Maritime history Books

Book SynopsisIn 1780 Richard Sheridan noted that merchants worked ‘merely for money’. However, rather than being a criticism, this was recognition of the important commercial role that merchants played in the British empire at this time. Of course, merchants desired and often made profits, but they were strictly bound by commonly-understood socio-cultural norms which formed a private-order institution of a robust business culture. In order to elucidate this business culture, this book examines the themes of risk, trust, reputation, obligation, networks and crises to demonstrate how contemporary merchants perceived and dealt with one another and managed their businesses. Merchants were able to take risks and build trust, but concerns about reputation and fulfilling obligations constrained economic opportunism. By relating these themes to an array of primary sources from ports around the British-Atlantic world, this book provides a more nuanced understanding of business culture during this period. A theme which runs throughout the book is the mercantile community as a whole and its relationship with the state. This was an important element in the British business culture of this period, although this relationship came under stress towards the end of period, forming a crisis in itself. This book argues that the business culture of the British-Atlantic mercantile community not only facilitated the conduct of day-to-day business, but also helped it to cope with short-term crises and long-term changes. This facilitated the success of the British-Atlantic economy even within the context of changing geo-politics and an under-institutionalised environment. Not working ‘merely for money’ was a successful business model.Trade Review'It is no mean achievement of Haggerty that she has made a distinctive contribution to such a rich field of research.' Julian Hoppit, EH Net'A very well written, accessible work of largely original research which makes an important contribution to our understanding of Atlantic communities.' Geoffrey Channon, University of the West of EnglandTable of Contents Introduction 1. Space Place and People 2. Risk 3. Trust 4. Reputation 5. Obligation 6. Networks 7. Crises Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMost people know of Arthur Ransome, the author of the classic children’s sailing tale, Swallows & Amazons, and many other books in the same series. But besides his exciting tales of children on the water there is much more to the man. Before he wrote Swallows & Amazons, Ransome was a journalist for the Daily News, based in Russia. He is reputed to have played chess against Lenin and he married Trotsky’s secretary. He cruised extensively in the Baltic in the 1920s on board his beloved Racundra. His account of his first cruise on that boat was his first commercially successful book, Racundra’s First Cruise (also available from Fernhurst Books). The second cruise was spoilt by bad weather, but the third cruise was special – it was his honeymoon having married Evgenia Shelepina. Ransome clearly intended to publish the account of this cruise, but never finished it. Ransome enthusiast, Brian Hammett, got hold of the unpublished manuscript and found Ransome’s hand-written notes, diaries, logbooks and photographs in the Ransome archive at Leeds University. Brian compiled this book, adding his own notes from his cruises in the same area. The result is a glorious volume which has delighted Ransome enthusiasts, sailors and landlubbers equally. This new paperback edition and eBook will be published on 8th May – the very day that Ransome and Shelepina got married in 1924 before their honeymoon cruise which is recounted in this book.Trade Review“There isn’t a paragraph in it that is not a delight to read… Few books have been edited with more enthusiasm and dedication… This is a labour of love for which Ransome’s many admirers have reason to be enormously grateful.” (The Independent) “His easy descriptive prose is as fresh as it ever was.” (Classic Boat) “The day-to-day details of the cruise will be music to the ears of sailing enthusiasts, but the keen eye of Ransome the journalist ensures there is plenty to hold the attention of those of us who don’t know the difference between a centreboard and a centre-forward.” (The Keswick Reminder) “A superbly well-written book which is worth reading at a suitably leisurely pace and savouring every exquisite minute.” (Lifeboat) “For the general cruising fraternity, this slim paperback is highly recommended as the kind of book to have on board in case of enforced idleness in a sheltered anchorage while waiting for inclement weather to pass. Although it describes a world long gone, it nails much that is important, enjoyable and interesting about the cruising life.” (Flying Fish, 2018)Table of ContentsIntroduction; Racundra’s Third Cruise (Racundra Goes Inland); Prelude to Racundra’s Third Cruise: The dream, The first cruise, The second cruise, The Cruising Association, Getting married, Racundra returns to Riga; Postscript; Acknowledgements.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the worst ship disasters in history, of ships sunk in the Baltic between January and May 1945.

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Book SynopsisThe loss of East Indiaman HCS `Halsewell' on the coast of Dorset in southern England in January 1786, touched the very heart of the British nation. `Halsewell' was just one of many hundreds of vessels which had been in the service of the Honourable East India Company since its foundation in the year 1600. In the normal course of events, `Halsewell' would have been expected to serve out her working life, before passing unnoticed into the history books. However, this was not to be. Halsewell's loss was an event of such pathos as to inspire the greatest writer of the age Charles Dickens, to put pen to paper; the greatest painter of the age J. M. W. Turner, to apply brush to canvas, and the King and Queen to pay homage at the very place where the catastrophe occurred. Artefacts from the wreck continue to be recovered to this very day which, and for variety, interest, curiosity, and exoticism, rival those recovered from Spanish armada galleons wrecked off the west coast of Ireland two centuries previously. Such artefacts shed further light both on `Halsewell' herself, and on the extraordinary lives of those who sailed in her.Table of ContentsPreface; 1 The Honourable East India Company; 2 The Honourable Company Ship (HCS) Halsewell; 3 The Allure of the East; 4 Captain Richard Peirce, Commander of Halsewell; 5 Halsewell's First Voyage (1778-1781): An Unpleasant Encounter with Horatio Nelson; 6 Halsewell's Second Voyage (1782-1784): An Important Passenger; 7 Halsewell's Third Voyage (1786- ): Her Officers, Crew, and Passengers, 8 Halsewell's Third Voyage (1786- ); 9 The Voyage Begins; 10 Shipwreck; 11 A Glimmer of Hope; 12 Aftermath: Halsewell's Grim Legacy; 13 Analysis of the Disaster: Was Captain Peirce in Any Way to Blame?; 14 `Halsewell': From Whence Did the Ship Derive her Name?; 15 The 1960s: Renewed Interest in the Wreck: Intriguing Artefacts; 16 The Halsewell Disaster is Captured in Poetry; 17 A Re-enactment of the Drama: the King and Queen Pay their Respects: Charles Dickens Commemorates the Tragedy; 18 Halsewell is Immortalized by Artists; 19 Sequel; Epilogue; Appendices: 1 Peirce Family Tree; 2 Halsewell/Tynte Family Tree; 3 Greenland Dock and the Wells Family of Shipbuilders; 4 Uniforms; 5 Required Qualifications for Commanders and Officers (`Mates'); 6 Required Inventory of Equipment etc. Necessary for Commanders and Officers; 7 Required Inventory of Equipment etc. Necessary for a Midshipman; 8 Indulgences; 9 Wages; 10 List of Officers [and crew, excluding ordinary seamen-`foremastmen'] on board the Halsewell, at the time she sailed; 11 Soldiers of the 42nd Foot, transported by Halsewell on her 3rd voyage; 12 The Three Voyages of HCS Halsewell; 13 Halsewell's Logbook: an Explanation; 14 Ships' Stores; 15 List of Officers, Seamen, and Soldiers saved; 16 The History of Walnut Tree House.

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Book SynopsisJersey fishing captain, Jean Cotterell is rescued by a French frigate - The Hortense - off the Grand Banks of Nova Scotia in May 1794. His fishing vessel has foundered and he is the sole survivor. The Hortense is part of Republican Admiral Jan Van Stabel's great fleet of over 100 ships bringing corn to France. Lord Howe's Channel Fleet is off Brest, hoping to intercept them. Life on The Hortense is like France under the Terror; chaotic, ungovernable, obsessed with savage, radical political theories. Separated from the French fleet in the Western Approaches she is intercepted by two British frigates and battle is joined... The Antigallican is the first in a series of novels set at the end of the 18th century at sea, in Britain, in the Channel Islands and in Revolutionary France. In Jean Cotterell we find a character that bears comparison with Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe, in a narrative that will delight fans of Patrick O'Brian.Trade ReviewWith its captivating, pungent, and sharply drawn characters, this first instalment in a series of sea stories is a welcome addition to the Napoleonic sea story genre -- Margaret Barr * Historical Novels Review *I believe [Tom Bowling] has a great future, and will become one of the leading authors in the historical naval fiction genre -- Robert Squarebriggs

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Book SynopsisAfter Britain’s Abolition of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, a squadron of Royal Navy vessels was sent to the West Coast of Africa tasked with suppressing the thriving transatlantic slave trade. Drawing on previously unpublished papers found in private collections and various archives in the UK and abroad, this book examines the personal and cultural experiences of the naval officers at the frontline of Britain’s anti-slavery campaign in West Africa. It explores their unique roles in this 60-year operation: at sea, boarding slave ships bound for the Americas and ‘liberating’ captive Africans; on shore, as Britain resolved to ‘improve’ West African societies; and in the metropolitan debates around slavery and abolitionism in Britain. Their personal narratives are revealing of everyday concerns of health, rewards and strategy, to more profound questions of national honour, cultural encounters, responsibility for the lives of others in the most distressing of circumstances, and the true meaning of ‘freedom’ for formerly enslaved African peoples. British anti-slavery efforts and imperial agendas were tightly bound in the nineteenth century, inseparable from ideas of national identity. This is a book about individuals tasked with extraordinary service, military men who also worked as guardians, negotiators, and envoys of abolition.Trade Review'Based on meticulous research in national and regional archive collections, this book provides a richly documented account of how men engaged in Royal Navy suppression activities reacted to their work in intercepting vessels carrying enslaved Africans.'Professor Suzanne Schwarz, University of Worcester‘[Envoys of Abolition] offer[s] a detailed exploration of British officers and their important role in the suppression of the slave trade… This well-researched and nuanced discussion of naval officers illustrates their complex roles in West Africa as well as their powerful impact on metropolitan discourses.’ Evan C. Rothera, The Northern Mariner Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: Abolition at sea Chapter 2: Abolition on shore Chapter 3: Officers’ commitment to the anti-slavery cause Chapter 4: Prize voyages and ideas of freedom Chapter 5: Encounters with Africa Chapter 6: Officers’ contributions to Britain’s anti-slavery culture Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis dictionary is the most comprehensive work of reference on the ship portraitists and marine artists who worked in Liverpool between the late eighteenth century and the present day. It includes 65 known portraitists and marine artists and an appendix of over a dozen other locally-based painters who produced an occasional marine work and about half a dozen possible marine artists who may have worked, visited or have been temporarily resident in the port. It is organised alphabetically by surname. Each entry includes a full biography of the artist; a summary of their main subjects, style and range of work; details of the main UK and US museums holding their paintings; and the principal published sources. The dictionary includes 70 illustrations which are typical examples of the work of each of the main artists. These included: Samuel and Miles Walters, Joseph Heard, Robert Salmon, Francis Hustwick, William Jackson, John Jenkinson, Sam Brown, Odin Rosenvinge, Thomas Dove, William G Yorke and William H Yorke.Trade Review'A major contribution to our understanding of the maritime culture of a major port at the height of its economic and political consequence.' Professor Andrew Lambert, Kings College London

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Book SynopsisGötz Aly pens a forgotten chapter in the history of imperialism as the story of a single object: a majestic fifteen-meter boat, looted from Papua New Guinea during a German colonial expedition and since displayed in Berlin museums. Aly restores attention to colonial conquests and lays bare the vexed nature of ethnological appropriation.Trade ReviewA major contribution to the debate over whether and how to repatriate the countless objects and artworks acquired through dubious means that reside in the museums of former colonial powers…As an indictment of German colonial policies and leading scholars’ complicity in them, the book is unsparing and convincing. -- Joshua Keating * Washington Post *In his brief, powerful book, Aly tells a sweeping history of colonial exploitation by focusing on the story of the journey of a single boat from its birthplace in the 1890s on the island of Luf in the Bismarck Archipelago to Berlin’s Ethnologisches (Ethnological) Museum in 1903. Through the Luf Boat, now a centerpiece of the controversial new Humboldt Forum, Aly demonstrates the intimate relationship between the devastation wrought by markets and militaries and the curators who swooped in to ‘rescue’ the remnants of supposedly dying cultures. -- Erin L. Thompson * Los Angeles Review of Books *The book is not just about museum politics and shifting postcolonial meanings of non-western objects. Museum collections are a metaphor. They stand for a larger, unresolved debate about the moral contradictions facing postcolonial western societies whose contemporary prosperity is rooted in the pillaging of the peoples and cultures they once ruled. If the ethos of the moment stands on injustice, The Magnificent Boat makes an excellent contribution that exposes and reminds us of it. -- David Lipset * Times Literary Supplement *Aly’s detailed account follows German ships as they arrive at Luf Island to punish the local population for an earlier fight with Germans, burning homes and forests, stealing food and clearing land for the coconut plantations where the remaining islanders were enslaved…He draws widely from official documents and accounts where Germans wrote openly about violence in the South Seas. -- David D’Arcy * The Art Newspaper *Concise and convincing, this damning account reveals the painful legacy of colonialism. * Publishers Weekly *Well written and full of disturbing detail—a new and much-needed perspective on an iconic museum object. -- Bénédicte Savoy, author of Africa’s Struggle for Its Art: History of a Postcolonial DefeatA lot has been written recently about looted art, but there’s been less talk about much greater colonial crimes. Aly shows that there’s no separating the two. -- Jörg Häntzschel * Süddeutsche Zeitung *Aly’s entertainingly written and comprehensively researched study shows that the Luf Boat was by no means fairly acquired by the German Reich. -- Andreas Kilb * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *Anyone who sees the so-called Luf Boat in the future will immediately have in mind the murderous cruelty of the Germans. -- Felix Bohr, Ulrike Knöfel, and Elke Schmitter * Der Spiegel *This is a harrowing book, in which readers will learn more about the everyday brutality of colonialism than in any postcolonial studies tract. -- Sebastian Preuss * Weltkunst Online *

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Book SynopsisThis volume is also unique in that it includes translations of the contemporary Tamil and Sanskrit inscriptions relating to Southeast Asia and of the Song dynasty Chinese texts relating to the Chola Kingdom.

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Book SynopsisAn extraordinary true story of danger, innovation and deep sea discovery. In 1971 Alec Crawford is determined to make his fortune from ship salvage. Early attempts lead nowhere until he teams up with a new partner, Simon Martin. Diving in Hebridean waters, they explore remains of the Spanish Armada, and the wreck of the SS Politician, the vessel made famous in the Whisky Galore. But money is scarce and irregular, and the work is fraught with danger and disappointment. Until they hear of one of the most incredible wrecks of all time – the White Star Liner Oceanic, which, when built in 1899, was the biggest and most luxurious ship in the world. Widely regarded as an ‘undiveable’ wreck, lying somewhere off the remote island of Foula, they decide to take the challenge. They face unbelievably dangerous waters and appalling weather conditions, and when a large salvage company takes action against them, they also have a huge legal fight on their hands. But if they succeed, the rewards will be enormous…Trade Review'Absorbing … Crawford writes of difficult and very dangerous work with a good deal of sangfroid. Good humour and an absence of hyperbole make this an unusually likeable, as well as interesting, memoir' -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *'Crawford is a born story-teller, and his tales unfold as easily and naturally as he were an old friend' * The Shetland Times *'The combination of proper adventure, sunken treasure, Scottish islands, memories of fragile communities, the affection this book is written with, and the pleasure of spending time in the company of someone who's achieved some really notable things gives this book a much broader appeal than you might initially suppose ... It's a story of genuine adventure ... Highly recommended' * Desperate Reader Blogspot *'Crawford has had a long career in rescuing sometimes very valuable stuff from deep water, but his book Treasure Islands tells the story of the early days, diving on shallow wrecks in the Forth, the Western Isles and Shetland…Going down there and rummaging through things… you must have been conscious of the danger but it sounds quite Wild West' * BBC Radio Scotland *'Crawford pioneered many of the methods now used in deep sea recovery, but this book is more about the excitement than the technicalities. It is also a love song to Scotland and a vanishing way of life' * Sorted Magazine *'A thrilling memoir ... [with] good humour throughout' * The Bookseller *'Treasure Islands is a fascinating and intriguing book… Alec Crawford is the underwater version of Robert Louis Stevenson with his incredible stories of the many wrecks he has dived' -- Cordon Cagailte * Stornoway Gazette *

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Book SynopsisThe 1866 transatlantic yacht race was a match that saw three yachts battle their way across the Atlantic in the dead of winter in pursuit of a $90,000 prize. Six men died in the brutal and close-fought contest, and the event changed the perception of yachting from a slightly effete gentlemen''s pursuit into something altogether more rugged and adventurous. The race also symbolized the beginning of America''s ''gilded age'', with its associated obscene wealth and largesse (the $90,000 prize put up by the three contestants is about $15 million in today''s money), as well as the thawing of relations between the US and UK. The narrative focuses on the victorious yacht Henrietta and her owner James Gordon Bennett. Bennett was the son of the multimillionaire proprietor of the New York Herald, and a notorious playboy. His infamous stunts included driving his carriage through the streets of New York naked, tipping a railway porter $30,000, and turning up at his own eTrade ReviewThe story is engagingly told by distinguished journalist and maritime historian, Sam Jefferson. * Gentleman's Journal *Sam Jefferson's story is written with style, colour and wit. A cracking yarn. * Boat International *Entertaining * Daily Mail *a jaunty and surprise-packed retelling of a wonderful story, which leaves readers with an abundance of good yarns to recount on their next night watch * Times Literary Supplement *entertaining tale of yachting history and sybaritic excess * Guardian *Sailors in particular will enjoy this harrowing story * Sailing (US) *It’s hard not to love a seas story that seems too outrageous to be true and such is the case with Gordon Bennett * Soundings (US) *Biographer Sam Jefferson paints a colourful picture of James Gordon Bennett, as playboy, bon viveur and ardent yachtsman whose drinking gets him into a host of scrapes. * Yachting Monthly *A breathtaking survey of the 1866 transatlantic yacht race. * Vanity Fair *Table of Contents1 The birth of transatlantic yacht racing 2 The first of the international playboys 3 Captain Samuels: The hired gun 4 Stick, twist or bust? 5 Wild times off the Grand Banks 6 Riders on the storm 7 Stranger than fiction 8 A stab in the back 9 The race is won 10 What happened afterwards 11 The fate of our heroes

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Book SynopsisThe Titanic. The Britannic. The Olympic. They are some of the most famous ships in history, but for the wrong reasons.The Olympic Class liners were conceived as the largest, grandest ships ever to set sail. Of the three ships built, the first only lost the record for being the largest because she was beaten by the second, and they were both beaten by the third. The class was meant to secure the White Star Line''s reputation as the greatest shipping company on earth. Instead, with the loss of both the Titanic and the Britannic in their first year of service, it guaranteed White Star''s infamy.This unique book tells the extraordinary story of these three extraordinary ships from the bottom up, starting with their conception and construction (and later their modification) and following their very different careers. Behind the technical details of these magnificent ships lies a tragic human story not just of the lives lost aboarTrade ReviewBOOK OF THE MONTH: This very well-produced book contains so much information about the Olympic class ships, and is a must for all ocean liner enthusiasts. * Ships Monthly *A very well researched book and I would very highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in this area. * Shipping Today and Yesterday *

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Book Synopsis**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**An inventive biography of one of the most famous ships of all time - recently discovered off the coast of America- Endeavour is an alluring combination of history, adventure and science. From Johnson's Dictionary to campaigns for liberty, the Enlightenment was an age of endeavours. It was also the name given to a commonplace, coal-carrying vessel bought by the Royal Navy in 1768 for an expedition to the South Seas. No one could have guessed that Endeavour would go on to become the most significant ship in the history of British exploration. Endeavour famously carried Captain James Cook on his first great voyage, but her complete story has never been told before. Here, Peter Moore sets out to explore the different lives of this remarkable ship - from the acorn that grew into the oak that made her, to her rich and complex legacy.'Fascinating and richly detailed... Peter Moore has brought us an acute insight into the ship that carried some of the most successful explorers across the world. A fine book that's definitely worth exploring' MICHAEL PALINTrade ReviewMr Moore is a dazzling new arrival: a witty, intelligent and hugely entertaining writer * Wall Street Journal *A joy of a biography, offering up a blizzard of maritime and political fascinations... Moore has written a book that makes the case for his little ship both compelling and irrefutable -- Simon Winchester * New York Times *Moore uses Endeavour as a window to the age of enlightenment. Like the period it recounts, this book has enormous energy, creativity and self-confidence. It's a feast of endless exotic dishes, all delivered with immense style -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times Books of the Year *Beautifully constructed, his book is not just the history of a single vessel, but a window into the intellectual and political life of the age of enlightenment, from the thrill of botanical discovery to the horror of Cook's last moments on the beaches of Hawaii -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times Books of the Year *A dazzling combination of science and adventure, lyrically evocative descriptions of lush tropical landscapes and salt-stung seascapes, and a portrait of an age…an absolute joy from start to finish, and surely my history book of the year -- Christopher Hart * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisOcean is an ambitious history of the pre-Columbian Atlantic Ocean, a story that begins with the formation of the mid-Atlantic ridge some 200 million years ago and ends with the Castilian conquest of the Canary Islands in the fifteenth century, which provided a template for the methods used by the Spanish in their colonisation of the New World.John Haywood argues that the perception that Atlantic history begins with the first voyage of the celebrated Genoese navigator is a mistaken one, and that the seafaring and shipbuilding skills that enabled European global exploration and expansion did not arrive fully formed in the fifteenth century, but were learned over centuries and millennia in the Atlantic and its marginal seas. The pre-Columbian history of the Atlantic is the story of how Europeans learned to master the oceans. It is, therefore, key to understanding why it was Europeans, and not any of the world's other seafaring peoples, who discovered' the world.<

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Book SynopsisWhen is a boat not a ship? Was Captain Kidd truly a pirate? What was the deadliest disaster at sea? Is the Bermuda Triangle dangerous? Are mermaids real? What does ‘three sheets to the wind’ mean? How do you tie a clove hitch knot? Ahoy! Want to learn the ropes of the maritime world? This light-hearted, illustrated miscellany is packed full of hundreds of amazing facts from the experts at the National Maritime Museum and Cutty Sark to put the wind in your sails. All aboard, it’s time to discover the world beyond the shore.

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Book SynopsisThe unlikely beginnings of the East India Company—from Tudor origins and rivalry with the superior Dutch—to laying the groundwork for future British expansionTrade Review“Howarth tells some hair-raising tales from the maiden voyage of the Company ship Peppercorn. . . . Packed with tales, as well as gruesome accounts of clashes between rival traders in the east.”—Dan Jones, Times (UK) “Adventurers is essential reading.”—Dan Jones, Times (UK)“[Adventurers] details the early years of what would become the world’s biggest corporation…By no means a defence of the empire, this dizzying work makes its emergence all the more remarkable.”—Daniel Brooks, Sunday Telegraph“Howarth’s study [is] quite different from its rivals, and overflowing with surprises.”—William Dalrymple, The Spectator“This is a book [Howarth] has wanted to write for 50 years. . . . The frequent exuberance of his prose echo[es] the voices of larger-than-life venturers and seafarers who fill his pages.”—Alan Mallinson, Country Life“Adventurers is an important counterpoint to received knowledge of Anglo-Indian history, and the foundations of what was perhaps the world’s first and most controversial corporation.”—Lubaaba Al-Azami, BBC History Magazine“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there might be a further volume. . . . Perhaps Howarth, like those first Adventurers, will have the right amount of intrepid bravery and insanity to attempt it.”—Debbie Kilroy, Get History“Howarth’s book is a joy of revelation, page by page… beautifully written” —Robert Lyman, The Critic“The history of the East India Company is so often read backwards. This wonderfully well-written book restores its early development to its true context—it is, like cold water in a desert, the picture for which we’ve gasped.”—James Evans, author of Merchant Adventurers“Fascinating and authoritative. David Howarth weaves a rich and rewarding tapestry of the uncertain, often chaotic development of the company, moving with style from London to Southeast Asia, and amassing a colourful cast list of princes, merchants and politicians. Adventurers will become the standard book on the subject, and deservedly so.”—Jerry Brotton, author of This Orient Isle“Howarth’s keen eye for intrigue weaves together a tale of commercial competition and imperial ambition that carries us from the Tudor court to the coasts of Japan. Adventurers is a quick-paced romp through the chaotic early history of Britain’s most infamous corporation.”—Edmond Smith, author of Merchants

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Book SynopsisDr Sam Willis is a maritime historian and archaeologist, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He is the author of the bestselling Hearts of Oak Trilogy and the Fighting Ships series.Trade ReviewExtraordinary... Seldom has the drama, chaos and stench of battle been more vividly evoked. * Daily Mail, 'Books of the Year' *Lively and wide-ranging... Willis manages to combine hard facts with fascinating anecdotes and pen pictures of the principal characters * History Today *Sam Willis does not just transcribe the precious, privileged sources he has discovered. He also locates them in the warfare, seascapes, and politics of their time. His vivid writing and the book's lovely design make In the Hour of Victory a pleasure to handle and a revelation to read. * Felipe Fernandez-Armesto *

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Book SynopsisOn 2 August 1708 Captain Woodes Rogers set sail from Bristol with two ships, the Duke and Dutchess, on an epic voyage of circumnavigation that was to make himfamous. His mission was to attack, plunder and pillage Spanish ships wherever he could. And, as Graham Thomas shows in this tense and exciting narrative, after a series of pursuits and sea battles he returned laden with booty and with a reputation as one of the most audacious and shrewd fighting captains of the age. He was then appointed governor of the Bahamas by George I with the task of suppressing the pirates who roamed this corner of the Caribbean and preyed on its shipping. He was equally successful as a privateer and pirate-hunter in an age when brutality and ruthlessness were the law of the sea. This study of Woodes Rogers is the first modern biography of an extraordinary adventurer. It is fascinating reading.

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Book SynopsisAn authentic account of one of the most horrible disasters in Canadian history. Soon after leaving Quebec on her voyage to Liverpool with over 1,300 souls on board, she was struck by the Norwegian collier Storstad off Father Point, Quebec, on 29 May 1914, at 2.10 a.m., and sank about fifteen minutes later, carrying a thousand of her passengers down with her.

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Book SynopsisDavid Hannay endeavours to give a popular, but clear and not inaccurate, account of the growth, and services, of the Royal Navy. The books is divided into two volumes. The first volume begins with King John and ends at the Revolution of 1688. The second volume will give the history of the great struggle with France and her dependent allies, which began in 1689, and ended only when the time of great naval wars was over.

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Book SynopsisDavid Hannay endeavours to give a popular, but clear and not inaccurate, account of the growth, and services, of the Royal Navy. The books is divided into two volumes. The first volume begins with King John and ends at the Revolution of 1688. The second volume will give the history of the great struggle with France and her dependent allies, which began in 1689, and ended only when the time of great naval wars was over.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.

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Book SynopsisPublished in 1900, this book was written for anyone interested in going to sea or simply curious about the work of sailors. Drawing on his own experience and extensive research, the author outlines the duties, qualifications, and responsibilities of various members of the ship's company, creating a portrait of a sailor's life.Table of ContentsPreface; The Rise of the Master (Ideal); The Rise of the Master (Real); The Master (Of a Tramp); The Master (Sailing Ships); The Master (Sailing Ships): Continued; The Masters Qualities; The Masters Duties; The Masters Duties: Continued; The Mate; The Mates Work; The Mates Work (In a Sailing Ship); The Mates Work (In a Sailing Ship): Continued; The Second Mate (In Steam); The Second Mate (First Steps); The Second Mate (Of a Sailing Ship); The Third Mate; The Bosun; The Carpenter; The Sailmaker; The Steward (In Steam); The Steward (Sailing Ships); The Cook (In Steam); The Cook (Sailing Ships); The Cook (Sailing Ships): Continued; The Apprentice (Suggestions); The Apprentice (Some Facts Concerning His Life); The Apprentice (Some Practical Information); The A.B. (General Qualifications); The A.B. (His Routine); The A.B. (His Position); The O.S. (Ordinary Seaman); The Boy; The Engineer; The Fireman and Trimmer; Conclusion; Index.

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Book SynopsisDavid Giblins stint as a seasonal salmon fishing guide on Stuart Island provides a seemingly endless supply of hilarious and bizarre stories that reveal as much about the quirkiness of small coastal communities as they do about human nature itself. Now, in his second book of short, interconnected stories set in the 1980s, Giblin introduces us to Gilly, the first female fishing guide to grace the tiny island, whose mere presence is enough to shake the foundations of the very insular, all-male guiding community. With the return of delight-fully eccentric characters including Vop, Troutbreath, Lucky Peterson, and Wet Lenny, this rollicking maritime adventure will appeal to anyone who ever gutted a fish and lived to tell the tale.

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a comprehensive history of the Czechoslovak Ocean Shipping Company (C. O. S.) from its beginning in the late 1940s until the fall of communism. Owned by the Czechoslovak state, C. O. S.'s activities were shaped by Soviet standards. This unique study is structured according to the different phases of the Cold War and highlights the political aspects that determined C. O. S.'s fate.Lenka Kratka focuses on two contradictory economic dimensions that C. O. S. had to engage with. Being part of the planned economy of a socialist state, it also dealt with companies in the capitalist West. Another paradoxical aspect of C. O. S. emerges from the memories of former Czechoslovak seamen, who experienced relative freedom when being aboard and strict communist regime control while at home with their families. Kratka's book offers fascinating insights into a neglected topic, using thus far untapped sources and building on primary research in oral history and personal memory.Trade ReviewLenka Kratka offers a remarkable, comprehensive piece of work on the history of the Czechoslovak Ocean Shipping (C.O.S.) company. Her book is really unique since the history of the C.O.S. and of Czechoslovak maritime business in general are among the research topics least reflected in Czech historiography. She writes with talent and erudition. -- Prof. Miroslav Vank, head of the Oral History Centre, Czech Academy of ScienceLenka Kratka`s book opens the Iron Curtain to explore the reality of Czechoslovakia`s Ocean Shipping. Seamen have always been linked to legends and stereotypes. This book enables the reader to understand what is truth and what is just nice fiction. A particularly interesting and fascinating part in the book is devoted to life-stories of seafarers. It is highly recommended to all travellers and dreamers but at the same time has an incredible value for academic researchers in history. -- Kristine Ante, University of Latvia, Faculty of History and Philosophy

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Book SynopsisThe migration of people from one nation to other, the inter-continental transfer of culture, the contribution of European renegades and exiles to the Asian economy and that of Asians to African life are discussed succinctly.

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Book SynopsisThe growth of China's maritime prowess has been a key facet marking the ascendency of its comprehensive national power. A fact amply indicated both by the articulation of the Chinese leadership and empirical evidences, it flows from Beijing's realisation of the growing salience of the oceanic realm and the attendant imperative of being strong at sea for China to attain the status of a global power. In recent years, the scale and speed with which, the erstwhile continental power has accreted all facets of its maritime capacity- both civilian and military - has surpassed the best practitioners of the 'maritime trade-craft', worldwide. In this book titled 'Maritime Power Building: New 'Mantra for China's Rise', 'Mantra' is an Indian word denoting a sacred utterance, believed to have spiritual power. The book is a collective endeavour of India's National Maritime Foundation (NMF) and the U.S. Centre of Naval Analysis (CNA). It seeks to collate the academic efforts and perspectives of the two premier maritime think-tanks located on the opposite sides of the globe to examine and extrapolate China's approach to maritime power building. A key facet addressed is the modernisation of the PLA Navy, which is the final arbiter and preserver of China's maritime and overseas interests in the extended Indo-Pacific region. The book is aimed at facilitating an understanding of the opportunities and challenges of China's rise as a maritime power for the region in particular, and for the world at large.

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Book SynopsisHowever after the opening of the Suez Canal, it faced stiff competition. By the end of its career it owned almost 500 ships and managed 150 for other liners. This book is a short history of the Company during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945.

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Book SynopsisThe mechanism and implications of Europe's sustained engagement in Intra-Asian trade, need to be analysed as an essential context to the establishment of colonial empires. India, concentric to Indian Ocean trade, became the âJewel in the Crownâ.

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Book SynopsisThe names William Bligh, Fletcher Christian, and the Bounty have excited the popular imagination for more than two hundred years. The story of this famous mutiny has many beginnings and many endings but they all intersect on an April morning in 1789 near the island known today as Tonga. That morning, William Bligh and eighteen surly seamen were expelled from the Bounty and began what would be the greatest open-boat voyage in history, sailing some 4,000 miles to safety in Timor. The mutineers led by Fletcher Christian sailed off into a mystery that has never been entirely resolved.While the full story of what drove the men to revolt or what really transpired during the struggle may never be known, Penguin Classics has brought together-for the first time in one volume-all the relevant texts and documents related to a drama that has fascinated generations. Here is the full text of Bligh's Narrative of the Mutiny, the minutes of the court proceedings gathered by Edward ChrisTable of ContentsIntroduction by R.D. MadisonSuggestions for Further ReadingA Note on the TextsMapsA Narrative of the Mutiny on Board His Majesty's Ship Bounty, by William BlighMinutes of the Proceedings of the Court-Martial held at Portsmouth, August 12, 1792. On Ten Persons charged with Mutiny on Board His Majesty's Ship the Bounty, with an Appendix by Edward ChristianAn Answer to Certain Assertions Contained in the Appendix to a Pamphlet, by William BlighA Short Reply to Capt. William Bligh's Answer, by Edward ChristianAppendixes:Appendix A: Bligh's Orders and a Description of the BreadfruitAppendix B: Lady Belcher's Account of the Pandora (1870)Appendix C: The Quarterly Review on the Bounty (1810)Appendix D: The Quarterly Review on the Bounty (1815)Appendix E: Jenny's Story (1829)Appendix F: John Adam's Story (1831)

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Book SynopsisAs the Atlantic Ocean was transformed from a terrifying barrier into a highway uniting four continents, the lives of people all around the ocean were transformed. After 1492 merchants and political leaders around the Atlantic refocused their attention from trade highways in their interiors to the coasts. Those who emigrated, willingly or unwillingly, had their lives changed completely, but many others became involved in new trades and industries that necessitated consolidation of populations. American gold and silver contributed to the emergence of nation-states. New foods enriched diets all over the world. American foods such as fish, cassava, maize, tomatoes, beans, and cacao fed burgeoning populations. Sugar grown around the Atlantic transformed tastes everywhere. Tobacco was the first great consumer craze. Furs provided the raw material for fashionable broad hats. Chains of commodity exchange linked the Atlantic to the Pacific; they also linked Americans to the Mediterranean and the goods of the Middle East. Creation of Atlantic economies required organization of labor and trade on a scale previously unknown. Generations of Europeans who signed up for servitude for a number of years in order to pay their passage over were gradually supplanted by enslaved Africans, millions of whom were imported into slavery. Wars, fueled by the need for ever more slaves, spread throughout West and Central Africa. The African end of the slave trade produced powerful rulers and great confederations in Africa. Consolidation of displaced tribal groups and remnants of populations depleted by epidemic disease led to the emergence of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League in northern North America, and the Creeks, Cherokees, and others in the south. Those who made a choice to travel across the Atlantic did so for economic advancement, but many also were influenced by religious concerns. Conflict between Roman Catholics and Protestants in Europe, and the power of political leaders to force conformity, caused many to feel that their right to worship was under threat. They were willing to accept servitude to make emigration possible, in order to protect their religious lives. Attempting to create and control vast networks of settlement and trade enhanced the rise of nation-states in Europe and contributed to the growth of national identities. The wars of independence in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries changed the nature of relationships, but did not end them. Abolitionism serves as a vivid example of the collision of religious, philosophical, and economic realities and the ways in which the Atlantic context posed new possibilities and new answers.Trade Reviewa worthy contribution to the considerable number of Atlantic history surveys. ... Kupperman skilfully uses the concept of modernity as the device by which to close the Atlantic story. * Allan Dwyer, International Journal of Maritime History *Table of ContentsEditors' Preface ; Introduction: Thinking Atlantically ; Chapter 1: Atlantic Memories ; Chapter 2: Atlantic Beginnings ; Chapter 3: Atlantic People ; Chapter 4: Commodities: Foods, Drugs, and Dyes ; Chapter 5: Eighteenth-Century Realities ; Epilogue: The Atlantic ; Chronology ; Notes ; Further Reading ; Websites ; Index

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