- Hardcover: 972 pages
- Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr (November 1976)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0192115537
- ISBN-13: 978-0192115539
- Product Dimensions: 23.9 x 16.8 x 6.1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 1.5 Kg
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,014,370 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
'This is a first class work, written by an expert and it will proive truly invaluable - a 'must' for all thinking seamen, naval historians and students and all who have an interest in men and ships.' ___Nautical Magazine___
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
"I beg my dear will not be uneasy at my staying out so long," wrote Admiral Boscawen to his wife in 1756. "To be sure I lose the fruits of the earth, but then I am gathering the flowers of the sea." Filled with 3,700 entries and covering a span of over 5,000 years, The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea offers readers the opportunity to gather also the many flowers of the world's bountiful waters. From the days when man first ventured on the waters in his primitive canoe to the modern age of the nuclear submarine, the hydrofoil, and the ultra large crude oil carriers of half a million tons, this comprehensive Companion brings together the immense field of marine terminology in one easily accessible volume.
International in scope, the Companion ranges from the ships and the men who opened up the world with their voyages into the unknown, through the struggle of nations as they developed and recognized that power and prosperity depended on the excercise of sea power, to those who wrote about and painted the sea scene. And within this wide compass lie all sorts of maritime specialties such as the changing designs of ships to meet particular needs, the huge growth of yachting as modern men and women continue to find more and more delight, relaxation, and challenge in the wide spaces of the sea, and the modern developments in navigation which so greatly simplify the art of finding one's way at sea. Also covered is the rich language of the sea, developed over centuries into a well-recognized and accepted vernacular that binds together seamen of many countries making them a breed whose colorful language quickly identifies their trade. Terms such as mizen-mast (the mast of a square-rigged sailing ship or of a three-masted schooner), bucko'mate (the mate of a sail ship who drove his crew by the power of his fists), and six water grog (a punishment in the British Navy often inflicted on seamen found guilty of neglect or drunkeness in which their daily tot of rum was diluted with six parts of water instead of the normal three) are just a few examples of the sea's unique and diverse language. Definitions, and the derivation where known, are given for most words and terms used everyday at sea, and those which have fallen into disuse through technological development are also included, as they appear so frequently in the literature of the sea. Included as well are helpful appendices on naval ranks, international signal codes, rules of the sea (important lights, daymarks, and fog signals), buoys and buoyage, and equivalents of some common units of measure, making this is an invaluable reference tool for both land and sea.
Illustrated throughout, The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea is the definitive reference of the seafaring history of the world. From biographies of those who left their mark upon the sea to accounts of naval battles and histories of famous ships to lore, language, and customs of the sea, this outstanding volume will provide hours of pleasure for all those with a love of the sea and all things nautical. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Encyclopaedia of Ships and the Sea.,
By Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)
This review is from: The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (Paperback)
Every time I pick up this book I find myself being drawn into reading far more than was either planned or expected. It is a beguiling book because each fact explained seems to lead to another which must also be found and read. But, in turning the pages one is constantly hijacked by something of interest which has simply caught the eye - and so it continues.Laid out in true encyclopaedic form, this book contains almost one thousand pages of facts - many of which are supported by black and white graphics or photographs. The only exception is the colour used right at the end to show; Ships flags, ships lights, Buoys and Buoyage - all of which are, of course, wholly dependant on colour in order to be fully explained. The bookshelf of anyone engaged in the research of ships and shipwrecks would be empty without a copy of this excellent and most useful publication. NM
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best possible reference,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (Paperback)
With an encyclopedic format, this book provides the reader with a wide array of very well written definitions, explanations and anecdotal references to all things nautical. It also includes a significant amount of biographical information on sailors of historical renown and those of more recent times. It is written in such a way as to be captivating on its own - I often find myself looking up a nautical reference and then spending many more minutes or even hours engrossed in the book because of the other items I see when looking up the first. In each entry, the terms used to describe the entry are asterisked if those terms are further defined elsewhere in the book. I found this extremely useful for knowing where else to look for more information related to the particular entry reading. An excellent reference book for novice and expert.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An indispensable guide,
By syrup@ix.netcom.com (Santa Fe, New Mexico) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (Paperback)
I am a lay reader, not a student of nautical history, and I found this guide absolutely essential while reading the Aubrey-Maturin novels of Patrick O'Brian.
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