Southampton Docks is one of the most important maritime centres in the UK, and here Andrew Britton explores its rich history. From four-funnelled liners and flying boats to power stations and refineries, this volume depicts all that happened in the docks, the living heartbeat of the city. Herein see previously unpublished behind-the-scenes shots of the dock at work, of captain's logbooks and tickets - even some ships' menus; it all gives the true flavour of dock life. Using the original port map of Southampton and historic artefacts, the lives and times of Southampton Docks are brought to the fore. This edition is lavishly illustrated with rare and unseen images, providing a real treat for anyone interested in Southampton and its docks.

The sailing junk was an amazing vessel. From Tientsin to Hong Kong-and up and down the great rivers in between-Ivon A. Donnelly immortalized these lost treasures in this book from 1924, with a pen and sketchpad and with words that betray his passion for the ancient watercraft of China. Vivid and graceful, grotesque and gay, junks were supremely honed for their particular work. But time and new technology took their toll and the junk is today all but extinct.

In the late 1960s, P&O established ferry services in the North Sea and English Channel. Roll-on/roll-off operations and containerisation were introduced and new ships, facilities and investment was needed to take advantage of developments. What followed was several decades of growth, buyouts and divisions. The twenty-first century saw the closure of several routes as the ferries saw increased competition from low-cost airline and the Channel Tunnel. Throughout this period, P&O attracted a loyal customer base and became one of the most recognisable names on the sea. Utilising a selection of rare and previously unpublished images, maritime historian Ian Collard delves into the story of this iconic company and its ships.

In The Great Escape and Papillon, Steve McQueen embodied the tough guy on the run from captivity and injustice. But when it comes to toughness, McQueen is following in the daring and determined footsteps of Captain Spar. Wrongfully accused, Spar has been condemned to suffer the brutality of the guards and the conditions on Devil's Island. But they haven't broken his will, and now, escaping, he has one mission in life: revenge. Spar's out to kill the man who put him into the devil's hands. But he'll have to take on a gallery of rogues who are as treacherous as the waters of the Caribbean. Pressure is rising and a storm is brewing. But even in the face of a natural disaster, Spar discovers that nothing is more volatile than human nature-as temptation and danger are about to collide with Hurricane force. In 1937 L. Ron Hubbard wrote to one of his editors: "You might have noticed that I am intensely wary of becoming any kind of a story specialist. I have sold the gamut of types: air war, air, western, detective, love, terror. . . . My one passion is to build a name for variety. . . . I like my freedom. I fight hard for independent individualism. I love to tie into a yarn and make it blaze in print." Hubbard's passion for writing, creativity and individualism certainly blazes across the page in stories like Hurricane. "Hurricane will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end as it unfolds." -Mommy's Favorite Things * An International Book Awards Finalists

In April 1951, the disappearance of HM submarine Affray knocked news of the Korean War and Festival of Britain from the front pages of national newspapers. Affray had gone to sea on a routine peacetime simulated war patrol in the English Channel. She radioed her last position at 21.15 hours on April 16th, 30 miles south of the Isle of Wight--and preparing to dive. This was the last signal ever received from the submarine. When divers eventually discovered Affray, they found her resting upright on the sea bottom with no obvious signs of damage to her hull. Hatches were closed tight and emergency buoys were still in their casings. It was obvious that whatever had caused Affray to sink and end the lives of all on board had occurred quickly. Fifty-six years later, in this compelling maritime investigation, Alan Gallop uses previously top secret documents, interviews with experts, and contemporary news sources to explore how and why Affray became the last British submarine lost at sea--and possibly the greatest maritime mystery since the Marie Celeste. This is a fascinating recreation of the last mission of this doomed submarine, the effect it had on the families of those who perished, and on British public opinion at the time.

The main focus of this book is the impact of maritime fraud on contracts for sale and carriage, documentary credits and marine insurance. It covers all varieties of maritime fraud, from the most serious downwards, describing the methods employed and the risks to traders and carriers. At the serious end of the spectrum, pirates capture an entire ship, often murdering the entire crew, in order to sell the cargo (to which of course they have no title), later to use the "innocent" ship to pose as innocent traders. Less serious (but perhaps of greater interest to lawyers) are misdescriptions of cargo in, or backdating of, bills of lading, and other deceptions, usually practised on purchasers and banks.