Editing Master and Commander (section)

==Plot==
The novel opens in April 1800. Jack Aubrey, a shipless lieutenant wasting away in the [[Royal Navy]] port of [[Mahón|Mahon]] in [[Menorca|Minorca]], meets Stephen Maturin, a destitute Irish-[[Catalans|Catalan]] physician and [[Natural philosophy|natural philosopher]], at a concert at the Governor's Mansion. During the performance, Maturin elbows Aubrey who is beating the [[Bar (music)|measure]] "half a beat ahead". The men, both at personal low points, treat the matter as one of honour; they exchange names and anticipate a duel.

Later that evening, Aubrey learns that he has been promoted to the rank of [[Commander (Royal Navy)|commander]] and has been given command of the 14-gun [[sloop-of-war]] HMS ''Sophie''. Meeting Maturin in the street the next day, Aubrey's joy overcomes his animosity and he invites Maturin to dine. The men discover a shared love of music, Aubrey playing the violin and Maturin the cello. On learning Maturin's profession, Aubrey asks him to join his ship. Although as a physician Maturin's expertise goes far beyond that normally expected of a [[Ship's doctor|naval surgeon]], he agrees.

''Sophie'' is sent to accompany a small convoy of merchant ships in the Mediterranean. Aubrey takes the opportunity to get to know his sailors and work them into a fighting unit with the aid of his new [[first lieutenant]], James Dillon, a wealthy and aristocratic Irishman. Dillon and Maturin recognize each other, having previously met (a fact they keep to themselves) as members of the [[Society of United Irishmen|United Irishmen]], a society dedicated to Irish [[home rule]] and [[Catholic emancipation]]. Dillon suffers a crisis of conscience when ordered to intercept an American ship thought to be harbouring Irish rebels, and he works to help them avoid capture.

Maturin, who has never been aboard a [[man-of-war]], struggles to understand nautical customs, and the crew explain to him (and to the reader) naval terminology and the official practice whereby [[prize money]] can be awarded for captured enemy vessels. Maturin is treated by the crew as a [[Landsman (rank)|landsman]], though without offence. As a [[Natural philosophy|natural philosopher]] he relishes the opportunity to study rare birds and fish.

His convoy duties complete, Aubrey is permitted by Admiral Lord Keith to cruise the Mediterranean independently, looking to capture French and Spanish [[wikt:merchantman|merchant]] vessels, at which he is very successful, taking many prizes. ''Sophie'' meets and defeats the much larger and better-armed ''Cacafuego'', a Spanish 32-gun [[Xebec|xebec-frigate]], though a number of the crew, including Dillon, die in the bloody action. A victory against such odds would normally bring official recognition, promotion, and significant prize money, but unfortunately for Aubrey his superior at Mahon is Captain Harte, with whose wife Aubrey has been having an affair. Harte ensures that Aubrey receives none of those things, though he cannot prevent Aubrey gaining a reputation within the Royal Navy as one of its great, young fighting captains.

On escort duty, ''Sophie'' is captured by a squadron of four large French warships, and the crew is taken prisoner. The French Captain [[Christy-Pallière]] is courteous; he feeds Aubrey well and tells him of his own cousins in [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]. During the crew's confinement, the French are attacked by a British squadron in what becomes the [[First Battle of Algeciras]]. Several days later the officers are [[Parole#Prisoners of war|paroled]] to [[Gibraltar]] from where they are able to witness from afar the [[Second Battle of Algeciras|second battle]]. Aubrey faces a [[court-martial]] for the loss of his ship and is acquitted.