridiculous, for a non-existent island that
someone had reported seeing in mid-Atlantic.  While writing this book
Marryat decided that he would be better employed out of the Navy,
writing books.  The full title of this book was "The Naval Officer; or,
Scenes and Adventures in the life of Frank Mildmay".  A similar title
might have been applied to at least four others of his books.  For
people wishing to know how ships were handled in battles and other
engagements, from books by an experienced early nineteenth century naval
officer, they could not do better than to read them.