Cutter, small, speedy sailing vessel similar to a sloop.
The film, which features a host of veterans of the war just past, including director Ford, a Navy captain, and star Robert Montgomery, a Navy commander, focuses on the cockleshell heroes of the PT (patrol torpedo) boats, those speedy plywood vessels which began the war as an untried curiosity and ended it as one of the most glamorous, and perilous, of assignments.
Linois's squadron had captured a number of merchant vessels during their voyage but this was their first warship, and although it was no match for size, Speedy was an infamous vessel under the command of Captain Lord Cochrane.
Eyre attempted to escape, but the wind and sea favoured the larger vessels, and Speedy was chased down and captured.
Cochrane prepared for an encounter with this Spanish vessel by painting Speedy to resemble a Danish brig then in the Mediterranean, the Clomer.
Cochrane's initial belief that the strange ships were Spanish treasure vessels caused him to bring Speedy closer to the ships and by the time he realised his error escape was impossible.
In-vessel composting technique was applied for speedy biotransformation of yard waste.
Cochrane was less than impressed with his new command, declaring that Speedy was "little more than a burlesque of a vessel of war".
After dropping long lines with baited hooks, vessels race to keep up with the speedy predators.
While cruising off Alicante on 21 December, Speedy encountered an enemy frigate, but tricked her into thinking she was a neutral vessel.
A periscope search should have allowed the spotting of any vessel within about six to eight miles, far enough away that only craft far speedier than the Japanese fishing boat could have closed within range in the time usually allotted for the descent and emergency resurfacing.
