In Titanic Tragedy maritime historian John Maxtone-Graham documents the vessel's design, construction, and departure from Southampton, her passengers' lifeboat ordeal, their Carpathia rescue, the role of new technologies, and memorials to her crew. He describes poignantly the performance of her eight gallant bandsmen who played on deck to the very end; none survived. Added historical bonuses include seven letters, ostensibly from a Titanic passenger. In fact, they were written by one of America's most eminent historians, Walter Lord, author of the seminal A Night to Remember of 1955. His devastating parodies about life aboard the doomed ship appear here in print for the first time.

A classic by Edward Rowe Snow, first published in 1943 and updated in 1944 and again in 1946, Storms and Shipwrecks of New England relates what William P. Quinn calls ""stories of stormy adventure."" Jeremy D'Entremont has provided annotations to Snow's chapters, covering the pirate ship Whidah, the wreck of the City of Columbus, the Portland Gale, the 1938 hurricane, and more, bringing the information about the storms and shipwrecks up to date.

The Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, known in colonial Burma as the 'Fabulous Flotilla', was the largest privately-owned fleet of ships in the world. It was an entirely Scottish enterprise with nearly all its investors, management and ship's officers drawn from Scotland. Over 1,200 ships were ordered mainly from Clyde yards and each year carried the majority of the population of Burma on its river network without loss of life. The paddle steamers were amongst the largest in the world, innovative in design and technology, and very beautiful. The flotilla began as a naval task force in the 1820s, was commandeered in five wars, and was to end its life with the British evacuation of Burma in 1942, the greatest evacuation in British military history. Fascinating personalities emerge from Strachan's descriptions of Irrawaddy commanders and the flotilla's key players. The ships evolved over a hundred years into riverine versions of ocean liners with plush cabins, restaurants, shops and even post offices on board. The largest class of ships carried 5,000 passengers including royalty, celebrities of the day and famous writers like Somerset Maugham along with early tourists and big game hunters. In the second part of the book, the author who himself has spent much of his life running ships on the rivers of Burma, takes us on a journey 1,000 miles upriver to explore the different regions of the country often highlighting Scottish connections. The river is the thread through which Burma's often tragic history, yet rich and glorious Buddhist culture, flows and only on a river journey can the country be understood. Renamed Myanmar in 1997, Burma is Scotland's 'lost colony' and the Scottish connection is little remembered today due to Burma's half a century of post-war isolation. In its 1920s heyday Burma had the highest concentration of Scots anywhere in the world, outside of Scotland, with the exception of Canada. Scots were everywhere in Burma, running everything, and even their Burmese servants spoke in 'broad' Scots. With the 'opening up' of Burma in the early 21st century the Irrawaddy watershed, where about 50 million people live in a primitive rural economy, is under threat. Deforestation on a vast scale has resulted in the silting up of once navigable channels. China, with its 'belt and road' system that is a euphemism to a recolonisation of the country, plans to build one of the world's largest dams in the river's headwaters that would devastate the country's agriculture and fisheries. The Fabulous Flotilla provides a revealing record of this remarkable era in Burma's history and past Scottish endeavour - a jewel of a story that may soon be lost.

"From T-2 to Supertanker" provides a unique insight into the oil tanker industry's efforts to produce safe and efficient vessels.

Dr. Andrew G. Spyrou believes that marine transportation is the key to effective global shipping, part of which is carrying petroleum by tanker. Enormous changes have taken place in tanker design and construction since World War II. Closure of the Suez Canal on two occasions-1956 and 1967-provided the impetus to enlarge the tanker and to improve tanker performance and safety.

The industry's efforts to design and construct today's modern tankers, driven by scale, safety and ecological concerns, have led to ever-larger models. Today's 'Very Large' and 'Ultra Large' crude oil carriers represent the most complex mobile steel structures ever developed.

Spyrou discusses how this industry is striving to minimize vital ecological concerns such as oil pollution of the seas, atmospheric pollution by engine exhaust, and contamination of the marine ecosystem. Advances, however, have not been without crises, challenges, and successes.

Anyone going to sea needs an understanding of maritime flags, and this handy book is the perfect pocket-sized reference. Concise but comprehensive, it includes: - National maritime flags - Special ensigns, jacks, burgees, official and defence flags, and code flags - Yacht club burgees - Signal flags (including naval codes, distress signals and racing codes) - Flag etiquette and usage (from positions to salutes to timing and more) Expanded and updated for its third edition, the book now includes masthead burgees, as well as new advice on changing rules in European waters and beyond, and more information on the use of and etiquette surrounding local, regional and other unofficial flags. If you have ever put to sea wondering about the different types of flag, how they are made up, and the dos and don'ts as well as traditions and myths of flying flags then this will be both a fascinating read and a useful on-board guide.

Leith-Built Ships is a testimony to the skill of the men who built the ships and to the many men and women who may have sailed or served on them. This history is brought together in vol. I of a three-volume series about the almost-forgotten part that Leith played in our great maritime heritage and is the culmination of the author's lifetime experience of shipbuilding. Most people may well be aware of the part played by the great shipbuilding centres in the UK's history but many may be unaware of the part played by the shipbuilders of Leith. This port was once Scotland's main port with many firsts to its name. Leith had begun building ships some 400 years before the great shipyards of the Clyde and these vessels reached all corners of the globe, touching many people's lives. Some had sad histories while others took part in some of the great conflicts of the times; many were just ordinary working vessels that carried their crew safely through long working lives. With a pedigree of shipbuilding second to none going back over 660 years of recorded history, the ships built at Leith deserve their place in history and this book begins the story.

Nelson's history has been written from every possible angle, but this is not so with his ships. Such information as there is about the ships is buried in contemporary books on naval architecture; only the expert can sift it and present it in a usable form. In doing this, Dr. Longridge's 1955 work quickly became a veritable treasure trove for the naval historian and ship modeler. H.M.S. Victory is the supreme example of the ships of the period, and fortunately she is still in existence. The original draughts of 1765 have been preserved, as have also the drawings used in the restoration of the ship in 1922. The author was thus able to compile from authentic sources and his model of the Victory now occupies a prominent position in the Science Museum at South Kensington. The illustrations are a unique feature. They include a set of photographs showing the interior construction of H.M.S. Victory and H.M.S. Implacable, the latter being taken only a few days before she was scuttled. The book features over 180 line drawings, designed by E. Bowness, A.R.I.N.A., and executed by G.F. Campbell, Assoc. M.R.I.N.A., ranging from elaborate perspective drawings of the complex gear at the fore top and crosstrees to the simplest detail. The folding plates by G.F. Campbell (which measure 560 x 400 mm and 235 x 450 mm) include lines, inboard and outboard profile, deck plans of the hull, standing and running rigging plans, and a complete belaying pin plan. Such an analysis of the ship of this period had never before been attempted.

This quirky compendium of nautical stories, facts, figures and miscellany is a must-have for all the salty sea-dogs out there. From stories of dramatic voyages, myths, superstitions and famous sea battles, to curious sea creatures and our greatest explorers, this charming book brings together the expertise of world-leading curators in a pocket-sized volume. Fish and Shipsis a celebration of the practical and the bizarre: inspiring tales of nautical endeavour, notable firsts, the origins of maritime sayings and the weird and wonderful lifeforms in the depths of the sea.

Traveling across the great northern expanses from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Delta Junction, Alaska, the 1,500-mile Alaska Highway remains one of the greatest driving adventures of all time. Inside you will find details on gas prices, where to camp, how to prepare your vehicle for the journey, and insightful driving tips. Brimming with full-color photography, this updated edition of Guide to the Alaska Highway is the most stunning, the most complete, and most thoroughly researched book on the market today. Arriving in time for the highway's 75th anniversary, this invaluable guide will help travelers tailor a safe, pleasant, and enjoyable drive through some of the most scenic and rugged landscape on Earth. Tips scattered through the guide tell you where to spot wildlife, let you in on a few favorite fishing holes, and highlight important destinations. This guide is perfect for the adventure lover.

Before there was a U.S. Navy, several Colonial navies were all-volunteer--both the crews and the vessels. From its beginnings through World War II, the Navy has relied on civilian sailors and their fast vessels to fill out its ranks of small combatants. Beginning with the birth of the yacht in 17th century Netherlands, this illustrated history traces the development of yacht racing, the advent of combustion-engine power and the contribution privately owned vessels have made to national defense. Vessels conscripted during the Civil War served both the Union and Confederacy--sometimes changing sides after capture. The first USS Wanderer saw the slave trade from both sides of the law. Aboard the USS Sylph, Oscar-winning actor Ernest Borgnine fought the Third Reich's U-boats under sail. USS Sea Cloud made history as the first racially integrated ship in the Navy, three years before President Truman desegregated the military.

This new book reveals the part played by the eight Bustler Class Rescue Tugs built at the Henry Robb Shipyard during the Second World War and will shed more light on the almost-forgotten part played by this country's mariners. The men and women who were rescued under the most trying of times and dreadful weather conditions would no doubt have felt immense gratitude to the brave souls who formed part of the huge maritime effort, both in war and peacetime. This is the story of the small force of much-needed rescue tugs that were built during the dark forbidding days of the Second World War, when Great Britain had only the ships and men to bring in the raw materials that were required to fight against the might of Nazi Germany and its Allies. This compelling story shines a spotlight on the small, but very significant work done over many years by His and Her Majesty's Rescue Tugs in defence of the realm, and which benefited seafarers all over the world. The author's very detailed account of the contribution made by HMRT in general, and the Bustler Class in particular, is an excellent read, and has brought to life the immense impact that these rescue tugs have had over many years, usually in dire circumstances, and especially during the Second World War. Many of these ships also served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and this story recognises the part played by these heroic rescue tugs in accounts of many convoys that crossed the seas and were attacked by hostile forces. This fine volume will help to raise the profile of these magnificent small and immensely powerful vessels, and of course their highly-skilled crews without whom these heroic achievements would not have been possible.

Numerous successful reprints of contemporary works on rigging and seamanship indicate the breadth of interest in the lost art of handling square-rigged ships. Modelmakers, marine painters and enthusiasts need to know not only how the ships were rigged but how much sail was set in each condition of wind and sea, how the various manoeuvres were carried out, and the intricacies of operations like reefing sails or 'catting' an anchor. Contemporary treatises such as Brady's Kedge Anchor in the USA or Darcy Lever's Sheet Anchor in Britain tell only half the story, for they were training manuals intended to be used at sea in conjunction with practical experiences and often only cover officially-condoned practices. This book, on the other hand, is a modern, objective appraisal of the evidence, concerned with the actualities as much as the theory. The author has studied virtually every manual published about seamanship over a period of nearly four centuries. This gives the book a completely international balance and allows him to describe for the first time the proper historical development of seamanship among the major navies of the world.

In 1845, British explorer Sir John Franklin set out on a voyage to find the North-West Passage - the sea route linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. The expedition was expected to complete its mission within three years and return home in triumph but the two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, and the 129 men aboard them disappeared in the Arctic. The last Europeans to see them alive were the crews of two whaling ships in Baffin Bay in July 1845, just before they entered the labyrinth of the Arctic Archipelago. The loss of this British hero and his crew, and the many rescue expeditions and searches that followed, captured the public imagination, but the mystery surrounding the expedition's fate only deepened as more clues were found. How did Franklin's final expedition end in tragedy? What happened to the crew? The thrilling discoveries in the Arctic of the wrecks of Erebus in 2014 and Terror in 2016 have brought the events of 170 years ago into sharp focus and excited new interest in the Franklin expedition. This richly illustrated book is an essential guide to this story of heroism, endurance, tragedy and dark desperation.

This book explores the historical and archaeological evidence of the relationships between a coastal community and the shipwrecks that have occurred along the southern Australian shoreline over the last 160 years. It moves beyond a focus on shipwrecks as events and shows the short and long term economic, social and symbolic significance of wrecks and strandings to the people on the shoreline. This volume draws on extensive oral histories, documentary and archaeological research to examine the tensions within the community, negotiating its way between its roles as shipwreck saviours and salvors.

P&O has operated some of the most famous passenger ships of all time, including the Oriana and Canberra, across its long history. Its early liners travelled around the globe and played a huge role in cementing immigration to Australia and New Zealand, while acting as a gateway to the Far East and India. The modern era has seen the company continue to evolve into a cruising giant, P&O Cruises being part of Carnival Corporation today. This beautifully crafted colouring book celebrates the long heritage of P&O, the stunning interiors and exteriors of the vessels, and much more besides. Supplemented with fascinating insights from maritime experts Chris Frame, Rachelle Cross, Rob Henderson and Doug Cremer, it is sure to captivate and educate children and adults alike.

Queen Elizabeth: A Photographic Journey allows the reader to travel aboard Cunard's newest ship, the second largest ship to carry the Cunard colours. The ultimate in luxury cruising waits aboard Queen Elizabeth. From the three-storey Royal Court Theatre, complete with box seating, to the opulence of the Queens Room, the authors have captured the interior elegance of Queen Elizabeth with never-before-published images. Explore the behind-the-scenes areas, with a tour of the Engine Room, Stores and the Bridge, before returning to the passenger areas to discover bars, lounges, restaurants and cabins. This stunning volume is a must-have whether you're a seasoned Cunard passenger, or simply an armchair traveller. Written by two enthusiastic Cunard fans, travellers and historians, this book is beautifully illustrated with over 200 colour photographs and includes a foreword by Peter Shanks, former president of the Cunard Line, thoughts from Commodore Rynd on the ship's fifth anniversary and an afterword by Captain Chris Wells, Queen Elizabeth's First Master. This is Chris Frame and Rachelle Cross' sixth Cunard book and the fourth in their Journey series.

Fully illustrated in a striking landscape format, Ships contains 300 mercantile and military vessels arranged in chronological order, from ancient times to the present day. Every type of vessel from every part of the world is featured, from Phoenician war galleys from 1500BC, through the graceful trading clippers of the nineteenth century, to the sophisticated and heavily armed submarines of the nuclear era. In these information-packed pages you will find out about ancient galleys, Viking longships, medieval cogs, galleasses, galleons, men-of-war sailing ships, coastal gunboats, iron-clad steam boats, dreadnoughts, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines. Many well-known ships are included, such as Nelson's flagship HMS Victory, the ill-fated passenger liner Titanic, the infamous German World War II battlecruiser Bismarck and many, many more. Each ship is illustrated with a colourful artwork, while lively text offers a concise service history of the ship and a specification box provides comprehensive technical data, including displacement, dimensions, machinery, armament, speed and complement.

Great American Shipwreck Stories is a magnificent collection of gripping accounts of a ship's encounter with a great whale or an overwhelming monsoon or a disastrous passage through the Straits of Magellan, leading to a wreck and a crew's harrowing plight for survival on the open seas or on a desert island. Capturing all the elements of ancient and powerful tragedy, this book is chockful of thrilling tales of survival - as well as a frightful examination of man's darkest impulses - which allow the reader a gruesome glimpse behind the veil of honor and bravery that history often ascribes to such men of the sea. These are all stories that have endured the test of time, and have attracted discerning readers for generations. Includes stories by George Byron Merrick, Owen Chase, Henry Cabot Lodge, Theodore Roosevelt, Riley Brown, J. S. Ogilvie, Horace Holden, and many others.

Since its first publication in 1972, more than 30,000 blue-water sailors have looked to this book when injury or illness struck at sea. Virtually every accident or ailment that might occur when professional medical care is unavailable is squarely faced and dealt with, using layman's language and step-by-step instructions that calmly take the reader from diagnosis through treatment to follow-up care. The fifth edition brings this standard work up-to-date with current medical practice. While maintaining its ease of use for quick, easy reference in case of a medical emergency at sea, diagrams inside the front and back covers point the reader to the appropriate section of the book. Each section starts with a short account of a possible accident or sickness that might occur on a voyage, and then lists the steps to be taken by the caregiver. Photographs and diagrams accompany many of the procedures. Separate chapters are devoted to preparing a crew and the boat's medical chest for long cruises, including lists of drugs for which prescriptions are needed. A number of chapters deal with the unique needs of children.

During the early twentieth century, professional gamblers were such a scourge in the smoking rooms of trans-Atlantic passenger liners that White Star Line warned its passengers about them. In spring 1912 three professional gamblers travelled from the USA to England for the sole purpose of returning to America on the maiden voyage of Titanic. "Kid" Homer, "Harry" Rolmane and "Boy" Bradley (Harry Homer, Charles Romaine and George Brereton) were grifters with a long history of living on the wrong side of the law, who planned to utilize their skills at the card table to relieve fellow passengers of cash. One swiftly fell under suspicion of being a professional "card mechanic", and was excluded from some poker games, but other games continued apace. This new book, the result of years of research by George Behe, reveals the true identities of these gamblers, their individual backgrounds, the ruses they used, and their ultimate fates after tragedy struck, as well as providing an intriguing insight into a bygone age.