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Books > Sport & Leisure > Transport: general interest > Ships & shipping: general interest
Entering service in 1938, the Nieuw Amsterdam was the Holland
America Line flagship until the construction of the Rotterdam in
the late 1950s. Her prewar life was short and she was used as a
troopship during the Second World War, carrying many thousands of
Allied troops to all corners of the world. Of 36,000 tons, she was
the largest vessel built in Rotterdam and was launched by Queen
Wilhelmina in April 1937. A perennial favourite of the Dutch and
their finest Ship of State, Nieuw Amsterdam remained in Holland
America Line service until 1974, the last ship to retain the
Holland America Line's familiar green, yellow and white funnels.
Despite boiler problems in 1967, she was refitted with US
Navy-surplus boilers and sailed on, cruising, until withdrawn from
service in 1974. Sailing to the breakers, the art deco 'Darling of
the Dutch', as she was affectionately known, was broken up. Today,
she still has a following, from those who sailed on her but also
from those who have grown to appreciate the importance of the Nieuw
Amsterdam in terms of ocean liner design.
Thousands of literary, popular, non-fiction and archival texts
since the eighteenth century document the human experience of the
British industrial canal. This book traces networks of literary
canal texts across four centuries to understand our relationships
with water, with place, and with the past. In our era of climate
crisis, this reading calls for a rethinking of the waterways of
literature not simply as an antique transport system, but as a
coal-fired energy system with implications for the present. This
book demonstrates how waterways literature has always been
profoundly interested in the things we dig out of the ground, and
the uses to which they are put. The industrial canal never just
connected parts of Britain: via its literature we read the ways in
which we are in touch with previous centuries and epochs, how
canals linked inland Britain to Empire, how they connected forms of
labour, and people to water.
Concentrates on the Bute West, Bute East and Roath Docks, from
their beginnings in the 1840s, through the boom years of the 1950s
and '60s to the period of redevelopment and modernisation. This
book includes 300 photographs and maps.
On Thursday, November 6, the "Detroit News" forecasted "moderate to
brisk" winds for the Great Lakes. On Friday, the "Port Huron
Times-Herald" predicted a "moderately severe" storm. Hourly the
warnings became more and more dire. Weather forecasting was in its
infancy, however, and radio communication was not much better; by
the time it became clear that a freshwater hurricane of epic
proportions was developing, the storm was well on its way to
becoming the deadliest in Great Lakes maritime history.
The ultimate story of man versus nature, "November's Fury"
recounts the dramatic events that unfolded over those four days in
1913, as captains eager--or at times forced--to finish the season
tried to outrun the massive storm that sank, stranded, or
demolished dozens of boats and claimed the lives of more than 250
sailors. This is an account of incredible seamanship under
impossible conditions, of inexplicable blunders, heroic rescue
efforts, and the sad aftermath of recovering bodies washed ashore
and paying tribute to those lost at sea. It is a tragedy made all
the more real by the voices of men--now long deceased--who sailed
through and survived the storm, and by a remarkable array of
photographs documenting the phenomenal damage this not-so-perfect
storm wreaked.
The consummate storyteller of Great Lakes lore, Michael
Schumacher at long last brings this violent storm to terrifying
life, from its first stirrings through its slow-mounting
destructive fury to its profound aftereffects, many still felt to
this day.
From river to harbor to ocean, tugboats are among the most
ubiquitous but underappreciated craft afloat. Whether maneuvering
ships out from between tight harbor finger piers, pushing rafts of
forty barges up the Mississippi, towing enormous oil rigs, or just
delivering huge piles of gravel to a river port near you, tugs
exude a sense of genial strength guided by the wise experience of
their crews. We can admire the precision of their coordination, the
determination in their movements, the glow of signal lights at
night, silently communicating their condition and intentions to
vessels nearby. It is nearly impossible not to be intrigued and
impressed by the way tugs work. In Tugboats Illustrated, Paul
Farrell traces the evolution, design, and role of tugboats, ranging
from the first steam-powered tug to today's hyper-specialized
offshore workboats. Through extensive photographs, dynamic
drawings, and enlightening diagrams, he explores the development of
these hard-working boats, always shaped by the demands of their
waterborne environment, by an ever-present element of danger, and
by advancements in technology. Whether making impossible turns in
small spaces, crashing through huge swells, pushing or pulling or
prodding or coaxing or escorting, we come to understand not only
what tugs do, but how physics and engineering allow them to do it.
From the deck layout of a nineteenth-century sidewheel tug to the
mechanics of barge towing-whether by humans, mules, steam or diesel
engines-to the advantages of various types and configurations of
propulsion systems, to the operation of an oil rig anchor-handling
tug/supply vessel, Tugboats Illustrated is a comprehensive tribute
to these beloved workhorses of the sea and their intrepid crews.
'I saw that ship sink, I never closed my eyes. I saw it, I heard
it, and nobody could possibly forget it. I can remember the
colours, the sounds, everything. The worst thing I can remember
were the screams.' EVA HART This is the amazing story of how Eva
survived the sinking of the Titanic - the disaster that claimed the
life of her father. The events of a few hours during her childhood
had a huge impact on Eva. Her vivid memories of being bundled into
a lifeboat and of watching the unsinkable ship slip beneath the
surface remained with her for the rest of her life, although it was
nearly forty years before she could talk openly about the tragedy.
A Girl Aboard the Titanic is the only eyewitness description we
have from a child of this famous maritime disaster.
Despite being the largest of the legendary Olympic-class trio,
Britannic is often overlooked in comparison to Olympic and Titanic.
Launched on the eve of war in February 1914, Britannic would never
see service on the White Star Line's express service for which she
was built. Instead, His Majesty's Hospital Ship Britannic became
vital to the thousands of injured and sick troops who needed
transporting back to Britain from the Mediterranean theatre of war.
However, her life was cut short when she was suddenly wracked by a
mysterious explosion on 21 November 1916 and sank in less than an
hour - three times faster than her sister ship Titanic - and yet,
thanks to the improvements in safety heralded by the tragedy of her
sister, 1,032 of 1,062 on board survived. In this updated and
expanded edition of The Unseen Britannic, Simon Mills incorporates
previously unseen material to tell a tale of heroism in the First
World War and a remarkable ship, which is finally beginning to
emerge from the shadow of the Titanic.
L.T.C. Rolt's fame was born from his unique ability to produce
works of literature from subject matter seemingly ill suited to
such treatment - engineering, canals, railways, steam engines,
agricultural machinery, vintage cars - such as in his classic
biographies of Brunel, Telford, Trevithick and the Stephensons, and
in his superbly written volumes of autobiography. In this, the
first part of his autobiography, Rolt tells of his childhood in
Chester, on the Welsh border near Hay-on-Wye and in
Gloucestershire; of an engineering apprenticeship and career which
took him from a farm in the Vale of Evesham to a locomotive works
in Stoke-on-Trent and from Dursley to the Wiltshire Downs until he
finally settled in a Hampshire village, running a garage which
specialised in veteran and vintage cars. Imbued with the author's
love of England and his intense feeling for the beauties of the
English countryside, the book reveals a landscape populated not
only be men, but by machines: steam-ploughing engines, steam
wagons, steam locomotives, canal boats and a variety of unusual
motor cars. This vividly told tale of rural England sets the stage
of a life that was to be consumed by preserving the best the
country had to offer in landscape and the technology of a now
bygone age.
As a dedicated passenger during both the vessel's lives, John
Maxtone-Graham is in a perfect position to give us this rich,
profusely illustrated history of France/Norway. The French Line's
dazzling ocean liner S.S. France was alone in her class until the
arrival of the QE2 in 1967. She was fast, chic, lavishly manned,
and offered sumptuous catering. For a dozen years she was a star on
the North Atlantic. However, in the summer of 1974, with jet
airliners dominating transatlantic travel, France was withdrawn and
allowed to molder for five years. Then a miraculous reprieve: the
head of Norwegian Cruise Line decided to buy France; the vessel was
revamped for warm weather and rechristened Norway. One of the last
North Atlantic liners became the Caribbean's first megaship. The
singularity of this incredible hull that sailed in two contrasting
modes demands remembrance she was the pioneering big ship,
popularizing a scale of cruising then unknown."
On January 22, 1906, the passenger ship "Valencia" lost her way in
heavy fog and rain and rammed into the deadly rocks at Pachena
Point on the west coast of Vancouver Island. As the wreck was
shattered by the pounding waves, the survivors clung desperately to
the rigging. Few made it the short distance to shore through the
frigid and turbulent waves--117 of the 164 souls aboard perished. A
year earlier, the "King David" had been wrecked on Bajo Reef near
Nootka Sound. The fate of her sailors was much more mysterious.
Today, the magnificent Pacific coastline of Vancouver Island draws
hikers, surfers and storm-watchers to marvel at its natural
splendour. But the ghosts of the "Valencia," "King David," "Janet
Cowan," "Pacific," "Soquel" and dozens of other lost ships still
haunt the rugged shores of the Graveyard of the Pacific. Anthony
Dalton tells the incredible stories of many of these ships and
their courageous crews, who often discovered that their nightmares
had only begun once they made it ashore. These true tales of
disaster and daring rescues are a fascinating adventure into
British Columbia maritime history.
This is a companion volume to Friedman s highly successful _British
Battleship 1906 1946_ and completes his study of the Royal Navy s
capital ships. Beginning with the earliest installation of steam
machinery in ships of the line, the book traces the technological
revolution that saw the introduction of iron hulls, armour plate,
shell-firing guns and the eventual abandonment of sail as auxiliary
propulsion. This hectic development finally settled down to a
widely approved form of pre-dreadnought battleship, built in large
numbers and culminating in the _King Edward VII_ class. As with all
of his work, Friedman is concerned to explain why as well as how
and when these advances were made, and locates British ship design
firmly within the larger context of international rivalries,
domestic politics and economic constraints. The result is a
sophisticated and enlightening overview of the Royal Navy s battle
fleet in the latter half of the nineteenth century. It is also well
illustrated a comprehensive gallery of photographs with in-depth
captions is accompanied by specially commissioned plans of the
important classes by A D Baker III, and a colour section featuring
the original Admiralty draughts, including a spectacular double
gatefold. Norman Friedman is one of the most highly regarded of all
naval writers, with an avid following, so for anyone with an
interest in warships, the publication of this work will be a major
event.
The coastline of Cornwall has a reputation for being one of the
most treacherous in Britain and is protected by a fleet of fast and
sophisticated rescue craft, funded by voluntary contributions and
operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. This book
tells the history of the lifeboats that have served at Fowey and
Polkerris.
From the Celtic sea-farers to the Cutty Sark and the Royal Yacht
Britannia - Osborne and Armstrong champion great ships. Combining
the ships' histories with their involvement and significance in
Scottish life and imagination, this is a unique study of Scotland's
oft forgotten maritime legacy. Not just a book for ship
enthusiasts, this lavishly illustrated, highly accessible and
readable account of Scotland's great ships will capture your
imagination and leave you dreaming of life on the high seas.
Written by a man who has lived and sailed a great part of his life
in the waters around Chichester Harbour, this book aims to capture
the beauties and excitement of the place. It tells the history of
the region in a series of chapters, ranging from the arrival of the
Romans to the evacuation from Dunkirk, that recreate a series of
local incidents.
This work is a wide-ranging pictorial survey of the ports old and
new on both sides of the sea and the varied traffic between them -
including that to and from the Isle of Man - covers ferries, mail
ships, local services, cargo and cattle ships, tourism, cruising,
and much more.
This colourful history covers the SS United States' active service
from 1952 to 1969 when she dominated the seas of Atlantic, sweeping
all rivals before her. The astonishing operational capacity of this
national icon of the United States, with her red, white and blue
funnels, sleek streamlined hull and silver coated fittings, was
shrouded in secrecy in case she was ever required to be converted
to a troop carrier. Andrew Britton presents a revealing insight
into the record-breaking liner, how she performed in the secret sea
trials and her epic maiden voyage. Compiled from a wealth of
previously unpublished material, drawn from the author's own
unparalleled collection and others from around the world, this
special commemorative book is packed with historical colour
photography from both sides of the Atlantic, including the maiden
voyage departure from New York. This evocative book will be a must
for all shipping enthusiasts and is sure to enhance the fine
reputation of the preserved SS United States for future
generations.
From Orkney and Shetland to the north east coast, and from Fife to
Berwick, fishing boats have been an important part of the maritime
heritage of Scotland. The original designs of fishing vessels were
based on Viking ships, but by the early twentieth century,
scaffies, fifies and zulus were being replaced by more modern
craft, all of which are included in this charming collection of
fishing boats of Scotland. The future of the fishing industry in
Scotland cannot currently be termed as promising; successive EEC
rulings gave resulted in a large diminution of fleet, and this,
combined with a regime of ever-changing restrictions and rules,
have made it impossible to work with current legislation and still
be economically viable. However, the author hopes that there will
be those who, either due to faith and enterprise or simply for lack
of other opportunity, will continue to invest and continue as
generations of their forefathers have done before. This book
illustrates the vessels that played a past in the fishing industry
in Scotland, with 200 old photographs accompanied by informative
captions.
Written to replace and extend Torr's Ancient Ships, this generously
illustrated underwater Bible" traces the art and technology of
Mediterranean ships and seamanship from their first crude stages
(about 3000 B.C.) to the heyday of the Byzantine fleets. Originally
published in 1971. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest
print-on-demand technology to again make available previously
out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton
University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of
these important books while presenting them in durable paperback
and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is
to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in
the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press
since its founding in 1905.
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