English Naval Cutlass or English Lead Cutter

Peter Hudson · 9th April 2024, 12:47 AM

Thank you for pointing out the apparently small confusion set among a very large and muddled history of the so called Cutlass conundrum... Most bits of information are indeed shrouded in partial uncertainty but that is why Wiki puts in brackets at intervals the word (edit). The article in my view is excused for slight variations in details though for purposes of computer driven information gathering...which is also what we do on Forum...its not at all bad...and it is self righting to some extent because it is being updated all the time. It is not like a book for example which once something is placed in writing it cannot be corrected unless the entire book is rewritten, thus, which is the better of the data retrieval systems? Wiki or the book??....On bayonet length even the shorter Martini Henry Bayonet was more than 25 inches long...which to me suggests an enormous blade...Anyway I was surprised that Royal Marines on board were not given the Naval Swords...or Cutlasses but that is part of the confusion with that period in time.

Regards,
Peter Hudson.

9th April 2024, 12:47 AM	#15
Peter Hudson Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 311	Thank you for pointing out the apparently small confusion set among a very large and muddled history of the so called Cutlass conundrum... Most bits of information are indeed shrouded in partial uncertainty but that is why Wiki puts in brackets at intervals the word (edit). The article in my view is excused for slight variations in details though for purposes of computer driven information gathering...which is also what we do on Forum...its not at all bad...and it is self righting to some extent because it is being updated all the time. It is not like a book for example which once something is placed in writing it cannot be corrected unless the entire book is rewritten, thus, which is the better of the data retrieval systems? Wiki or the book??....On bayonet length even the shorter Martini Henry Bayonet was more than 25 inches long...which to me suggests an enormous blade...Anyway I was surprised that Royal Marines on board were not given the Naval Swords...or Cutlasses but that is part of the confusion with that period in time. Regards, Peter Hudson.