The Nautical Magazine first appeared in 1832, and was published monthly well into the twenty-first century. It covers a wide range of subjects, including navigation, meteorology, technology and safety. An important resource for maritime historians, it also includes reports on military and scientific expeditions and on current affairs. The 1854 volume records the grant of an annuity to the widow and daughter of the famous hydrographer of the Australian coast, Matthew Flinders, forty years after his death, and a summary of Flinders' achievements. Later in the volume, the fate of Sir John Franklin (who had served as a midshipman under Flinders) is reported; other Arctic coverage includes an essay on the 'Western Esquimaux'. A major focus is the Crimean War: the Black Sea, the Ottoman and French fleets, the declaration of war and extracts from despatches from Balaclava. West Africa and the Portuguese African colonies also feature.