Book Reviews
Ships & Shipping - reviewed by the
Editor
The History of the Ship: The comprehensive story of
seafaring from the earliest times to the present day --by
Richard Woodman
(Conway Maritime Press, 33 John Street, London WC1N 2AT); Large format (29.5 x 24.5 cm), hardback, 352 pp with more than 250 illustrations, £30.00 in UK.
ACCORDING to Richard Woodman ships are among the most powerful artefacts produced by mankind, a tool with which we have shaped our civilisation. In this monumental work Woodman sets out to demonstrate the truth of this assertion. He distinguishes between ships and boats, and traces the history of the ship from its origin in Egypt around 3000 bc.
The development of trade in the Mediterranean demanded seagoing vessels with enough cargo space to make a voyage commer-cially successful. War was another impetus for development, and the Greek war galley was a turning point in maritime history. Around the same period in Scandinavia the Viking long ship was developed independently.
During the Renaissance the Scandanavian tradition merged with that of the Mediterranean to form the first true, full-rigged sailing ship. The voyages of discovery and the wars of religion encouraged further developments as the great European maritime powers struggled for domination.
More than half the book is devoted to the period since 1800, covering the age of steam, screw propulsion and the development of motor power. Woodman states that the belief that there was competition between steam and sail is a myth.
Sail reached its zenith in the tea, wool, and passenger clippers in the nineteenth century, and continued to dominate the coasting trade well into the twentieth century. This period saw the rise and decline of the great passenger liners, and the growth of fearsome battlefleets and sinister submarines.
During the second half of the twentieth century single-purpose cargo vessels of various kinds were developed--tankers, bulkers, reefers, container ships, and (the peak of specialisation) the car carrier. I was surprised to learn that the first custom-built refrigerated ship was ordered in 1884. In his final chapter Woodman considers the future and warns against overweening optimism.
Capt. Richard Woodman is a former Trinity House Lighthouse Tender Commander who has written a number of historical novels based on life at sea, notably the Nathaniel Drinkwater series, and some non-fiction works on marine topics. He retired as a Marine Superinten-dent some years ago to concen-trate on writing. He writes from a definite English perspective and is clearly proud of his country's maritime heritage. Naturally, the contribution of Trinity House and other lighthouse services is mentioned.
Woodman's writing style is accomplished--fluid and lucid. He explains the meaning and origin of nautical terminology, making the book easy to understand, even by a landlubber. This comprehensive survey must include a reference to almost every class of ship including, for example, the Chinese junk, Arctic whaler and, of course the lighthouse tender, to quote just a few. There are numerous illustrations, many in colour, from a wealth of sources. The book is lavishly produced and is highly recommended.
Shipping in Dublin Port 1939-45 --by Walter Kennedy
(Pentland Press, 1 Hutton Close, South Church, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, DL14 6XB, England); hardback, xiv + 149 pages, 20 monochrome photos, £15.00 in UK.
DURING THE Second World War (the Emergency as it was officially referred to in the then Irish Free State) Walter Kennedy visited Dublin Port frequently and recorded the ships he saw there in a diary, on which this book is based. Brief descriptions are given of the vessels seen, as well as details of their owners, crews, and cargoes. These details are not recorded in any systematic way, which makes the narrative more interesting to read.
In those days ships came up the Liffey to Butt Bridge and also docked in the Grand Canal Basin as well as Alexandra Basin. It took longer to unload a ship then than it does now, so Walter Kennedy believes it likely that he saw almost every ship that came to Dublin during the War. Ships sunk or attacked by German forces while on passage to or from Dublin, with mounting loss of lives, are also recorded.
Irish Lights tenders and lightships are mentioned occasionally, though the sinking of ss Isolda on 19 December 1940 while carrying out the Barrels and Coningbeg Lightship reliefs is not recorded. The start up of Irish Shipping Ltd can be traced. Perhaps the most unusual event is the collision of the schooner Happy Harry with a tram at Victoria Bridge, Ringsend--the lifting road bridge which allows vessels into the inner Grand Canal Basin. Evidently it was a bridge too far for the Happy Harry!
The book is intended as a tribute to all the seafarers whose bravery ensured the continuation of essential imports into Ireland during the war years, and especially those who lost their lives.
Lightship Drama
reviewed by the Editor
No Port in a Storm
--by Bob MacAlindin
(Whittles Publishing, Roseleigh House, Harbour Road, Latheronwheel, Caithness, KW5 6DW, Scotland); paperback, 146 pages, b/w photos and illustrations; £12.95 in UK
The world's first lightship was positioned in 1732. At the time this book was written there were two manned lightships left in the world, one in the Caspian Sea and one off the coast of Tunisia--though these may have gone by now. But in the early 1900s there were more than 750 lightships worldwide, employing around 10,000 crew members. In the 1920s Ireland had ten lightships on station, with 3 spare vessels, crewed by around 90 lightshipmen. In 1965 the Kish Lightship was replaced by a lighthouse. In subsequent years the remaining lightships were replaced by buoys or Lanbys, and in 1982 the last two were automated and left unmanned as Automatic Lightfloats.
There is a growing interest in lighthouses on the part of the general public but lightships and lightshipmen have been almost forgotten, by both the general public and most maritime historians. Bob MacAlindin sets out to redress this.
Life on board a lightship was a tedious unending routine. At the same time lightshipmen faced constant danger, from bad weather, parted moorings, collision by other vessels, and attack in wartime. The author describes a series of disasters befalling lightships in many parts of the world, from North America to China and from Scandinavia to Australia--including the sinking of the Puffin lv at the Daunt station with the loss of all hands in 1896, and the rescue by Ballycotton Lifeboat of the crew of the Comet lv, also on the Daunt station, in 1936. Interspersed are historical details, descriptions, and anecdotes about lightships and their crews.
I have mixed feelings about the book. Reading through the detail of this series of disasters soon becomes wearisome. The arrangement of the chapters appears to be haphazard, though I am not sure what a logical order would be.
There is a wealth of useful and important information here but it is arranged unsystematically and there are no indexes or chronological tables. Despite these reservations the book is recommended. Bob MacAlindin is to be commended for researching and collecting this account.
The photographs and drawings are well reproduced and are of great historical interest.
Sailing around Ireland
--reviewed by Robert McCabe
Ireland from the Sea
--Andrew Phelan
(Woolfhound Press, 68 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1); paperback original, 156 pages, 16 colour photos; IR£9.99
'We had come simply to meet Ireland from the sea.' That is how Andrew Phelan describes his aim for his circumnavigation of Ireland. It is an aim which he achieves completely in a book which is easily read and contains a very wide range of information and insights on Ireland and her coastal communities.
The author refers to 'the masochism which lurks near the surface of our souls'. I have always held the view that this must be a significant feature in the make up of those who take to the sea for pleasure rather than profit. Having read and enjoyed Ireland from the Sea I am re-examining that opinion. Despite what he refers to as some 'rugged sailing' this appears to have been a voyage of considerable pleasure and achievement.
I was pleasantly surprised to find in Andrew Phelan a sailor who respects the sea and appears to have adopted throughout his circum-navigation a very professional approach to the running of his vessel. Following his voyage clockwise from the Old Head one is always aware of the importance he has attached to lookout, to weather and tide, to navigation, and to that maxim that was beaten into me as a cadet, check, check and check again. He also realised from the beginning the importance of a good reliable crew.
He is particularly assiduous in his use of traditional aids to navigation--buoys and perches, lighthouses and clearing lines are the staples of his navigation. Decca and gps get a mention but they are not given the aura of infallibility too often attributed to them today.
One could use this book as an adjunct to the sailing directions and consider it good value for that purpose alone. As one who has some knowledge of the Irish coast I was impressed with the accuracy and clarity of the information provided.
However, Ireland from the Sea is much more than a pilot book. It is a history, a travelogue, and a social commentary all rolled into one.
If you want to know the story of Ireland's history from the earliest times to today this book brings it to life. From the Fight of the Earls to the Spanish Armada, from Grace O'Malley to the sacking of Baltimore by Algerian pirates, the images are real and unforgettable. The story is told without bias or commentary but as a backdrop to the voyage itself.
(Conway Maritime Press, 33 John Street, London WC1N 2AT); Large format (29.5 x 24.5 cm), hardback, 352 pp with more than 250 illustrations, £30.00 in UK.
ACCORDING to Richard Woodman ships are among the most powerful artefacts produced by mankind, a tool with which we have shaped our civilisation. In this monumental work Woodman sets out to demonstrate the truth of this assertion. He distinguishes between ships and boats, and traces the history of the ship from its origin in Egypt around 3000 bc.
The development of trade in the Mediterranean demanded seagoing vessels with enough cargo space to make a voyage commer-cially successful. War was another impetus for development, and the Greek war galley was a turning point in maritime history. Around the same period in Scandinavia the Viking long ship was developed independently.
During the Renaissance the Scandanavian tradition merged with that of the Mediterranean to form the first true, full-rigged sailing ship. The voyages of discovery and the wars of religion encouraged further developments as the great European maritime powers struggled for domination.
More than half the book is devoted to the period since 1800, covering the age of steam, screw propulsion and the development of motor power. Woodman states that the belief that there was competition between steam and sail is a myth.
Sail reached its zenith in the tea, wool, and passenger clippers in the nineteenth century, and continued to dominate the coasting trade well into the twentieth century. This period saw the rise and decline of the great passenger liners, and the growth of fearsome battlefleets and sinister submarines.
During the second half of the twentieth century single-purpose cargo vessels of various kinds were developed--tankers, bulkers, reefers, container ships, and (the peak of specialisation) the car carrier. I was surprised to learn that the first custom-built refrigerated ship was ordered in 1884. In his final chapter Woodman considers the future and warns against overweening optimism.
Capt. Richard Woodman is a former Trinity House Lighthouse Tender Commander who has written a number of historical novels based on life at sea, notably the Nathaniel Drinkwater series, and some non-fiction works on marine topics. He retired as a Marine Superinten-dent some years ago to concen-trate on writing. He writes from a definite English perspective and is clearly proud of his country's maritime heritage. Naturally, the contribution of Trinity House and other lighthouse services is mentioned.
Woodman's writing style is accomplished--fluid and lucid. He explains the meaning and origin of nautical terminology, making the book easy to understand, even by a landlubber. This comprehensive survey must include a reference to almost every class of ship including, for example, the Chinese junk, Arctic whaler and, of course the lighthouse tender, to quote just a few. There are numerous illustrations, many in colour, from a wealth of sources. The book is lavishly produced and is highly recommended.
Shipping in Dublin Port 1939-45 --by Walter Kennedy
(Pentland Press, 1 Hutton Close, South Church, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, DL14 6XB, England); hardback, xiv + 149 pages, 20 monochrome photos, £15.00 in UK.
DURING THE Second World War (the Emergency as it was officially referred to in the then Irish Free State) Walter Kennedy visited Dublin Port frequently and recorded the ships he saw there in a diary, on which this book is based. Brief descriptions are given of the vessels seen, as well as details of their owners, crews, and cargoes. These details are not recorded in any systematic way, which makes the narrative more interesting to read.
In those days ships came up the Liffey to Butt Bridge and also docked in the Grand Canal Basin as well as Alexandra Basin. It took longer to unload a ship then than it does now, so Walter Kennedy believes it likely that he saw almost every ship that came to Dublin during the War. Ships sunk or attacked by German forces while on passage to or from Dublin, with mounting loss of lives, are also recorded.
Irish Lights tenders and lightships are mentioned occasionally, though the sinking of ss Isolda on 19 December 1940 while carrying out the Barrels and Coningbeg Lightship reliefs is not recorded. The start up of Irish Shipping Ltd can be traced. Perhaps the most unusual event is the collision of the schooner Happy Harry with a tram at Victoria Bridge, Ringsend--the lifting road bridge which allows vessels into the inner Grand Canal Basin. Evidently it was a bridge too far for the Happy Harry!
The book is intended as a tribute to all the seafarers whose bravery ensured the continuation of essential imports into Ireland during the war years, and especially those who lost their lives.
Lightship Drama
reviewed by the Editor
No Port in a Storm
--by Bob MacAlindin
(Whittles Publishing, Roseleigh House, Harbour Road, Latheronwheel, Caithness, KW5 6DW, Scotland); paperback, 146 pages, b/w photos and illustrations; £12.95 in UK
The world's first lightship was positioned in 1732. At the time this book was written there were two manned lightships left in the world, one in the Caspian Sea and one off the coast of Tunisia--though these may have gone by now. But in the early 1900s there were more than 750 lightships worldwide, employing around 10,000 crew members. In the 1920s Ireland had ten lightships on station, with 3 spare vessels, crewed by around 90 lightshipmen. In 1965 the Kish Lightship was replaced by a lighthouse. In subsequent years the remaining lightships were replaced by buoys or Lanbys, and in 1982 the last two were automated and left unmanned as Automatic Lightfloats.
There is a growing interest in lighthouses on the part of the general public but lightships and lightshipmen have been almost forgotten, by both the general public and most maritime historians. Bob MacAlindin sets out to redress this.
Life on board a lightship was a tedious unending routine. At the same time lightshipmen faced constant danger, from bad weather, parted moorings, collision by other vessels, and attack in wartime. The author describes a series of disasters befalling lightships in many parts of the world, from North America to China and from Scandinavia to Australia--including the sinking of the Puffin lv at the Daunt station with the loss of all hands in 1896, and the rescue by Ballycotton Lifeboat of the crew of the Comet lv, also on the Daunt station, in 1936. Interspersed are historical details, descriptions, and anecdotes about lightships and their crews.
I have mixed feelings about the book. Reading through the detail of this series of disasters soon becomes wearisome. The arrangement of the chapters appears to be haphazard, though I am not sure what a logical order would be.
There is a wealth of useful and important information here but it is arranged unsystematically and there are no indexes or chronological tables. Despite these reservations the book is recommended. Bob MacAlindin is to be commended for researching and collecting this account.
The photographs and drawings are well reproduced and are of great historical interest.
Sailing around Ireland
--reviewed by Robert McCabe
Ireland from the Sea
--Andrew Phelan
(Woolfhound Press, 68 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1); paperback original, 156 pages, 16 colour photos; IR£9.99
'We had come simply to meet Ireland from the sea.' That is how Andrew Phelan describes his aim for his circumnavigation of Ireland. It is an aim which he achieves completely in a book which is easily read and contains a very wide range of information and insights on Ireland and her coastal communities.
The author refers to 'the masochism which lurks near the surface of our souls'. I have always held the view that this must be a significant feature in the make up of those who take to the sea for pleasure rather than profit. Having read and enjoyed Ireland from the Sea I am re-examining that opinion. Despite what he refers to as some 'rugged sailing' this appears to have been a voyage of considerable pleasure and achievement.
I was pleasantly surprised to find in Andrew Phelan a sailor who respects the sea and appears to have adopted throughout his circum-navigation a very professional approach to the running of his vessel. Following his voyage clockwise from the Old Head one is always aware of the importance he has attached to lookout, to weather and tide, to navigation, and to that maxim that was beaten into me as a cadet, check, check and check again. He also realised from the beginning the importance of a good reliable crew.
He is particularly assiduous in his use of traditional aids to navigation--buoys and perches, lighthouses and clearing lines are the staples of his navigation. Decca and gps get a mention but they are not given the aura of infallibility too often attributed to them today.
One could use this book as an adjunct to the sailing directions and consider it good value for that purpose alone. As one who has some knowledge of the Irish coast I was impressed with the accuracy and clarity of the information provided.
However, Ireland from the Sea is much more than a pilot book. It is a history, a travelogue, and a social commentary all rolled into one.
If you want to know the story of Ireland's history from the earliest times to today this book brings it to life. From the Fight of the Earls to the Spanish Armada, from Grace O'Malley to the sacking of Baltimore by Algerian pirates, the images are real and unforgettable. The story is told without bias or commentary but as a backdrop to the voyage itself.