BOOK REVIEWS

Michael L. Hadley and Roger Sarty. Tin- comic-opera) and the telling observations Pots and Pirate : Canadian Naval of a German captain on the sorry Forces and German Sea Raiders 1880-1918. state of the Canadian navy in 1912. Kingston and Montreal: McGill-Queen's The second part, 1914-1916, documents University Press, 1991. xxvi + 391 pp., Great Britain's repeated dismissal of Ca• maps, photographs, bibliography, index. nada's pleas for help in establishing its own $34.95, cloth; ISBN 0-7735-0778-7. naval defence. Great Britain wanted men and, as with the army, got them. Canada, Here is an important book for serious with practically no resources of its own, study on the roots of Canada's defence received short shrift in the Admiralty's pri• policy as well as the early years of her orities. Three successful U-boat voyages to navy. It is a fascinating read. Co-authors the United States in 1916 are minutely Hadley and Sarty have previously made detailed. One of them calmly sank half a substantial contributions to our naval dozen merchant ships off Nantucket Light historiography. This book combines Sart/s while US Navy looked on, rais• expertise on Canadian naval policy and ing interesting niceties on neutrality and operations during World War I with law of the sea. Hadley's special knowledge of German With the stage set for a major assault naval policy and U-boat operations. It in North American waters, Part Three organizes a vast amount of material, much takes us through the unrestricted U-boat of it newly dredged, in a most effective warfare of 1917-18 and Canada's response. way. It introduces players not previously The patrols of the six U-boats are closely, noted in this context and presents revealing indeed intimately chronicled. The map views of many key characters, including showing "U-boat routes and sinkings 1918" Vice Admiral Charles Kingsmill and Dep• off the eastern seaboard could have been uty Minister Georges Desbarats. Moreover, made much more helpful to the reader had it brings to life the reactions of politicians it shown the tracks of the U-boats rather and the public to the march of events. than isolated, undated positions. Part One, from 1880 to 1914, covers Rising to the challenge, Canada's navy the great power alignments and some fasci• had blossomed by the summer of 1918 to nating background on German imperialist some 120 little ships. With the lack of clashes with the burgeoning United States, preparation, shoreside staff, resources and her designs on North America and turn-of- support, it is not surprising that they were the-century diplomatic intrigue. There are half-equipped, defect-ridden and their accounts of German intelligence gathering crews only partially trained. Still, the little and rumour-mongering in the United navy controlled shipping in coastal waters States and Canada (some verging on capably, escorted coastwise and ocean-

37 38 The Northern Mariner bound convoys and swept harbour small press run, the revisors noting that approaches for mines. Twenty-eight vessels "the book was so unusual at the time, it were sunk in Canadian waters by the U- represented a risky project in publishing boat "pirates" in the late summer of 1918, terms...and [they] restricted the extent of yet of these, most were fishing vessels, only the work...The full manuscript could not be two were substantial steamers, and not one published." (p. vii) Wartime bombing raids was sunk in convoy. on 22-23 November 1943 destroyed much That was the real measure of effective• of the Oberkommando der Marine, includ• ness of the ramshackle little navy. But it ing stocks of old documents from the was simply not understood. The press Imperial Marine, the Office of Technical reported wild rumours and howled over the Information Service, and the Research, loss of fishing vessels as naval officers in Invention and Patent Office. Thus the Halifax indulged in "pink teas." While revisors have had considerable trouble public and politicians hailed the army's checking Grôner's facts, especially from the victories, they contemptuously dismissed building programs of the 1930s and 1940s. their "tinpot" navy for failing to do what no Over a hundred tons of German naval one in Canada, or in Britain, had ever documents survived and were taken to Brit• given it the means to achieve. At war's end ain, not to be returned for researchers' they turned away from their navy once benefit until 1965. Thus it was not until more. 1966 that a first revised edition of the work Footnotes, bibliography and index are was produced, now divided into two vol• first rate. With this minutely chronicled umes, one on major , the other on work in hand one can far better understand and other vessels. This edition, the sad historical fact that, except in time published in German in 1983, has been ex• of later wars, the navy has never really cap• panded by about forty percent, with par• tured the support of Canadians. ticular attention to technical descriptions and development rationales for the Tony German classes. A rough version of Volume Two, Old Chelsea, Qu6bec produced in 1968, was also updated and released this past fall. Mr. Grôner died in Erich Groner (revised and expanded by 1965, leaving that work in its initial format. Dieter Jung and Martin Maass). German This edition is entirely in English. Warships 1815-1945. Volume One: Major While the book is primarily a reference Surface Vessels. Annapolis: Naval Institute tool, to be used to determine dates and Press, 1990. xii + 228 pp., drawings, tables, details of any ship that served Germany notes, abbreviations, index. US $49.95 or and its predecessor states as naval vessels, Cdn $68.50, cloth; ISBN 0-87021-790-9. it contains much that is intriguing, and Canadian distributor, Vanwell Publishing, certainly a wealth of technical minutia. The St. Catharines, Ontario. drawings of every class, from the sailing ceded to Prussia by Sweden at This book's German origins go back to the 1815 Congress of Vienna to the designs 1936, when Erich Groner first published for the projected massive "H Class" 1939 Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1936. that were never built, are Another version, with minor corrections, superb. Drawn to a constant scale of was issued in 1944. The original had a 1/1250, the smaller and earlier little ships Book Reviews 39 are really too small to be of much use Burkard Baron von Mullenheim-Rechberg except for comparisons. But the details of (trans. Jack Sweetman). the battle of World War I and the Bismarck: A Survivor's Story. New and large destroyers of World War II give suffi• expanded edition; Annapolis: Naval Insti• cient information for careful study, with at tute Press, 1980, 1990. xxi + 467 pp., maps, least one and often two plans provided. photographs, tables, appendices, bibliogra• Each class and ship is incorporated in phy, index. US $24.95, cloth; ISBN 0-87021- tables, covering its construction, propulsion, 027-0. Canadian distributor, Vanwell Pub• armament, handling characteristics, and (of lishing, St. Catharines, Ontario. particular value to historical writers) a brief summary of its career, which in most cases Robert D. Ballard with Rick Archbold. The means just giving classifications and the Discovery of the Bismarck. Markham, ONT: final end of each. Propulsion and arma• Viking/Madison Press, 1990.232 pp., maps, ment details are extensive, and the Jane's- photographs, paintings, diagrams, appendix, style tables are useful and authoritative. In index. $40, cloth; ISBN 0-670-83587-0. particular, earlier small gunboats, "torpedo steamers" (1874-1876) and pre-World War In May 1941, most of Europe had fallen I torpedo boats, as well as vessels that under Hitler's control; Britain stood alone preceded the German federation of 1871, against the German juggernaut. Apart from had not previously been well documented the sinking of Graf Spee, the repulse of the in English. The careers of vessels seized by Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain and some the Germans in the Netherlands, France, minor naval triumphs, there was little Italy and elsewhere in 1940-1943 are briefly encouragement for the beleaguered British covered, making this a comprehensive people. When the BBC announced on 24 reference volume. Of considerable interest May that HMS Hood, the pride of the are detailed plans for seven aircraft car• , had been sunk by the German riers, none of which ever progressed to any battleship Bismarck, the universal British extent except Graf Zeppelin which, although reaction was appalled silence. largely completed, never had a chance to Three days later, Bismarck was herself launch an aircraft. sunk by the Royal Navy. The senior sur• While the organization of the chapters vivor was Burkard Baron von Miillenheim- is a bit confusing, page header references Rechberg, a Lieutenant Commander and and an extensive index make for easy Bismarck's Fourth Gunnery Officer. He searching. A useful note for writers: the later became West Germany's consul gen• authors give dates for the various forms of eral in Toronto and eventually an ambassa• the German Navies (Kaiserliche Marine— dor in the West Indies. In 1975, after he 18n-1918;~l921-1934;Kriegs- retired, he decided to write an account of marine--1934-1945). And now we have the the birth, life and death of Bismarck. The resurgent Bundesmarine. For those with a first edition in English translation was particular naval interest, this is a most published in 1980. This is a new and greatly valuable specialised book. expanded edition of that book. This must be one of the most gripping F.M. McKee sea stories ever written. Beginning with the Markdale, Ontario commissioning and work-up in the Baltic, life on board the magnificent battleship is 40 The Northern Mariner described in detail. Then the terrible drama of Titanic in 1985, relating his experiences unfolds. Bismarck, accompanied by Prinz in a best-selling book. At a book fair in Eugen, embarked on Exercise Rhine, a raid Germany he met the Baron and this gave on British convoys in the north Atlantic. him the idea for his next underwater chal• The departure from home waters, the pass• lenge, the discovery of Bismarck. age north of Iceland to the Denmark Strait, Using the same underwater camera the tracking by cruisers HMS Norfolk and vehicle which revealed Titanic, he suc• Suffolk and the tragic meeting with the ceeded in finding Bismarck three miles Hood and Prince of Wales culminate in beneath the surface of the Atlantic, six Hood's violent destruction. Victory, hundred miles west of Brest. This led to euphoria, doubt, despair, hope and finally The Discovery of the Bismarck, an attractive a rendezvous in a bloody battle against and informative book. The progress of the impossible odds end the life of Bismarck. search over a hundred square miles of Her active service had lasted nine days. ocean floor is interwoven with Bismarck's When Bismarck sank, more than one history from creation to spectacular end. thousand out of a total complement of Excellent photographs, diagrams, maps, 2,200 crew were estimated to be struggling charts, paintings and fold-outs, most in full in the oil-covered sea. The cruiser Dor• colour, are spread throughout the book. chester and the Maori rescued Perhaps the most haunting are the paint• 110. Then the RN ships, all very short of ings of Bismarck as she lies on the bottom. fuel, headed for the . The text is based on independent research Rescue by ropes and ladders was difficult as well as on the Baron's book. Rick Arch- and time consuming and there were no bold, a Canadian editor and writer, assisted scramble nets. Submarines were concen• Dr. Ballard in the research, writing and trating in the area and a fleet of Luftwaffe organization of this fascinating account. bombers had been promised. Five survivors This is just the beginning of a whole were rescued later by German vessels. new era of exploration, the systematic The sinking of Bismarck had a decisive investigation of the ocean floor by remote- effect on the ; no controlled vehicles. Some survivors olHood longer could German surface forces under• and Bismarck believe that Bismarck should take large-scale operations of any duration. have been left alone. There is no doubt It was at this point that the first edition of that sooner or later all such sites be the book ended. The new and expanded visited. So far there has been no loss of edition includes the Baron's experiences as reverence for a war grave; indeed, a spirit a prisoner of war, mostly in Bowmanville of veneration for the lost in Hood and Camp in Ontario. It is enlightening to learn Bismarck has been vividly awakened. from an ex-prisoner how our POW camps The Discovery of the Bismarck com• appeared from the inside. Throughout the plements Battleship Bismarck. It is a fitting expanded edition the Baron comments companion to one of the most thrilling freely on Hitler and National Socialism. sagas of the sea, a remarkable chapter in The translation is excellent; this book could the history of World War II. become a classic of maritime history. Dr. Robert Ballard, distinguished mar• L.B. Jenson ine geologist with the Woods Hole Océano• Queensland, Nova Scotia graphie Institution, discovered the remains Book Reviews 41

Giinther Hessler (ed. Ministry of Defence tion service. There was no other source [Navy], intro. Andrew J. Withers). The U- quite like it at the time. Though a wealth Boat War in the Atlantic. Facsimile edition; of studies and exposes have subsequently London: HMSO, 1989. xi + x + 151 pp., shed much light on this major conflict, maps, index, diagrams. US $49.95, cloth; Hessler's work remains important. One ISBN 0-11-772603-6. American distributor, feature in particular is especially valuable: UNIPUB, Lanham, MD. the five colour-coded spreadsheets of U- boat operations and deployments covering Archive moles will recognize Hessler's the whole Atlantic war. book as an old, once classified, acquaint• The "Introduction to the English Ver• ance. Now translated and revised in a pro• sion" explains that this "study of the ject jointly-sponsored by the British Admi• methods with which the Germans succeed• ralty and the US Navy, this superbly bound ed in inflicting [their] enormous casualties and boxed volume adds much detail and is important to-day." The reason, it pro• lore to the German perspective of the claims with a rattle of sabres, lies in the Battle of the Atlantic. For it is specifically purely practical value of history: "in an the German view which is presented, an unsettled world the persists as a achievement which has an intriguing his• dangerous weapon which others—having tory. In 1945, the Admiralty commissioned learned the lessons—may one day use as an U-boat skipper and submarine staff officer instrument of world domination." Whether Giinther Hessler (the son-in-law of Grand the Ministry feared the post-perestroika Admiral Karl Donitz) to write the German Soviet fleet or that of a united Germany is account of the naval war. With access to not clear. Unfortunately, the book is not the requisite war diaries and documents- without its serious shortcomings, for the except, of course, to "Ultra" intercepts and Ministry has failed to grasp the difference similar evidence that remained classified between an in-house government document for many years-he completed his wide- and a usable scholarly book. Having decid• ranging analysis. The result was an unpre• ed to reproduce a marketable Hessler, it cedented specialist's guide to problems and should have engaged professional historians conditions "on the other side of the hill." to work according to recognized standards. Against the background of his magis• Not having done so, the editing and updat• terial unravelling of submarine plans and ing is sporadic and confused, and the deployments, Hessler addressed a number organisation awkward. The amateurish of issues that specialists had not fully index is symptomatic of the book's prob• grasped. He revealed the complexities of lems. Foe example, there is no entry for Germany's submarine strategy; he com• the Anthenia, though the book accords a mented on critical technical problems such whole section to this famous incident. as faulty torpedoes and leaking exhaust There is not a single entry for "torpedo," vents that caused the loss of submerged though one does find something under "T- submarines; he shed light on the impossi• 5" and "T-l" (the German designation for bility of U-boat intervention at Dunkirk, on the two types of acoustic torpedoes); nor is the difficulties of communication between one helped by consulting "mines," though submarines and aircraft, on Germany's the specialist will gain a nudge in the right surprise at the Torch landings, and on the direction by consulting "SMA" "TMB" and role of Germany's "B-Dienst" radio decryp• "TMC" (the German designations for 42 The Northern Mariner

moored and ground mines). Nor are there made to Japan's incursion into the Indian entries under either radio or receivers or Ocean in 1942 and the role of the British direction-finding; the index does, however, Pacific Fleet in the closing period of the provide some clues to such electronics campaign. Scant mention is made of the ex• under the German code-words "Presskohle," tensive use of carriers in other theatres, and "Grenzwellenempfdnger." There is noth• especially the development and use of es• ing under "spies," although the German cort carriers in the Atlantic. Post-war cue-word "Pastorius" points to the secret carrier-based aviation is dealt with in a operation for landing German spies by sub• similar cursory way. marine on the US Atlantic coast. (The The simplistic approach is compounded book fails to acknowledge the spy landings by some errors of fact and consistency, in Canada.) One could go on. Warships especially when dealing with the Royal destroyed by U-boats are listed in an Ap• Navy and the Fleet Air Arm. These points pendix as either "Allied" or "American;" are minor, however, compared to the treat• among the "Allied" it is mere chance ment meted out to the admirals. With the whether Canadians are correctly identified. exception of Yamamoto, Mitscher and Hal- None of this should surprise Canadian sey, Hoyt is scathing in his characterization readers, and of course, none is Hessler's of most, whether Japanese or American. fault. Indeed, German scholars are now Whether they all deserve to be dismissed as preparing a German edition that will "timid," "cautious" or "shy" is debatable, address these shortcomings while preserv• especially Admiral Spruance, whose abil• ing the integrity of the original document. ities were demonstrated in the handling of Until then, this special edition will fill an the US carriers at Midway in 1942. By important gap in the specialist's library. comparison, the mauling suffered by US carriers under the command of Vice Michael L. Hadley Admiral Kincaid, "a fighting man" (p. 114), Victoria, British Columbia at the Battle of Santa Cruz in October 1942 draws no comment. Edwin P. Hoyt. Carrier Wars: Naval Avi• Overall, the book lacks the objectivity, ation from World War II to the Persian breadth and depth one would expect from Gulf. London: Robert Hale, 1990. x + 274 its title. Major personalities are portrayed, pp., photographs, notes, bibliography, usually unflatteringly, as two-dimensional index. £14.95, cloth; ISBN 0-7090-4018-0. cartoon characters. It lacks the maps needed to make the campaigns more com• This is the British edition of a book first prehensible. It would also have benefitted published in the United States by McGraw from a more representative and original Hill. One wonders why the British pub• selection of photographs; those used are lisher bothered to invest in it. almost all well-known and in one case in• The book purports to cover the evol• correctly captioned. As a balanced treat• ution of carrier-borne naval aviation from ment of the development of carrier-borne 1939 to the late 1980s. The title is a conceit aviation during the last fifty years, this given that almost two hundred pages focus book is a disappointment. exclusively on American and Japanese car• rier operations in the Pacific after the Christopher J. Terry attack on Pearl Harbor. Brief reference is Ottawa, Ontario Book Reviews 43

Ken Macpherson. of the grams and for the Algerine class, diagrams Royal Canadian Navy 1938-1945. St. Cath• of the internal arrangement for each deck arines, ONT: Vanwell Publishing Limited, are also provided. Unfortunately, space 1990. ix + 110 pp., photographs, photo constraints make the labelling difficult to credits, tables, figures, bibliography, index. read. Macpherson also provides some very $27.95, cloth; ISBN 0-920277-55-1. brief introductory comments about mine• sweepers in general, and about the practi• This photograph album about RCN mine• cal matter of minesweeping in World War sweepers is the latest product of Mr. Mac- II. Within its specific topic, this is a useful pherson's abiding interest in the ships of book for the serious student of naval his• the Canadian Navy. Less detailed than his tory, and a pleasant collection for the The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces, this is veteran or younger enthusiast. a companion to his other photographic col• lections. In providing his photo credits, William Glover which for a work of this nature are as es• Ottawa, Ontario sential as footnotes to a text, Macpherson writes that "books on the war at sea have a John Lambert and Al Ross. Allied Coastal distressing tendency to contain few—and Forces of World War II. Volume I: Fairmile hackneyed—illustrations of ships. In this Designs and US Submarine Chasers. Lon• book, as in the earlier one on , my don: Conway Maritime Press, 1990. 256 primary purpose has been to present pp., line drawings, photographs, tables, photos seldom or never before published- appendices, bibliography, index. £35, cloth; consistent, of course, with quality." (p. 108) ISBN 0-85117-519-5. He has succeeded. For the major classes of minesweepers he provides at least two The story of the Allied coastal craft of photographs of every ship along with brief World War II is a fascinating but complex details of its construction, wartime career, saga which has been confused by the scraps and disposal. The pictures tell an inter• of misinformation and myth attached to it. esting story about camouflage. An unusual This is a natural: the history of wartime photograph of HMCS Grandmere shows coastal forces-basically the history of the design outlined but not yet completed, young men in fast boats-is the type of (p. 51) Standard patterns might be mod• dramatic subject that attracts the notice of ified by different shades of dark and light journalists, popular historians and filmmak• paint. West coast ships experimented with ers. One only has to the think of the atten• jigsaw patterns. The pictures also provide tion accorded Lieutenant John F. Kennedy small details, such as an Oerlikon platform and his PT-109 to be reminded of this fact. (p. 82), as well as larger ones, such as a Unfortunately, this concentration on the close-up of HMCS Ingonish, ice-clad in dramatic has obscured rather than illumi• Halifax harbour (p. 43), which reveals the nated the subject, especially the technical layout of the upper decks. For a new gen• aspects of allied coastal forces. eration of naval historians who have never Lambert and Ross have set out to strip seen these ships, even in post-war configur• the mystery and confusion from Allied ations, these pictures will be especially coastal craft of World War II and have useful for providing the detail of shipboard gone about this in a thoroughly profession• arrangements. For one of the Bangor pro• al manner. This volume, the first in what 44 The Northern Manner will ultimately be a three-volume study, is affect modellers more than general readers primarily devoted to the products of the or historians. Fortunately the authors have Fairmile Corporation including the A, B, C made most of their drawings available and D types and, although not strictly separately on large-scale sheets. I would germane but of great interest, the Fairmile also have liked a more extensive listing of wooden Infantry and Land• the archival sources and technical pam• ing Craft Support types. Also included are phlets used. None of these criticisms, how• the US 110-foot type ever, detracts from what is a fine piece of and that most graceful and useful of coastal work and one well worth the asking price. craft, the seventy-two foot Harbour The authors inform us that the second Defence Motor Launch. The methodology volume will be devoted to the Vosper will be familiar to readers of the "Anatomy seventy-foot MTB types and the third to of the Ship" series and includes a history of the seminal British Power Boat seventy- the design, development and service of foot MTB and its descendants. If these each type accompanied by numerous plans, volumes are up to this standard, the com• photographs, and line drawings. pleted trilogy will constitute the standard Yet there is more here than detailed technical history of coastal forces for the descriptions of types of coastal craft. The foreseeable future. For now, this present authors have included separate studies of volume is a required reference source for selected weapons systems and equipment, anyone interested in allied coastal forces. including very useful accounts of radar, camouflage, and depot ships as well as Donald E. Graves appendices that include production analysis, Ottawa, Ontario materials consumption, service summaries and the results of trials. Finally, there is a Brian Nolan and Jeffrey Street. Champagne fascinating description of surviving Navy: Canada's Small Boat Raiders of the examples of coastal force craft and their Second World War. Mississauga, ONT: postwar use around the world. In short, this Random House Canada, 1991. ix + 260 book actually constitutes a technical history pp., maps, photographs, appendix, bibli• of coastal forces. ography, index. $27, cloth; ISBN 0-394- There is much to interest the Canadian 22141-9. reader. Lambert and Ross give due cover• age to the Canadian Fairmile B type, the Early in World War II, the Royal Canadian CML, which rendered yeoman service on Navy lacked ready resources for training both coasts during the war. They include a and utilizing volunteer reserve officers who detailed list of craft, shipyards and service were called up or enlisted for active ser• and make special mention of the CMLs vice. Many were, in consequence, sent that were provided on Lend-Lease to the overseas on loan to the Royal Navy. US Navy. The Fairmile D type, manned by At the time, the RN had a "big ship" the Canadian 65th MTB Flotilla and Cana• mentality that gave little credence to the dian flotillas in the RN, is mentioned pro• utility of small, fast motor torpedo boats minently in the text. and motor gunboats. Disparagers of the I have some minor criticisms. Some de• light, vulnerable, uncomfortable craft tails are unclear because of the scale of the deployed as coastal forces were prone to plans and drawings, a problem that will call them "costly farces." This attitude Book Reviews 45 changed when the Germans and Italians decisive influence. The RN had been cast• proved that the speedy, highly-manoeuvr• ing covetous eyes on the pool of talent in able small craft carried a deadly sting and the sizable fleet of B-class Fairmile motor were effective in sea combat at close range. launches (MLs) deployed in Canadian Grudgingly, the RN raised the priority of coastal defence. Whatever the imperative to motor boat construction and assigned eager form the 29th and 65th flotillas with Brit• young officers, mostly volunteer reservists, ish-built boats, the RCN drew upon its ML many with yachting experience, to the fleet for most of the officers and ratings MTBs and MGBs. Among those appointed, needed to man them, and the crews per• a number of the Canadians serving with the formed with distinction. RN were to become combat aces. This is essentially a chronicle of daring Champagne Navy is about the Cana• and danger, victory and sacrifice. It reveals dians in motor boats who engaged in a side of RCN operations that deserves to bloody, bitter actions in the English Chan• be remembered with pride. Young readers nel and Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, in particular will identify with the youthful harassing the enemy and supporting in• MTB crews who flirted with death when• vasion landings while establishing reputa• ever they set out on night-time missions tions for daring leadership and outstanding across the English Channel. initiative. Their success, related in the first half of the book, influenced the RCN in its George Schuthe decision to form two flotillas of MTBs, Ottawa, Ontario manned exclusively by Canadians. The second half is an account of the forays of John T. Mason, Jr. (ed.). The Atlantic War the 29th and 65th Canadian flotillas against Remembered: An Oral History Collection. E-boats and strongly-escorted convoys, and Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1990. xxi their supporting role in the Normandy + 457 pp., maps, photographs, appendices, invasion. Though many of the stories have bibliography, index. US $29.95, Cdn. $47.95, been told before, the authors have col• cloth; ISBN 0-87021-523-X. Canadian lected them, along with new material, in an distributor, Vanwell Publishing, St. Catha• exciting narrative. Readers of Hero: The rines, Ontario. Buzz Beurling Story and Tlte Parachute Ward: A Canadian Surgeon's Wartime While this book is very definitely about the Adventures in Yugoslavia will recognize the European War, as opposed to the Pacific repertorial style. Once begun, the book is war (the subject of which forms a compan• hard to put aside. ion volume), its title is misleading: it is a The appellation "Champagne Navy" collection of thirty-seven chapters based on alludes to the RN and RCN "in their best the editor's interviews between 1959 and vintage years." It also intimates that service 1988 of twenty-eight people whose mem• in MTBs and MGBs was a heady experi• ories of World War II are recorded in the ence, often leaving a monumental hang• oral history collection of the United States over. One could wish that the authors had Naval Institute. Anyone who expects to find more fully developed the background to the very much about the Atlantic War will be formation of the two Canadian MTB flo• greatly disappointed and will probably tillas. The success of individual Canadians thank God for Admiral Dan Gallery, who in RN coastal forces was not alone the provides the single transcribed tape which 46 The Northern Mariner even mentions U-boats. Apart from this some of the transcripts are difficult to read, misnomer, the book contains a great deal disjointed, and lacking in clarity to the that is of interest and value. point of confusion. He has lost far more The book ranges from interviews with than he has gained through the misapplica• the three women who founded and directed tion of interview techniques. A classic the WAVES, SPARS, and Marine Corps example of this is to be found in the Women's Reserve, through those with middle of p. 245, and confusion of this sort Admiral Kent Hewitt, commander of the is the book's major flaw. US Naval assault forces of Operation Some errors of fact have not been HUSKY and Operation DRAGOON, to purged from the transcripts either. Admiral Admiral Alan Kirk flying his flag in the Harry Felt tells of his mission to Russia in USS Augusta off Omaha and Utah beaches 1944 and (p. 250) says that an aircraft that on 6 June, 1944, as CTF-122. Each group he thought was a B-36 had gone down in of interviews is preceded by a brief infor• the Russian maritime provinces. One would mative capsule history by the editor about expect even a naval aviator to be aware the period, the people and the topic to that the first flight of the XB-36 took place follow, thus providing historical continuity. in 1946 and that the aircraft did not enter Many of the chapters are not directly squadron service until 1947! concerned with naval actions. Some discuss Careful reading of the text reveals the technology, such as the development of extent and source of the animosity between radar (Admiral Horacio Rivera, Jr.), air• Admirals Kirk and Ramsay during D-Day craft procurement (Cdr. E.E. Wilson), planning and operations and the conflicting, mine and bomb disposal (Admirals Waters indeed diametrically opposed, opinions of and Kauffman), and salvage operations and Admirals Kirk and Hall regarding the harbour clearance (Admiral Sullivan). quality of British staff work. Hall's com• Others treat clandestine intelligence oper• ment regarding General Montgomery, that ations (Admiral Jerrauld Wright), semi- "it was amusing to see how cocky some diplomatic duties in Russia (Admirals people can get when they've been told they Frank and Olsen) and the nightmarish duty are great men," (p. 382) certainly confirms of organizing the Yalta conference the well-known fact that all was not sweet• (Admirals Olsen and Smith). Indeed, many ness and light in the upper echelons of the of the varied and untold behind-the-scenes Anglo-American alliance. stories of the organization of the "great The transcripts are neither humourless endeavour" are represented here. nor dry and pedantic. Admiral Kirk's ac• One must quarrel, however, with the count of the staff meeting with Winston editor's method of treating this gold-mine Churchill at No. 10 Downing Street to of historical material. He explains in his discuss the date for the Normandy land• preface that "in order to make the reading ings, when Churchill posed the question of the transcript flow more freely the ques• "Well, what I would like to know is, when tions of the interviewer have been elimin• did William cross?" (p. 358), is hilarious ated, but the context of the question is in• and almost worth the price of the book! variably incorporated in the answer obtain• And one wonders whether even Admiral ed." (p. xviii) In my view, as a clinical King, lodged in the Czarina's boudoir at psychologist of some experience, he has Yalta, dared shave with a blowtorch! achieved exactly the opposite! As a result, Printed and published to the usual Book Reviews AI superior standards of the Naval Institute unexpectedly into war. Drawing upon a Press on acid-free paper, this otherwise range of sources-documents from the fine book suffers from poor editing and a Naval Historical Center in Washington, lack of proofreading. More attention to ships' logs and muster rolls from the these details would certainly have swept the National Archives, unpublished diaries and "unexposed" mines (p. 136), allowed Krut- manuscripts, interviews with surviving chmer to become Kretchmer again (p. 43) participants, published books and articles- and restored to "the HMS Vernon" its Steady Nerves and Stout Hearts meticulously rightful title, (p. 43) reconstructs a small part of the larger story of Pearl Harbor. James C. Lawless The book is illustrated with many ex• Ottawa, Ontario cellent official US Navy and Army Signal Corps photographs from the National Ar• Robert J. Cressman and J. Michael Wen- chives and the Naval Imaging Command ger. Steady Nerves and Stout Hearts: The and with pictures from private sources. The Enterprise (CV6) Air Group and Pearl authors have scrupulously treated photo• Harbor, 7 December 1941. Missoula, Mon• graphs as historical documents, selecting tana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Com• images which are, wherever possible, taken pany, 1989. viii + 72 pp., maps, photo• at the same time as the events being graphs, tables, notes, bibliography, index. described in the adjacent text; the extensive US $9.95, paper; ISBN 0-929521-25-0. captions are both accurate and informative. The attractive layout by Cressman presents On 7 December, 1941, USS Enterprise the photographs in the form of either (CV6) was returning to Pearl Harbor after quarter or half-page plates on high-quality ferrying Grumman F4F-3s to Wake Island. semi-gloss paper, making the book a visual The "Big E's," Douglas SBD-2s of VS-6 pleasure. Unfortunately, the cartography and VB-6, arrived over Oahu just in time leaves something to be desired, particularly to be shot at by friend and foe alike; six of the rather murky map of Oahu. (p. 13) their eighteen aircraft were lost. Later that "The four pilots brought their F4F-3s evening, nervous American gunners down• into position for launch. At that instant, ed five of the six Grumman F4F-3s of VF-6 one of the plane handlers held up a small as they tried to land at Ford Island. "What chalkboard with the words: JAPS ATTACK the hell goes on here?" asked Enterprise's PEARL HARBOR with an expletive added Air Group Commander. It was, and to lend authenticity to the announcement remains, a fair question, which Cressman .enterprise launched her CAP into a stiff and Wenger attempt to answer. east-north-easterly wind at 0915, just three "It is not our intention," state the minutes after a message arrived in the car• authors, "to present yet another overview of rier's radio room to execute War Plan 46 what occurred on that day, as the 50th against Japan." This is history from the anniversary draws near, nor to debate at bottom up, well worth the modest price of whose fleet blame rests." The result is what Steady Nerves and Stout Hearts. they modestly describe as a "small unit history" showing how the Japanese attack Peter Robertson affected the men of the Enterprise Air Ottawa, Ontario Group who found themselves thrust so 48 The Northern Mariner

Arthur J. Marder, Mark Jacobsen and John published is a tribute to the devotion and Horsfield. Old Friends, New Enemies: Tlie persistence of Marder's wife Jan (until her Royal Navy and the Imperial Japanese own death in 1985) and many old friends, Navy. Volume II: The Pacific War 1942- as well as to the skills and courage of his 1945. London: Clarendon Press, 1990. xxx former doctoral students, Mark Jacobsen + 621 pp., maps, appendix, photographs, and John Horsfield. Few scholars could bibliography, index. £40 and US $110, have faced a more daunting prospect, with cloth; ISBN 0-19-820150-8. their master's towering ghost and reputa• tion so clearly at hand. Marder had com• Arthur Marder was undeniably the modern pleted an initial draft covering develop• Royal Navy's premier chronicler and in• ments to April 1942. This appears as Chap• deed one of this century's greatest histor• ters 1-6 and an Appendix on RN prisoners ians. His many books tracing the RN's of war. But beyond a very rough outline progress from the late nineteenth century that generally categorised his notes, letters through the ages of "Jacky" Fisher and and scraps of paper into Parts 1, 2 or 3, he Winston Churchill, especially his monu• left no instructions regarding his intentions. mental to Scapa Flow, set That Jacobsen and Horsfield have so suc• standards of scholarly presentation and cessfully completed their task, including humane learning against which all naval generous doses of the Marder "touch," writings continue to be judged. When speaks volumes about how well they under• shortly before his death in 1981, Marder stood their mentor. finished the first volume of Old Friends, Their remarkable collaboration in re• New Enemies, subtitled Strategic Illusions, counting the story from Japan's initial suc• 1936-1941, his many admirers marvelled at cesses in early 1942, the collapse of Allied the seeming ease with which he moved into defences in the Dutch East Indies and what were for him largely uncharted waters Singapore, the Java Sea fight, the avoidance of Japanese affairs and World War II in of total defeat and then holding the line in the Pacific. The result was another classic: the Indian Ocean, to the eventual creation an exhaustively researched and well-struc• of the Pacific Fleet and its part in Japan's tured analysis that blended diverse ques• ultimate defeat provides the first compre• tions of policy, doctrine, technology and hensive account of these too often ignored personalities into a compelling narrative. events. Because of their decision initially to His treatment of RN-IJN relations from work only with Marder's research mater• the 1921 Washington naval treaties through ials, some of Jacobsen's and Horsfield's the first years of the Pacific War to the findings have been overtaken by specialist destruction of Force Z {Prince of Wales treatments of specific issues published since and Repulse) in December 1941 portrayed 1981, although theses are acknowledged clearly both fleets' strengths and defects, and incorporated in their comprehensive demonstrating that neither had a monopoly treatment. Most of the volume's new on vague strategic or operational thought. insights or materials concern Admirals It was a fitting epilogue to a remarkable Somerville and Fraser and their difficulties career. But the question remained: would both with the enemy and their own • its important but unfinished companion vol• ters, including Churchill and Mountbatten. ume ever see the light of day? This volume is also much more con• That it has been completed and now sciously than its predecessor a history of Book Reviews 49 the Royal Navy in the Pacific. Marder him• thin essay on Britain's Royal Navy, self encountered serious problems of bal• although the editor has skilfully closed the ance in his comparative approach because most obvious gaps in his introduction. of major quantitative and qualitative differ• Most of the authors share a similar ences between British and Japanese re• sophisticated and penetrating approach. cords and the well-known reticence of Ja• Tales of great battles take second place to panese veterans to testify frankly about more fundamental questions concerning the their experiences and personal views. As security (or successful interdiction) of Marder was never able to complete his maritime communications over the long- planned researches in Japan, his successors haul. What ultimately mattered was staying wisely decided to treat the UN only as and power: economic strength and its applica• when it collided with the RN. Even so, the tion through effective organization of chapters devoted to Japanese grand strat• material resources, human talent and infor• egy, inter-service, intra-Axis and civil-mili• mation. Although capital ships and fleet tary relations and operational methods are actions receive due attention, there is among the best explanations of the Japan• greater emphasis on subtler or less glamor• ese "Way in Warfare" available in English. ous technology and techniques, such as In their concluding chapter, the authors sonar, radar, signals intelligence, operations retrace the entire story, setting the record research, control of merchant shipping and of both navies' accomplishments and fail• production of minor warships and mer• ures within the broader context of the chant vessels. Less striking than the success entire global war. It is a brilliant summa• of Britain and the United States, which had tion of the limits of naval and human the most advanced navies with the greatest power that no student of war can afford to depth of scientific and industrial support ignore, and as such, the appropriate from the outbreak of war, is the failure of capstone to Arthur Marder's final work. the Japanese and German fleets and the shortcomings of the Soviet navy. In each Barry D. Hunt case, rather paradoxically, ideologies that Kingston, Ontario were at once collectivist and celebrated warrior heroes failed to achieve the organ• James J. Sadkovich (ed.). Reevaluating ization within and without the service that Major Naval Combatants of World War II. would have harnessed and unleashed indi• Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1990. xxii vidual talent most effectively. + 203 pp., bibliography, index. US $42.95, These assessments are far removed cloth; ISBN 0-313-26149-0. from chauvinistic characterizations orig• inating in wartime attitudes and the cir• The eight essays in this volume~on the cumstances of the Cold War. One of the United States, British, Canadian, Japanese, strengths of this collection is the effort to French, German, Italian and Soviet navies- understand each navy in terms of its own make for an enjoyable and worthwhile archives and the relevant national historio• read. Each author succeeds in presenting graphy. This yields some of the most inter• new research within the context of historio• esting results in the Italian and French graphy and key events, and expends no cases. The editor's contribution on Italy more than a readily digestible twenty pages very effectively sets out its achievements—a in doing so. The one disappointment is the not insubstantial contribution to the Battle 50 The Northern Mariner of the Atlantic and the successful convoying Britain's pathbreaking innovations in tac• of supplies to the Axis armies in Africa tics, training and technology. As for the while tying down much of the British capi• fecklessness of allies and the generally un- tal fleet in the Mediterranean for over supportive domestic political environment three years—alongside enormous disadvan• that contributed to the RCN's difficulties, tages, including antagonistic allies, weak we should keep in mind the experience of capabilities in technological innovation, and the Italians and French. chronic shortages of torpedoes and fuel. Claude Huan, himself a veteran of the war• Roger Sarty time service he discusses, sets forth con• Ottawa, Ontario vincingly the agony endured by the French navy after the German conquest of 1940. Michael A. Palmer. Origins of Maritime Navies, after all, exist to serve states, and Strategy: The Development of American despite the occupation, the French fleet Naval Strategy, 1945-1955. Annapolis: Naval had to preserve it as best it could including Institute Press, 1990. xiv + 154 pp., maps, the maintenance of the overseas depart• photographs, bibliography, index. US ments and the convoying of life-sustaining $19.95, hardcover; ISBN 0-87021-667-8. supplies to the metropolitan population. In Canadian distributor, Vanwell Publishing, this light, Admiral Darlan's refusal to rally St. Catharines, Ontario. to the British in the summer of 1940 calls to mind Churchill's chilly reaction at the In a compact, well-written book, Michael same time when Roosevelt calmly A. Palmer illustrates the surprising degree explained that American assistance to to which the 's current Britain would be wasted and that the wisest maritime strategy parallels American naval course was to turn the Royal Navy over to doctrine of the immediate postwar period. the United States, in return for the assur• Employing the maxim that a good offence ance that the it would some day attempt to is the best defence, US Navy strategy in liberate the United Kingdom. both the 1945-55 and post-1977 eras has Marc Milner's searching essay demon• refused to abdicate any wartime naval strates that he and other Canadian scholars initiative to a potential Soviet adversary. are on the cutting edge of international Instead, the US Navy plans to carry the historiography. In the context of this vol• war right to the enemy's doorstep, utilizing ume, his excellent survey suggests some to greatest advantage its air strike, amphi• fresh perspectives. If the RCN's perform• bious and submarine forces to attack ance was often disappointing, we should naval/military/industrial targets along the keep in mind that the standard against Soviet littoral to protect the vulnerable which it has been judged was that of the western sea lines of communication. two most successful navies. On the other For Palmer, it all has a sense of deja hand, the RCN's great expansion loses vu. He relates how at the close of World some of its legendary quality considering War II the USN lacked a clear potential that Canada's was one of only two major enemy and thus had lost its sense of coher• national economies for which World War II ent strategic doctrine. "Big Navy" sup• was a positive boom. Moreover, we had porters were uneasy with the global "polic• privileged access to both the American ing" role inherited from the Royal Navy. economy, the greatest in the world, and Desperately seeking serious alternatives, Book Reviews 51

American naval strategists seemed to find address more of the pertinent issues of the salvation in the onset of the Cold War with times. He barely mentions the Korean War the Soviets in 1945-46. and any effects it had on overall US naval Indeed, these were difficult days for planning. Related to this is his almost total the USN. Budgetary restraint, inter- and neglect of Communist China and the role intra-service rivalry (what Palmer refers to it might have played in an American-Soviet as the "Battle of Washington") and lack of war. Finally, the whole issue of Soviet naval a clear raison d'être all had depressing strength is treated very casually. Informa• effects. Enter Vice-Admiral Forrest P. tion on Soviet submarine strength~a threat Sherman, Deputy CNO (1946-47) and later so often referred to in the book—is very CNO (1949-51), who is credited by Palmer sketchy. Nor is any use made of Soviet with rekindling a sense of "mission" in the sources, though the writings of Admiral service. With his forward, "transoceanic" Sergei G. Gorshkov could provide valuable strategy, the USN would be relevant again insight into what it was the USN might and could act as the nation's "first line of have been up against if the maritime strat• defence." In justifying his bold new ap• egy had ever been put into operation. proach, Sherman remarked that "the worst place to protect a convoy is at the convoy. Serge Durflinger The worst place to protect a city from air Verdun, Quebec attack is at the city. The best place is at the bases [sic] from which the airplane or sub• Gerald Segal. T)\e Soviet Union and the marine comes." (p. 79) The details provided Pacific. London: Royal Institute of Interna• strong deployments for the Norwegian, tional Affairs and Boston: Unwin Hyman, Mediterranean, Arabian and Yellow Seas, 1990. xiii + 236 pp., figures, notes, biblio• the Persian Gulf and the north Pacific. The graphical note, index. US $14.95, paper; planning involved conventional (and poss• ISBN 0-04-445814-2 ibly nuclear) air strikes on airfields, depots, naval bases and shipyards as well as shore Derek da Cunha. Soviet Naval Power in the bombardment, mining operations, amphibi• Pacific. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 1990. ous raiding, submarine forays and ASW xi + 284 pp., photographs, tables, maps, sweeps. Carrier air power was confidently figures, bibliography, index. US $35, cloth; considered the key to all offensive as well ISBN 1-55587-176-3. as fleet protection missions. By the mid-1950s, Palmer explains, In July 1986, Mikhail Gorbachev launched United States strategic doctrine evolved the Soviet Union's most ambitious Pacific with the technical changes in Soviet long- initiative during a speech in Vladivostok. range delivery systems. Enforced inter- The site was entirely fitting, for Vladivostok service strategic planning diluted the Navy's is not only the headquarters of the Soviet own particular concerns. The rising threat Pacific Fleet (the principal instrument for from China together with US involvement conferring authority on the USSR as a in regional conflicts far removed from the "Pacific" power in the 1980s) but also is European theatre also helped to shelve the likely to play a crucial role in the devel• maritime strategy by 1955. opment of the Far East. Thus the speech Although this is a fine addition to the highlighted Gorbachev's twin concerns, literature, I would have liked Palmer to defence and economics. He was eager to 52 The Northern Mariner exploit the potential of arms control to as anxiety about the negative consequences undermine the threat posed by US mari• of rapid change, the USSR's Pacific terri• time strategy (with its emphasis on aggress• tory remains underdeveloped, its principal ive naval operations in the northwest worth lying in its geostrategic location. Pacific) and to establish the USSR's legit• The Soviet Union's most remarkable imacy as a Pacific state on the basis of foreign policy achievement in the 1980s was trade rather than force. its rapprochement with China. Both nations Segal's The Soviet Union and the were dominated by pragmatists at the time; Pacific and da Cunha's Soviet Naval Power both were engaged in sweeping economic in the Pacific complement one another and and political reform; and both, building on enable us to achieve both a fresh appreci• a shared experience of command socialism, ation of these ambitions and an under• sought to make virtue out of necessity by standing of the context in which Soviet converting budgetary pressures into troop naval power evolved in the 1980s. Segal's reductions and increased trade. As well, treatment is broad, but carefully document• both shared a recognition that the old ed and insightful. He reveals just how patron-client relationship was no longer remote and underdeveloped the Soviet Far appropriate, and that far from providing East really is. Others have compared this the lead Moscow should learn from China's vast, thinly-populated region's relationship economic modernization programme. to Moscow with that between Alaska and The Sino-Soviet rapprochement of the Washington. It is, Segal notes, an remote late 1980s enabled the Soviets to reduce corner of an isolated empire. But it is rich their military forces east of the Urals by in natural resources—timber, minerals and roughly 120,000 men. They sought to ex• petroleum. Gorbachev's problem is how to ploit the propaganda advantages from those attract the skilled labour, technical expert• reductions by calling upon the United ise, and risk capital needed to unlock this States to undertake similar cuts, particular• potential and convert the USSR into an ly at sea. To reinforce their demands, the active participant in the Pacific economy. Soviets announced the intention to scrap a As it is, the Soviet Union is a marginal large number of naval units in their Pacific player, accounting for only 3.8% of Pacific Fleet. The US reacted sceptically and da trade in 1988. In fact, its total trade with Cunha's brilliant analysis proves that they the region is only slightly larger than its were right. Castigating the "instant defense commerce with Czechoslovakia. Moreover, experts in the Western mass media" for its prospects are slim. Although Soviet their naivete (p. 247), he demonstrates authorities attempted to realize Gorba• conclusively that the Soviets were scrapping chev's aims by launching a major develop• ships long since obsolete and "dressing up ment plan for the Far East in 1987, they these moves as unilateral arms control "fudged the choice between new and old gestures." (p. 247) Between 1978 and 1989, thinking." (p. 12) Their approach was symp• for example, the number of destroyers in tomatic of the principal failing of Soviet the Soviet Pacific Fleet fell from seventeen economic reform: the inability to break to fourteen. However, eight new ships with the past. Instead, they attempted to accounted for 52,700 tons compared with harmonize two irreconcilable systems with 37,300 tons for the eleven older vessels. predictable results. Crippled by inadequate The net gain was 15,400 tons, a dis• communications and infrastructure, as well placement equivalent to three DDH-280 or Book Reviews 53 two Sovremenny destroyers. These figures schooled in massive, combined arms highlight what was happening throughout assaults, would exploit the extended range the 1980s: Soviet numbers remained high of missile-equipped, fourth generation while the quality improved dramatically. It fighters like the M-31 Foxhound and the was a case of fatter and meaner with SU-27 Flanker to overwhelm the defences bigger, more versatile, and more powerful of these battle groups. His case is telling, surface vessels and submarines being allo• although this reviewer gets the impression cated to the northwest Pacific. that having immersed himself completely in Da Cunha undertook his study to draw the literature on the subject da Cunha may attention to the "misconceptions and intel• be overly impressed with the likely per• lectual laziness that has characterized much formance of Soviet attack forces. The analysis of the Soviet Navy in recent times." reviewer's only other concern relates to (p. 244) One myth he shatters is that the Japan's role in a maritime clash in the bulk of the Soviet Pacific Fleet was sta• northwest Pacific. While there has been tioned in the Sea of Japan and had some• much uncritical reportage about the threat how to force its way into the Pacific of Japanese remilitarization, the fact through narrow choke points in times of remains that Japan does have an increas• war. Quite the contrary. The real problem, ingly significant inventory of ships and as he indicates, is not how the Soviets planes that would play a part in blunting would get out but how the Americans attacks on American naval units. This would get into the Sea of Japan and the dimension of what is likely (and fortunate• neighbouring Sea of Okhotsk. Roughly ly) to be the great naval battle that will eighty percent (fourteen out of seventeen) never take place needs further exploration. of the Soviet Delta III ballistic missile These are two splendid books. Both submarines are stationed on a regular basis are particularly timely and useful: Segal's at Petropavlovsk and would probably retire because it provides up-to-date analysis of a to their Okhotsk "bastion" during hostilities. much overlooked dimension of Soviet pol• The evidence suggests that the Soviets icy and de Cunha's because it contributes would use their old Foxtrot diesel submar• an encyclopedic description and interpreta• ines as a moveable minefield (harking back tion of Soviet naval growth in the world's to pre-World War I visions of the submar• most critical theatre. Both are essential ine) to block entrance routes through the reading, dispelling misperceptions and Kuriles. They would also bring to bear an wishful thinking. impressive array of surface and aerial anti• submarine units to destroy American J A. Boutilier hunter-killers, since protection of their Victoria, British Columbia SSBNs is one of their top priorities. The other priority is anti-carrier war• Tony Gibbons. Warships and Naval Battles fare. Much of US maritime strategy is of the Civil War. New York: Gallery Books, predicated on the operations of American 1989. 176 pp., illustrations, appendices, carrier battle groups off the Asian shore of index. $24.98, cloth; ISBN 0-8317-9301-5. the USSR. With an enormous wealth of evidence, da Cunha suggests that Soviet This oversized book appears at first glance forces, committed to a rapid transition to be just another popular "coffee table" from a peacetime to a wartime footing and volume long on graphics and short on 54 The Northern Mariner content. Yet closer examination reveals it vessels are mixed with Union, major vessels to be a solid contribution to Civil War with minor, and sub-types with different naval historiography. sub-types. Third, there is no bibliography to After three decades of work, Gibbons give the reader sources or to direct him to has assembled vital information on over additional readings on the subject. 1,500 vessels that flew the Union or Con• Despite these flaws, Warships is a federate flags between 1861 and 1865. Of noteworthy piece of scholarship comple• these, he presents full colour drawings of mented by artistic renderings of an oft- 147 significant vessels, some with inboard neglected part of the Civil War story: the profiles of the interiors added. Each illus• ships that sailed and sometimes duelled on tration is accompanied by the vessel's the oceans and the inland waterways of the statistics (tonnage, dimensions, armour, United States during the four-year conflict machinery, speed and armament) plus a between the states. It belongs in every brief account of her career. academic, military, naval and maritime Featured are Confederate and Union collection as well as in the personal library ironclads, gunboats, raiders, cruisers, block• of every Civil War aficionado. ade runners, and submarines, ranging from the famous—the , Virginia, Alabama, James M. Morris Cairo, etc.—to long-forgotten vessels used Newport News, Virginia as block ships or transports. The drawings are well done and the accompanying statis• Stephen R. Wise. Lifeline of the Confeder• tical and descriptive material is accurate. acy: Blockade Running During the Civil Also included in the volume are paintings War. Columbia: University of South Caro• of five major Civil War naval battles, un• lina Press, 1988. xi + 403 pp., maps, photo• fortunately omitting Hampton Roads, graphs, appendices, bibliography, index. US Mobile Bay or Memphis. $24.95, cloth; ISBN 0-87249-554-X. The British author has added appen• dices of the names and basic information Since its revolution, the most cataclysmic on all Union and Confederate vessels that event in the history of the United States he has been able to track down over the was the war between the states. While pro• years. These total 913 warships of the USN bably no other conflict except the two great and 549 warships of its Confederate count• wars has engendered a body of literature of erpart. These are as impressive as the such proportions, a great gap is the book material contained in the body of the book. that was not written. General Robert E. Three flaws, however, mar this other• Lee planned to write a bolume not to wise fine volume. First, the short overview justify himself but, as he explained in oft- of the Civil War that serves as an introduc• quoted remark, because "I want the world tion is simply inadequate, containing nu• shall know what my poor boys with then- merous oversimplifications and skewed in• small numbers and scant resources suc• terpretations. Second, although the draw• ceeded in accomplishing." That term "scant ings and accompanying text for each type resources" is germane to the subject of of vessel are well done, they are presented Lifeline of the Confederacy. haphazardly within their respective sections At least a dozen books have dealt with of the book. No chronological or schematic the subject of blockade running, but gen• thread is discernible. Thus Confederate erally they used romanticized and inac- Book Reviews 55 curate accounts written during or just after appeared. Blacked out and burning anth• the war. None was as comprehensive as racite coal, these low-silhouette vessels Lifeline of the Confederacy, which includes slipped past Union patrols at night. Some full information on all the ships engaged in were owned by the Confederacy, but the blockade-running; a complete, dated listing majority belonged to English shipping com• of arrivals and departures at blockaded and panies. Most captains were English, some supplying ports; an analysis of the Confed• being Royal Navy officers on half-pay fur• eracy's economic woes; and a description of lough. It was a high-profit, high-risk busi• the available ports and their navigational ness. Approximately 1,300 attempts were and infrastructure problems. made to run the blockade by three hundred There is a mix of factors which have ships, of which 136 were captured and been argued ad infinitum that might have eighty-five destroyed. Those seized became accounted for the result of the war. But Union warships, their numbers and speed perhaps the least considered is that the adding to the effectiveness of the blockade. Confederacy could not have stayed the The major southern ports used were Wil• course for four years against a vastly more mington, Charleston, Savannah, Mobile and powerful, wealthy and populous adversary New Orleans. With the capture of these had it not been for the supplies brought ports by Union forces, beginning with New into its ports by the blockade runners. Orleans in April 1862, the Confederacy was Possibly no country that ever went to doomed. war did so under less auspicious circum• In the Canadian context, the appen• stances than the Confederacy. The econ• dices show that in the last half of 1864 ten omy of the south was agrarian. While it did ships arrived at Wilmington, North have important exports-principally cotton, Carolina from Halifax and eight departed tobacco, rice and tar—it had few industries, for Nova Scotia. Listed also is one Cana• little means of manufacturing weapons and dian ship, the Acadia, built in Sorel in 1864 munitions, and was dependent on the north solely for blockade-running. It made one for industrial supplies. Even most of the unsuccessful trip, running aground at Vel- pre-war shipping trading through southern asco, Texas in February, 1865. ports was owned in the north. And if these Lifeline of the Confederacy tells the were not obstacles enough, four days after complete story in comprehensive detail, the shots on Fort Sumter the north declar• filling a large gap in the available historical ed a blockade. literature and containing much new infor• The Confederacy's main supplier was mation. Wise has accomplished a prodi• England and cargoes were shipped to Ber• gious job of research and produced a book muda, Nassau and Havana in ocean-going that will be the standard work on the ships and thence to southern ports by the subject. And while it could be called an blockade runners. By the second year of "historian's book," it has captured the the war these ships were being built in romance and adventure of blockade-run• English shipyards to the special require• ning and tells the story in a way that will ments of the trade-fast (up to eighteen appeal to the casual reader with an interest knots), light-drafted, steel- and iron-hulled in history. steamers designed to carry an immense amount of cargo. Most were side-wheelers, Peter G. Rogers but by 1864 single and twin-screw vessels Halifax, Nova Scotia 56 The Northern Mariner

William Morrison Robinson, Jr. 77ie Con• tained naval commissions that rendered federate . Reprint; Columbia: their adventures somewhat less private. The University of South Carolina Press, 1990. Confederate cruising grounds off xvi + 372 pp., photographs, appendix, in• New Orleans, Cape Hatteras, the Gulf of dex. US $29.95, cloth; ISBN 0-87249-691-0. Mexico and the Pacific are examined in light of captures made and engagements First published in 1928 and written by an fought. Even privately-owned Union priva• amateur historian and unabashed south• teers never commissioned are mentioned. erner, The Confederate Privateers is both When Robinson feels that specific charming and predictably weak in some incidents or individual characters merit it, regards. Reissued as part of the "Classics in they are given chapters of their own. It is Maritime History" series by the University in these accounts that Robinson's anecdotal of South Carolina Press, Robinson's book style is most obvious and most enjoyable. stands as one of the most thorough studies There is Richard Thomas, who boarded the of Confederate privateering, as well as Washington-Baltimore packet as Madame remaining valid and eminently readable. La Force and seized it with his Potomac The book's twenty-six chapters are Zouaves; John Y. Beall, who was involved loosely organized chronologically but their in secret Confederate activity on the Great order actually owes more to the author's Lakes, captured and secretly hung; Captain interests than a rigorous research design. Greathouse, whose plan to become the Confederate privateering activities are scourge of the Pacific never got out of port; discussed more than analyzed, but the the ludicrous Captain Handy, USN, wrapp• author cannot be accused of omitting any• ed in the Union flag and mining and aban• thing. The introductory chapter acknowl• doning his ship only to be sent back when edges that while by 1861 privateering was it failed to explode; and the black cook already an anachronism, this did not pre• Tillman, "cruel and brutal as any pirate" (p. vent the south's "more virile and imagin• 86), who murdered his ship's Confederate ative shipowners" (p. 1) from arming their prize crew in its sleep and went on to a vessels. Subsequent chapters look at the career with P.T. Barnum. careers of such successful privateers as As an epitaph for the world's last Savannah, , David, and Sally privateers, The Confederate Privateers serves along with the unfortunate Petrel, Beaure• its subject admirably. Relying heavily on gard and Rattlesnake. Robinson also traces contemporary newspaper accounts as well the brief, inglorious history of the only as official naval records and unpublished Confederate submarine, Pioneer, which kill• archives, Robinson brings to life aspects of ed four crews before being lost. Several Confederate maritime history that had chapters address legal aspects of Confeder• been neglected by such well-known scholars ate privateering, including the Admiralty of the day as E.S. Maclay and Horace Court for South Carolina, the Union's Greeley. While the work may lack the kind attempt to try Confederate privateers as of quantitative analysis demanded by to• pirates and the south's successful retali• day's historians, it offers a comprehensive ation. Robinson looks at reprisals made study of Confederate privateers that without letters of marque and letters of remains, according to series editor William marque issued without reprisals, privateers N. Still, Jr., the standard work on the who turned to trade and others who ob• subject. Although there is no bibliography, Book Reviews 57

the footnotes are excellent and most infor• world affairs, the United States of America, mation is accessible through the index. The has as southern neighbours some of the appendix, which consists of the procedures most feckless and unstable nations in the in Confederate prize courts, including the world. How the United States acquits itself fifteen Standing Interrogations used in as the hemispheric giant in near proximity examining captured crews, is particularly to the likes of Haiti, Nicaragua, Guatemala valuable for comparison with prize pro• and Panama must be a cause for concern. cedures from other periods. The US has accepted a role, out of neces• For all his praise of Confederate priva• sity, as policeman. When American stra• teering, Robinson was well aware of the tegic interests have necessitated interven• irony inherent in a conservative southern tion, presidential initiatives have resulted in society in rebellion. While he takes pride some sort of military action. This is per• that such innovative maritime weapons as haps as it ought to be, for as Musicant so the ironclad, the submarine and the tor• powerfully portrays in his book, growing pedo boat were invented by men with few anarchy lies to the south, sometimes re• seafaring roots, Robinson also acknowl• quiring deliberate military action to protect edges that Confederate privateers were American interests. fighting the inevitable. The author's feeling This is no tale for the moralist, or for for his subject and the extent of his the nationalist who thinks that nations research combine to make The Confederate should be left alone to solve their own Privateers a must for anyone with an inter• problems. Time and again the Americans est in the history of privateering. have intervened on grounds such as hu- manitarianism, democratic rescue, or stra• Faye Kert tegic interests. The Americans inherited the Ottawa, Ontario imperialistic impulse from the nineteenth- century British in the Caribbean; what the Ivan Musicant. The Banana Wars: A History marines or the airborne now accomplish of United States Military Intervention in was done on a similar scale by the British Latin America from the Spanish-American and French less than a century ago. Now War to the Invasion of Panama. New York: that the Americas are so completely a U.S. Macmillan, 1991. x + 470 pp., maps, photo• hemispheric reserve, these jurisdictions graphs, bibliography, index. US $34.95, seem more like American spheres of influ• cloth; ISBN 0-02-588210-4. ence. Long before President Bush declared his "new world order," presidents and sec• United States Department of the Navy. retaries of state had proclaimed the Mon• Caribbean Tempest: The Dominican Rep• roe Doctrine. This is a military history, ublic Intervention of 1965: Colloquium on from the rise of the United States as a Contemporary History, January 9, 1990. world power to the recent interventions in Washington: Naval Historical Center, De• Granada and Panama. It is not a diplo• partment of the Navy, 1990. 65 pp., figures. matic history but rather a nuts-and-bolts Available from the Naval Historical Center, account of the several interventions. Based Washington Navy Yard; paper. on printed accounts and other histories of American intervention, this is the most It is one of the anomalies of our times that recent account of US military actions in its the most powerful and stable power in backyard. To its credit it does not strain to 58 The Northern Mariner provide any ideological or moralistic expla• mation is as accurate as possible, but can• nation for the historical process. not be absolutely complete for the early Caribbean Tempest is the proceedings years, when appointments were sometimes of the Second Colloquium on Contempor• temporary or political. After the 1870s the ary History hosted by the Naval Historical data should be accurate. In 1915 all serving Center in Washington. It brings together officers were transferred to the newly- addresses by Dr. Theresa Kraus, Brigadier formed United States Coast Guard. The Edwin Simmons and Major Lawrence M. Register can be obtained by non-profit Greenberg. The event was organized by Dr. institutions free of charge from the Coast Edward Marolda, Head of the Contempor• Guard Historian's Office. It could be useful ary History Branch. It is hoped that these for researching an incident involving a useful contributions, which add much to Canadian or other non-American ship if our understanding of the dynamics of the USRCS officers were involved, or even in 1965 event, will inspire further gatherings tracing a family tree. of historians and past practitioners of the The other three publications are at• Pax Americana. tractive and informative pamphlets issued to commemorate two hundred years of Barry M. Gough USRC and USCG service. Waterloo, Ontario deals with lighthouse, rescue and patrol activities in those waters from the late Dennis L. Noble (comp.). Historical Regis• eighteenth century. Uniforms deals with the ter U.S. Revenue Service Officers, changing dress, while Traditions covers 1790-1914. x + 81 pp., cloth. flags, emblems, paint schemes, medals, customs and ceremonies. They are in an Dennis L. Noble. Great Lakes: A Brief eight by eleven inch format on glossy paper History of U.S. Coast Guard Operations. 13 with excellent black and white illustrations. pp., photographs, paper. They are available, free of charge, from the Historian's office and, no doubt, US Coast Donald L. Canney and Barbara Voulgaris. Guard stations or ships. Uniforms of the United States Coast Guard. 22 pp., photographs, paper. Douglas Maginley Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia Florence Kern and Barbara Voulgaris. Traditions: 200 Years of History. 26 pp., James Lees. 77ie Masting and Rigging of photographs, paper. English Ships of War 1625-1860. 2nd rev. ed.; London: Conway Maritime Press, 1984 These are all bicentennial publications and Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1990. issued in 1990 by the Washington, D.C. xi + 212 pp., drawings, photographs, ap• office of the US Coast Guard Historian. pendices, indexes. US $39.95, cloth; ISBN The Historical Register is simply a list of all 0-87021-948-0. Canadian distributor, Van- officers known to have served in the US well Publishing, St. Catharines, Ontario Revenue Cutter Service, the predecessor of the seagoing arm of the Coast Guard. A book on the subject of a sailing ship's Dates of appointment, promotion to higher rigging is an ambitious project. The rigging ranks, and release are shown. The infor• of a single vessel can be, or seem to be, a Book Reviews 59 daunting affair, but James Lees, in Masting ber of sketches to illustrate complicated and Rigging, does not limit himself to any points. As with most technical books, it is one ship. Rather, he proceeds to explain the accompanying drawings that are so in• the changes tophamper underwent over al• valuable, and in this case they are first- most 250 years. He begins when reliable rate, simplifying what would seem to be a information first becomes available and most complicated topic. When he is uncer• ends with the eclipse of sail by steam in the tain on any point, he summarizes the op• Royal Navy about 1860. Lees was well- tions, and gives what he feels to be the placed to undertake so great a project, for most logical answer. he spent fifteen years at the National Mari• There are a number of points in the time Museum at Greenwich as Senior Con• book of special interest. The masting sec• servation officer. This gave him access to tion contains a description of how the what is arguably the world's largest and bowsprit, its top and sprit topmast were finest collection of ship models, draughts assembled. Also explained is how, during and documents. the transition phase from sprit topmast to This book can be used in many ways jibboom, some ships, notably Victory of by the scholar or serious ship modeller. 1737, carried both of these spars. An expla• Reading it from cover to cover is well nation of how the top accommodated both worthwhile, for the student will encounter is given. Also worth special mention are many little known points and acquire a the formula in the Seamanship section thorough education on the subject. Second• which determine the precise size and shape ly, it can be used to supplement contem• of any block, deadeye or heart, based on porary sources, notably Steel's Elements of the size of rope rove through them. Par• Masting Sailmaking and Rigging (1794). ticularly useful are five belaying plans, Such sources are not always accurate or representative of the years 1719, 1733, complete and can be a bit ponderous to 1742, 1810 and 1850. Specific information read. This is emphatically not the case with of this sort is extremely hard to find, and Lees. The text, and the book as a whole, its inclusion here is most welcome. are designed for quick access to informa• The book's publisher states that Good• tion. Finally, and most significantly, it can win's The Construction and Fitting of the be used as a stand-alone reference, to rig Sailing Man of War was intended as a com• any Royal Navy ship of the period, using panion volume to Masting and Rigging. the extensive tables and formulae provided Taking this a step further and adding La- (the root dimensions are various combina• very's The and Harland's tions of the length and breadth of the hull). Seamanship in the Age of Sail 1650-1850, The book is divided into four sections; we have a quartet from Conway that would masting, rigging, sailmaking and seaman• allow one to build, rig and sail virtually any ship. Each is followed by high quality black wooden ship of the Royal Navy. In my own and white photographs, as well as repro• projects, I am always reaching for my well- ductions of contemporary draughts, prints thumbed copy of Lees; reviewing it gives and so forth. The rather unusual way in me the opportunity to introduce a trusted which each section has its own index is friend to other members of the Society. extremely handy, once one becomes used to it. The text is clear, concise and easy to John McKay read, and the author includes a large num• Langley, British Columbia 60 The Northern Mariner

Brian Tunstall (ed. Nicholas Tracy). Naval thought that the knowledge Corbett had Warfare in the Age of Sail: The Evolution of gained by 1922 was sufficient to permit him Fighting Tactics, 1650-1815. London and to rewrite his own books that dealt with Annapolis: Conway Maritime Press and tactics. Tunstall persevered in the collection Naval Institute Press, 1990. ix + 278 pp., of eighteenth century signal books that maps, figures, illustrations, index. £35, Corbett had begun. This joint collection, cloth; ISBN 0-85177-544-6. along with that of the late Admiral Hol• land, virtually laid the foundation for a new This book concerns the fleet tactics of the art. Most are now in the National Maritime Royal Navy and its chief rivals in the age of Museum at Greenwich. sailing ship combat since roughly 1588. The Over the years Tunstall mastered the book was written by the late W.C. Brian connections between signals and tactical Tunstall, who was once Hon. Secretary of knowledge and began to prepare his knowl• the Navy Records Society, Lecturer in edge for publication. However, the seeming Naval History at the Royal Naval College, need to produce colour illustrations and the BBC advisor on naval matters during diffuse nature of the material made the World War II, and latterly, Reader in production of a book a formidable venture International Relations in the London in commercial terms. Thus, although Tun- School of Economics and Political Science. stall's insights opened up vast new avenues It has been prepared for the public in of understanding to the student of naval digestible form by Dr. Nicholas Tracy, one tactics, the public was denied access. His of the few students of naval history outside appreciations alter our ways of looking at Great Britain who possess the qualifica• sea-fighting under sail. His work bade fair tions to do so, for a publisher who has to change the "field" (not the "world" as I recognized its importance. appear to have indicated in my short mem• Since I wrote the description of Tun• oir of Tunstall included in this work). stall included in the work, I am obviously It is, of course, for the public to judge, an interested party. However, aside from a not whether TunstalPs appreciations are all brief foray into the field of naval tactics in equally valuable, but whether they are stim• my biography of Sir Julian Corbett, I am ulating to the experts in this difficult arena not an expert in the field, although that of scholarship. Had not the present pub• experience did show me the perils of tacti• lisher taken an imaginative and supportive cal exposition and the need for competent approach, and had not Nicholas Tracy as• guidance. It also revealed to me the expert sumed the formidable task of editing and nature of TunstalPs appreciations. interpreting a work that bristles with diffi• Brian Tunstall had a formidable knowl• culties and will certainly draw criticism, it edge of naval history. His expertise on fleet might never have been produced. Hard signalling derived, in the first place, from decisions had to be made. The one that his father-in-law, Sir Julian Corbett. From decided that for reasons of cost the illus• Corbett's works and papers he derived the trations would be in monochrome is obvi• notion that accounts of fleet actions based ous. The other is the decision to use vari• on half-understood diagrams were generally ous black and white diagrams to make the not scholarly. Historical evidence needed to text intelligible. So long as students of be sifted and assessed, within the context of tactics regard these diagrams as guides to the available evidence of the time. He the exposition of tactics by Tunstall and Book Reviews 61

Tracy and not as substitutes, all will be shipbuilding industry or freight-forwarding well. It was a difficult choice for Tracy and business, activities that were of major sig• the publisher. However the editor's work is nificance to the economic and social life of well done. The book itself is handsome and the town in the years before the War. something more than the coffee-table Moreover, the author has chosen to treat production it seems at first. I think Brian the three incidents in isolation rather than Tunstall would have approved. I hope it to set them in the broader context of the will fill the niche in naval history that he naval war on the Great Lakes. Control of hoped it would. the Lakes was a factor of the greatest importance in determining the outcome of Donald M. Schurman the land war. Accordingly, it is disappoint• Kingston, Ontario ing that, while he does mention that the contest for the command of the Lakes was Anthony M. Slosek. Oswego and the War of "a shipbuilder's war" and does also note in 1812. Oswego, NY: Heritage Foundation of passing that the British recognized the Oswego, 1989. v + 56 pp., maps, photo• value of the naval stores that were at graphs, illustrations, appendix, bibliography, Oswego and Oswego Falls in May 1814, index. No price, paper; no ISBN. Slosek does not go on to explore further the motivation behind the British assault in This booklet recounts in Slosek's words and May 1814—the stores were en route to com• those of participants (mainly American) the plete Commodore Isaac Chauncey's fleet at British assaults on Oswego during June Sackets Harbor—and to assess the implica• 1813 and May 1814 and the battle of Big tions of the British failure either to seize Sandy at the end of May 1814. Three nar• those stores or to destroy them completely. rative chapters form the core of the book• Why the May 1814 assault was, in the let; four others and an appendix provide, by words of George Stanley, "a tactical success way of background, either descriptions but a strategic failure" ("Kingston and (such as of Oswego itself and the US Navy Oswego," Historic Kingston, No. 13) is an on during the ) interesting and worthwhile question to ask, or biographical sketches of a number of but it is not one that the author poses or (again, mainly American) participants. The attempts to answer. It is also unfortunate, economic development of Oswego in the given that British naval vessels figure far immediate post-war period is touched on in more prominently in the core chapters a brief concluding chapter. While the story than do American ones, that the author has is told in a lively and interesting fashion, not complemented his background chapter the booklet is something of a disappoint• about the US Navy on Lake Ontario with ment in two respects. another about the Provincial Marine of Notwithstanding the title, it is primarily Upper Canada and the Royal Navy. The concerned with relating three incidents of challenges that were faced by those two the War of 1812 that took place in and organizations in building and maintaining a around Oswego. That narrow focus serious• fleet on the Lakes were considerably more ly detracts from the interest and value of difficult than those met by the US Navy. the booklet to nautical researchers. No Despite a promise made by the author attempt is made either to describe or to in the Introduction to recount the three evaluate the impact of the war on Oswego's incidents "in the words of the actual partici- 62 The Northern Mariner pants, Oswegonians and the enemy," that 1988, the brothers Malcomson noticed a promise goes largely unfulfilled in the small announcement in the commemorative instance of the "enemy." Of the three Brit• issue of the Journal of Studies ish sources quoted in the booklet—a rather about Project HMS Detroit, currently un• modest proportion of all quotations—only derway in Amherstburg, Ontario. Its aim is one, a relatively brief extract from Sir to construct a full-size replica of the British Gordon Drummond's report to Sir George flagship of this battle, under the command Prevost on the battle of Big Sandy, is a of Robert Heriot Barclay. Since there exists first-hand account; the other two are from an overwhelming preponderance of mater• Cyril Field's history of the Royal Marines ial and focus from the American point of and CJ.H. Snyder's In the Wake of the view, the group determined to redress this Eighteen Twelvers, a fictional account of the and come up with a more comprehensive naval war on the Great Lakes. It is unfor• and balanced account. In this they have tunate that the author, in his attempt to succeeded. With HMS Detroit: The Battle provide a (presumably) balanced account of for Lake Erie, we have a detailed overview events based on primary sources, did not which explains the importance of this chap• make use of, for example, the journal of ter in British, Canadian and American his• Lieutenant John Hewett, Royal Marines—a tory in impartial and non-partisan terms. British hero of the May 1814 assault-which The wording of the subtitle is telling: it is in the National Archives of Canada. was a battle for Lake Erie, not a battle of (Hewett also made some watercolour Lake Erie. The initial chapters recount the sketches of the 1814 assault that could build-up to war for domination of the usefully have served as contemporary waterways separating the two countries, the illustrations for the booklet.) local conditions, and the contrasting sup• It is, of course, grossly unfair to criti• port given by those in command. cize an author for not having written a The battle itself is clearly and graphi• different book. Slosek has given us with a cally described, bringing to light Barclay's good read, but, by not attempting more, he courageous and unfortunate role, given the has failed to provide his readers with any abysmal crew and logistical anomalies with new interpretations of or deeper insights which he had to contend. Although defeat• into either the naval aspects of the War of ed, he correctly stated that "the Honor of 1812 or the wider implications of the War. His Majesty's Flag has not been tarnished." The battle was pivotal, for the Ameri• G. Edward Reed cans could have capitalized on this victory, Ottawa, Ontario but with the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, the territory gained at great, bloody expense Robert Malcomson and Thomas Malcom- was quite simply relinquished. The ensuing son. HMS Detroit: The Battle for Lake Erie. fame and fortune of the opposing com• St. Catharines, ONT: Vanwell Publishing, manders differed greatly, and there was 1990. x + 152 pp., photographs, illustra• considerable petty back-biting and formal tions, maps, tables, notes, bibliography, enquiries. The Malcomsons wisely do not index. $29.95, cloth; ISBN 0-920277-54-3. perpetuate the three myths that other accounts keep copying: that Barclay lost his While attending the 175th anniversary cel• arm at a skirmish sometime after the Battle ebrations of the in of Trafalgar; that he fooled around with Book Reviews 63 the young widow at Long Point; and that ter century of hostilities with the capture of there were animals on board the Detroit La Cleopatre (40) in 1793 and concluded when she met her end at the Falls. them with the bombardment of Algiers in 1816 as Admiral Lord Exmouth, C-in-C, Robert Buckie Mediterranean Fleet. He had a good war. Amherstburg, Ontario Captain Pigot did not. A brutal sadist, his crew murdered him in the same year as the Anthony Price. The Eyes of the Fleet: A great of Spithead and the Nore. Popular History of Frigates and He is included to illustrate that naval Captains, 1793-1815. London: Hutchinson, officers, like everyone else, were subject to 1990. 298 pp., illustrations, index. £18.99, human failings. Fans of Jack Aubrey will cloth; ISBN 0-09-174638-8. recognize the model for his career in Thomas Lord Cochrane, son of the impov• This is a difficult book to describe or erished Earl of Dundonald. A bizarre review. It is a labour of love, an odd mix• feature of the book is the inclusion of ture of biographical fact and fiction con• Horatio Hornblower as a sixth frigate cerning the history of frigates and frigate captain, but those familiar with his biogra• captains. The author's aim is clear: his phy may recall that he was Sir Edward intention is to focus the historical spotlight Pellew's favourite midshipman just as on the captains, their times, their navy and William Hoste occupied a similar place in their ships. However, he has been distract• Nelson's affections. Captain Hornblower's ed by the fact that British writers of naval adventures in the Lydia, however, are best fiction during the twentieth century have explored in Mr. C.S. Forester's account. created several great characters whose Captain Philip Bowes Vere Broke is the exploits have entertained millions of author of one of the most remarkable delighted readers. Far from presenting a letters ever to pass between belligerents: popular history of the development of the "As the Chesapeake appears now ready for frigate or an analysis of evolving frigate sea, I request that you will do the favour to warfare during the classical age of British meet the Shannon with her, ship to ship, to naval history, he has produced a curiosity try the fortune of our respective flags." that argues chiefly, though often only impli• In each of his accounts the author citly and not at all significantly, that real explores the relation between "interest," life frigate captains out-performed the luck and ability, but he really does not add fictional ones. While having some sympathy any insights. The Eyes of the Fleet is not for this view, it really does not matter. based on new research, is highly derivative The author, himself a successful writer and ought to have included James Hender• of spy novels, recounts the stories of five son's 77ie Frigates, an Account of the Lesser real frigate captains as a background to Warships of the Wars from 1793-1815, popular naval fiction. Instead of Ramage, (London, 1970) in the brief note on Bolitho, Delancey, Drinkwater and Jack sources. Since the author does not attempt Aubrey, we are introduced to Edward Pel- to prove or disprove old theories or present lew, Hugh Pigot, Thomas Lord Cochrane, a new interpretation of the great Anglo- William Hoste, and Philip Broke whose French naval struggle, readers have a right notoriety came while they were frigate to expect an interesting, well-written and captains. Captain Pellew opened the quar• informative account. But what might rea- 64 The Northern Mariner

sonably be expected does not appear, that the British had the foresight to main• though others may want to try this curious tain detailed records, and Goodwin has book and judge for themselves. covered all of them in relation to Granado. We are also treated to a series of very James Pritchard well done "Photographs" of Robert A. Kingston, Ontario Lightle/s model of Granado (p. 29), which is displayed at the National Maritime Peter Goodwin. The Anatomy of the Ship: Museum at Greenwich. These photos add The Granado 1742. Annapolis: immeasurably to the book's appeal and Naval Institute Press 1989. 125 pp., draw• value. The book truly "comes alive" due to ings, photographs, appendices, bibliography. the many pictures along with concise cap• US $32.95, cloth; ISBN 0-87021-178-1. tions. Each of the very detailed drawings is Canadian distributor, Vanwell Publishing, supported with extensive, numbered St. Catharines, Ontario. (keyed) references, all of which leaves virtually nothing to guess work. Every Some people might glance at the above, detail of the Granado is covered from the see 125 pages, then the price, and proceed keel to the truck of the main mast. Overall, right along to the next book review. But there are approximately three hundred per• please, wait: this book is worth every penny spective and three-view drawings done in and then some. Peter Goodwin's efforts are an extremely professional manner. The dust truly outstanding. His background as a de• jacket illustration depicting the Granado is sign engineer really comes to the fore in a nicely reproduced copy of an original the very fine lines' drawings. However, painting by Ross Watton. This gives the these are only one part of the various com• volume that little extra touch of class. ponents in the book which he has master• There is no doubt that Peter Good• fully combined to hold one's attention. win's work will last for decades, probably One can see immediately that Goodwin centuries, and will be consulted by many spent many hours researching bomb people from all walks of life. It is rich in vessels. His "Introduction" and "The devel• information for the naval architect, histor• opment of the bomb vessel" (p. 7) and ian, artist, model builder, and even the "History" (p. 9) set the stage for the bal• nautical buff who just enjoys looking at and ance of the book. He has blended many studying a fine piece of work. aspects of different types of bomb vessels to give his readers an overall view. The Robert W. Cook records of the Granado were meticulously East Lake Ainslie, Nova Scotia researched, and we are taken from her construction through to the end of her Todd Gray (ed.). Early-Stuart Mariners and career. Along the way we are given just Shipping: The Maritime Surveys of Devon about every aspect of her life, from "Dec• and Cornwall, 1619-35. Exeter: Devon and oration. Internal arrangement" (p. 13) to Cornwall Record Society, 1990. xxvii + 171 "Boats/Crew" (p. 20). The "Appendices" (p. pp., maps, appendices, tables, indexes. £10, 22) and "Sources" (p. 28) give us an in- paper; ISBN 0-901853-33-X. depth look at the "Dimension and Scantling List 1742" (p. 22), as well as numerous The Vice-Admiralties of Cornwall and other documented records. It is fortunate Devon effected several maritime surveys Book Reviews 65 between 1619 and 1635 which have survived A mapping of seamen's parishes of origin at the Public Record Office and the Pepys underlines the importance of inland labour Library, Magdalene College, Cambridge. pools. A comparison of ports suggests that The point of such censuses was to identify in terms both of men and ships Dartmouth and assess sail and manpower available to was the centre of gravity of Devon's mari• the weak navy of James I (the ports of the time strength in this period. Some changes South West had a history of resistance to are apparent, even in the few years which impressment). The 1619 survey covered elapsed between the two main surveys of south Devon; another of 1626 covered 1619 and 1626. Over the longer term other southwest Devon, south Cornwall and some comparisons with the data presented here north Devon parishes; that of 1629, part of are possible. For example, ships' names north Cornwall. These are the substance of evocative of good fortune, Christianity and this collection; surveys of particular ports in service, common in these lists, are rare the late 1620s and a 1635 summary are among the West Country ships listed in the included as appendices. The various orig• "maritime surveys" of Newfoundland carri• inal compilers did not, apparently, bring ed out by the naval commodores a half the same dedication to their tasks. The century later. There are, certainly, other survey of 1626, for example, was more ways the surveys of Devon and Cornwall superficial than its predecessor. The sur• will be used in the study of early seven• veys are, nevertheless, of considerable teenth-century north Atlantic maritime interest to maritime historians, particularly demography, labour, shipping and com• when brought together in convenient, merce. All in all, this is a valuable collec• alphabetized form, indexed both by ship tion, carefully prepared and presented. and personal names. Gray emphasizes that early modern Peter Pope occupational censuses are rare, and mari• Flatrock, Newfoundland time censuses rarer still. Thus, it is very unusual to know the names and approxi• Peter Kirsch. The Galleon: The Great Ships mate ages of the "mariners at home" in of the Armada Era. Annapolis: Naval Insti• Dartmouth in 1619, not to mention "sail• tute Press, 1990. 214 pp., illustrations, ors," shipwrights, coopers, "surgeons at sea" photographs, appendix, bibliography, index. and "mariners & sailors from home." In US $34.95, cloth, ISBN 1-55750-300-1. some cases fishermen are distinguished by their trade, in others they are not; occa• It has often been stated that more is known sional fishermen might escape listing alto• about the construction of Viking ships than gether. In short, these surveys must be in• about the vessels of the Renaissance. Hap• terpreted carefully, but they are both rare pily, new archival and archaeological re• and rich in detail. Similar caveats apply to search is helping to reverse this situation. the shipping lists, from which it is, never• Peter Kirsch's new book on the galleon of• theless, possible to assess the approximate fers a positive step in the understanding of tonnage, ownership and even the distribu• this particular development in shipbuilding tion of shares of vessels in particular ports. during the sixteenth century. The impetus The editor demonstrates in his intro• for the book came from the author's desire duction some of the ways that these statis• to reconstruct a model of a "West Euro• tics from a non-statistical age can be used. pean galleon, c.1600" on display in the 66 The Northern Mariner

Statens Sjohistoriska Museum in Stock• nate. A wider range is employed in the holm. To accomplish his goal, Kirsch has chapter pertaining to the crews. In both, marshalled a great deal of archival and though, the information is presented in an iconographic material, some previously anecdotal form. Although a broader selec• unpublished, to achieve as complete a tion of sources might be preferred, these picture as possible of galleon design. chapters provide a realistic historical di• The book is divided into eight chapters. mension as well as a believable glimpse The first deals with the development of the into the organization and living conditions galleon on a nation-by-nation basis on vessels of this period. (Venice, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, One chapter focuses on the model of Scandinavia, England, and France). How• the Stockholm galleon upon which the re• ever, the emphasis is clearly on develop• construction is based. This is competent ment in England, likely reflecting the auth• and straightforward, supplemented by or's greater familiarity with and access to drawings and photographs describing the these sources. The slim discussion of Span• architectural and ornamental features of ish galleon development could have been the model. Another chapter provides a dis• greatly enhanced by consulting Palacio's cussion of ship construction methods informative Instrucion Nauthica (1587). The employed by various European countries chapter as a whole might also have been during the sixteenth and early seventeenth better served by reference to recent archae• centuries. In many respects this is a com• ological and related archival work that has panion to the chapter on the development provided a wealth of new information on of the galleon and the criticisms levelled sixteenth-century vessels. I am thinking there apply equally. Venetian shipbuilding here of sites in France (Villefranche is quickly covered while the Netherlands Wreck), England {Mary Rose and Catte- and Portugal are reviewed in somewhat water Wreck), West Indies (Molasses Reef more detail. Most of the chapter concen• and Highborn Cay Wrecks) and the Basque trated on English construction methods and whaling vessels at Red Bay, Labrador. is based almost exclusively on one docu• The next two chapters are devoted to ment, the anonymously authored Treatise rigging and ordnance employed on vessels on Shipbuilding (c. 1620). As an unexpected during the galleon era. Kirsch does not, nor and welcome bonus, the treatise is included did he intend to, provide exhaustive studies as an appendix. Edited by William Salis• of the subjects. Rather, he produces good bury and previously published by the Soci• overviews of both topics. The knowledge• ety for Nautical Research, it is presented in able reader will find little that is new in its entirety with drawings and explanatory these chapters. Based almost solely on notes. Kirsch successfully extracts the primary and secondary historical sources, important elements and logically presents the presentations could have benefited by the steps involved in building a large sailing reference to archaeological examples bear• ship of the period. This chapter, because of ing on both subjects. its technical nature, will require the reader Two chapters discuss the galleon in to move constantly from the text to the ap• battle and the men who manned these ves• pendix and the drawings to fully understand sels. Again, primary and secondary sources the design process. form the principal base. In the chapter on The final chapter presents a recon• , English sources predomi• struction of a galleon based on the Stock- Book Reviews 67

holm model and the Treatise on Shipbuild• Jeremy Green. Maritime Archaeology: A ing. The author clearly articulates his argu• Technical Handbook. London: Academic ments for selecting the design elements for Press, 1990. xx + 282 pp., photographs, the reconstruction. How successful has he diagrams, bibliography, index. £27 or US been? The model is incomplete and, as the $55, hardcover; ISBN 0-12-298630-X. author admits, the treatise is obscure or silent on many aspects, resulting in much This book is disappointing. There is a great supposition. The final test, I feel, must need for a textbook on underwater archae• await the discovery of similarly-dated ves• ology suitable both for senior undergrad• sels with which comparisons can be made. uate and graduate students and for ama• The major criticism of this book is the teurs wishing to progress beyond the stan• absence of recent archaeological and relat• dard introductory course. There may also ed archival information bearing directly on be a demand for a handbook that would the construction of galleon-period vessels. give professional archaeologists faced with In fairness to the author, some of this unanticipated situations during shipwreck material may not have been readily avail• excavations a summary of proven methods. able at the time the book was written. It Green is well qualified to write either or can only be hoped that a future edition both; his publisher hints that he has suc• might include this data. On the positive ceeded in the present volume. He has not, side, the book is well-written and easily though he has come closer than anyone readable. Produced on good quality paper else to providing the needed textbook. and nicely-bound, it is profusely illustrated Green admits that this work is "per• with high quality historical drawings, the sonal" and "biased." Yet this acknowledged author's own plans and drawings, plus lack of balance is so pronounced that the photographs. Typographical errors are few reader is left groping for some logical (e.g., on pp. 7 or 8, the superscript for note structure underlying the information even 9 is missing; on p. 142, mainmast has been as the book is rendered unsuitable for any mistakenly used for foremast in three single audience. Thus, it does not help to instances; on pp. 153 and 207, notes 10 and be told in the introduction that "terms such 11 have been reversed). as marine, nautical and underwater" ar• Despite such criticisms, the book does chaeology do not describe the book's topic present new information even as it re• when it is not defined until the conclusion examines and explains older knowledge. (it is in fact largely shipwreck archaeology). Naval historians, modelmakers, marine Green does address both surface and archaeologists and armchair enthusiasts will underwater survey techniques, some all find much here to entertain, enthral, methods for wreck searches, excavation, and entice. The real strength of this book artefact conservation, methods and objec• will lie in its ability to provoke discussion tives of studio, surface and underwater and to spur further research. To people in• photography, artefact drawing, research and terested in this period of naval architecture, publication, the role of computers, legisla• this new publication will be a welcome tion for submerged heritage management addition to their libraries. and a limited amount of theory. Yet the lack of balance crops up throughout. Why R. James Ringer devote over fifteen percent of a book on Ottawa, Ontario maritime archaeology to artefact drawing 68 The Northern Mariner and photographic techniques that are Lewis R. Fischer and Helge W. Nordvik equally applicable to all other branches of (eds.). Shipping and Trade, 1750-1950: the discipline and which were recently Essays in International Maritime Economic addressed in Griffiths et at., Drawing Ar• History. Pontefract, UK: Lofthouse Publi• chaeological Finds and Adkins & Adkins, cations, 1990. xii + 325 pp., figures, maps, Archaeological Illustration! Why provide a tables. £15, paper: ISBN 1-85517-001-9. grossly superficial introduction to com• puters with no specific relevance to archae• The essays in this volume focus on a var• ology? On survey methods, the reader is iety of topics, ranging from Hans Chr. treated to valuable practical tips on posi• Johansen's study of the role of Danish tion fixing by horizontal sextant angles but shipping services in linking the Mediter• is never told to hold the instrument on its ranean and the Baltic between 1750 and side, a most unnatural position for the 1850 to K.S. Mathew's description of the uninitiated. And now that a GPS receiver maritime trade of Masulipatnam on the (which is accorded less than a page) is Coromandel coast of India in the second more precise, more convenient and prob• half of the eighteenth century. William N. ably cheaper than a pair of sextants, Still examines shipbuilding in North Green's hard-earned experience in this area Carolina in the eighteenth and nineteenth is obsolete. This reliance on out-dated centuries, and K. Dharmasena looks at the approaches pervades the book; the most growth of national shipping in Sri Lanka blatant example is a discussion of electronic from 1750 to 1985. navigation systems based on a 1977 review. Each of these essays, as well as three The "personal" emphasis also leads Green others in the collection, achieves one of to stress his own work while omitting other two things. On the one hand, our under• contributions or leaving the reader with standing of the global dimensions of mari• only passing references to parallel develop• time development is considerably enhanced ments. One could continue. through the careful description of Asiatic These flaws are doubly unfortunate foci of maritime activity. On the other, the because there is much wisdom and experi• presentation of new research on secondary ence scattered through this book. Few and tertiary regions of maritime activity practising maritime archaeologists will find adds depth to our comprehension of the the patience to search for these gems western tradition. Such regions were essen• amidst the barren overburden while those tial components in trade and shipping new to the speciality will often be left with• systems, yet because of their secondary out sufficient guidance to grasp the auth• nature, researchers failed to take them into or's points. Neither group will welcome account. This left us with an incomplete paying so much for such annoyance. The and uncertain picture of historical develop• student at least should persevere for the ment until now. McPherson, Reeves, and present since there is no better text avail• Pope describe the development of Indian able. Otherwise, perhaps the best to be shipping from 1870 to 1935, and Fatima said of this book is that one day it will Sequeira Dias briefly outlines the position provide useful material for its replacement. of Sao Miguel in the internal trade of the Azores. Gelina Harlaftis' study of the role Trevor J. Kenchington of the Greeks in the Black Sea trade (1830- Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia 1900) is especially fascinating and enlight- Book Reviews 69 ening because of the detail it offers of the Michael W. Marshall. Ocean Traders. New Greek trading diaspora and, by means of York: Facts on File, 1990. 192 pp., photo• that, the clear sense it gives of the ethnic graphs, drawings, maps, bibliography, index. complexity and network of interrelations in US $24.95, hardback; ISBN 0-8160-2420-0. the regions of south Russia, the Danube, the Black Sea and the Balkan Peninsula. This is essentially a book for the general Apart from those essays which articu• reader, written almost entirely from sec• late the geographical framework, there are ondary sources. On the whole it is better several others of value owing to the detail and more reliable than many of its kind. and analytic insight they offer on the mech• Attractively presented and well illustrated, anisms of trade and shipping: David it provides quite a useful introduction to Williams on the unique characteristics of the history of the ship. the bulk passenger freight trades (slave, Inevitably in such a book, there are emigrants, troops); C. Knick Harley on the oversimplifications and unevenness. Thus impact on freight rates of mixing cargoes the Nydam boat is described as a Viking (passengers with cereals, cattle); David longship (p. 19) and one would find it hard Starkey on the effects of war on the market to accept the statement on the same page for seafarers; J. Forbes Munro on the that "between c. AD 400 and 1200 the repercussions of the opening of the Suez essential characteristics of the Viking Canal for a shipowning company in south longship changed little." The description of Asia; Yrjo Kaukiainen on profitability in both the cog and the hulc is inadequate international shipping; and Tommaso and in the case of the latter misses essen• Fanfani on the relationship between ship• tial points. The illustrations of these vessel ping and protectionism in Italy. types are also inadequate and somewhat All the above essays focus on the late outdated. The dating (p. 43) of the Span• eighteenth or nineteenth centuries. Three ish-Moorish bowl depicting an early three- others deal with the twentieth century: Lars masted ship in the Victoria and Albert U. Scholl on the German merchant marine Museum is surely not firmly 1425, but in the 1920s; Mariko Tatsuki on competi• probably sometime before 1450~a matter tion and streamlining on the Pacific routes of some importance in the context. Leaping in the 1920s and 1930s; and William D. a few centuries, the familiar photograph of Wray on the Mitsui Line in the Far East• four hands securing a section of the foresail ern Freight Conference in the 1950s. of the barque Garthsnaid which had come Attention to secondary but essential free from the gaskets in heavy weather, components of the world maritime system taken in 1920 by acting second mate and to technical aspects of maritime trade Alexander Turner from the jibboom end are the valuable features of this volume. and perhaps the finest photograph of its The editors are to be congratulated for kind ever taken, is wrongly-captioned (p. bringing together these essays, although it 154) "Furling the mainsail." Moreover, Mr. is regrettable that they did not step forward Turner is given no acknowledgement. to reflect, even briefly, on their implications On the whole, however, this book sets and significance. the essentials.

David P. McGinnis Basil Greenhill Calgary, Alberta Boetheric, Cornwall 70 The Northern Mariner

Wolf-Rüdiger Baumann. The Merchants collects fascinating detail on dyers, dye- Adventurers and the Continental Cloth- houses, and regulations in a number of Trade (1560s-1620s). Berlin: Walter de German towns, where finishing industries Gruyter, 1990. xiv + 425 pp., maps, charts, were established well before the Antwerp tables, appendices, bibliography, index. DM hegemony ended. The dyers were not al• 176, cloth; ISBN 3-11-012582-X. ways popular locally, but the finishing industry overall provided welcome employ• Manufactured cloth surpassed raw wool as ment for skilled and unskilled workers. England's most important export before the Much of it was organised by local men, but end of the fifteenth century, and continued the author points to instances of English• its importance, especially in the overseas men importing cloths, having them dyed in trade of the Merchants Adventurers, in the Cologne, then sending them on to the early modern period. Much has been writ• Frankfurt fairs. The main finishing centres ten on the subject from the English sellers' are examined in turn with details of regula• point of view, and it is both interesting and tions and guild organisation; there is a par• valuable to have a translated work which ticularly interesting examination of the concentrates predominantly on the German English merchants at Nuremberg. The receiving markets. The author emphasises chapter is mainly an exposition of infor• that this is not an institutional history, but mation, but also assesses the impact of one of patterns of production, trade, and English cloth. The author argues that it was distribution. Changes in trade centres, of exceptional quality and rarely in direct trade flows, merchants, and the impact on competition with local products; that Eng• the German economy of the extensive Eng• lish imports kept the industry alive in some lish activity are Dr. Baumann's concerns. old centres and established it in new ones; He draws on much published and unpub• and that the deliberate enticement of Low lished material from Austria, Denmark, Country immigrants to dyeing centres help• England, Germany, and the Netherlands. ed to encourage the development of lighter Chapter 1 provides a brief chronologi• cloths, which later came to compete with cal exposition of the Adventurers' move the English kersies. Chapter 4 examines the from Antwerp to German ports. Experi• organisation of the Aventurers in Germany. ments with Emden, Middelburg, Stade and By 1620 there was an English community Hamburg eventually resulted in Hamburg of 228 in Hamburg. The merchants had becoming the preferred centre by 1611. regular show days and auctions, and ninety This account is developed in chapter 3, percent of their business was done on which attempts to establish the scale of credit. They moved into inland centres, not imports to these towns. In the absence of only as visitors, but even as a small perma• customs accounts or other good serial nent colony at Nuremberg in the later dec• sources, the picture is necessarily sketchy, ades of the sixteenth century. They also but the author sets out clearly the available entered the linen industry to cut out middle information from a variety of sources. men, buying unfinished cloth and having it Chapters 2 and 4 are particularly inter• bleached. The Merchants Adventurers tried esting. English cloths were luxuries, as they to monopolise the port trade, but failed to has been in the middle ages, but unlike stop interlopers, or even to control all then- then, many were now unfinished, depending own members, some of whom traded in• on continental finishing centres. Chapter 2 land without permission. Dr. Baumann Book Reviews 71 provides details of names and numbers and academic affiliations identified. wherever he can. He takes a very positive The papers cover a broad spectrum of view of the impact of the English mer• topics within the compass of population chants' inland trade; they stimulated long• movements by sea and are organized under distance trade, commerce and industry in a four regional groupings—the Mediterra• number of towns, which were therefore nean, North and West (Europe), The willing to challenge the old Hanseatic Atlantic and Indian Ocean/Australian. towns in encouraging the presence of the Eighteen papers are presented in English, English because of the prosperity they five in French, one in Spanish and one in brought. The final chapter looks at English German. Most focus on population move• activity in each centre and provides much ments of the nineteenth and early twentieth biographical detail. centuries; however the Mediterranean Sometimes this well-produced book's articles deal with the Middle Ages. information threatens to make it simply a The movement of population is a key catalogue of facts, but conclusions are component of maritime history. It also drawn at the end of each chapter. The represents a process that has helped shape author makes his thesis clear on the posi• maritime activity and been influenced itself tive impact of the English not only in ports by maritime transport; passenger and mi• but also within inland Germany. grant travel helped create a demand for transport, even as its availability and tech• Wendy R. Childs nology have helped shape population flows. Leeds, England This volume aptly illustrates the multi• variate ways in which population move• Klaus Friedland (ed.). Maritime Aspects of ments and maritime activities are related. Migration. Köln: Böhlau Verlag, 1989. vii + The papers on the Mediterranean 465 pp., illustrations, tables, figures. DM during the Middle Ages examine sea trans• 128, paper; ISBN 3-412-13886-6. portation around the Levant colonies (Bal- ard), the transport of crusaders and pil• This volume consists of twenty-five papers grims to the Holy Lands (Richard) and the read in Stuttgart, Germany in August 1985 types of ships used around the eastern at the quinquennial meeting of the Interna• Mediterranean (Villain-Gandossi). Pryor tional Commission of Maritime History describes the natural hazards (winds, cur• held in association with the 16th Interna• rents, and rocks) in navigating the Mediter• tional Congress of Historical Sciences. The ranean. Katele focuses on the pirates and title ties the collection to two of the major corsairs and the difficulty of distinguishing objectives of the Commission: to promote protection and aggression in the struggle research on man at sea and the sea as a for maritime supremacy between Genoa communicating factor of mankind. Con• and Venice, 1204 to 1381. ceptually the papers deal more with popu• The trans-Atlantic migrations from lation mobility and passenger traffic than northwest and western Europe are given with migration, most definitions of which prominence by articles on Norwegian emi• imply a permanent relocation. The confer• gration (Pettersen; Nordvik), steerage ence brought together an important group conditions and American law (Jones), the of international scholars; it would have socio-demographic characteristics of Irish been useful to have had their disciplinary immigrants 1846-1851 (Glazier, Mageean 72 The Northern Mariner and Okeke), and the seventeenth century Sarah Palmer. Politics, Shipping and the Spanish-American slave trade (Vilar). Most Repeal of the Navigation Laws. Manchester: papers focus on the mechanisms of migra• Manchester University Press, 1990. x + 209 tions, especially aspects related to technol• pp., tables, figures, bibliography, index. US ogy and infrastructure. A few articles ana• $59.95, cloth; ISBN 0-7190-13988-3. Cana• lyze the relationships between the passen• dian distributor, St. Martin's Press, NY. ger trade and commodity flows—Norwegian emigrants and Canadian timber (Nordvik) Over a period of two hundred years, and British emigrants and Australian wool between the mid-seventeenth and mid-nine• (Broeze). Five articles examine migrations teenth centuries, the Navigation Laws were around the Indian Ocean. These include the most important influence upon British Moslem migration in the sixteenth century and colonial shipping and trade, chan• (Khoury), Chinese migrations associated nelling imperial commerce through British with the development and decline of ocean• ports and obliging the use of British or going junks covering the fifteenth to nine• colonial-built and registered vessels teenth centuries (Ju-K'ang), assisted migra• manned by predominantly British and col• tions (slaves, coolies and bondsmen) in re• onial crews. The ultimate expression of sponse to English shipping networks 1685- mercantilism, the Laws have in recent years 1765 (Young), the transport of indentured received relatively little attention from labourers from India to Surinam (Emmer historians. Dr. Palmer sets out to remedy with Kuypers), and the social expansion of this neglect in a study concentrating on the Indian Ocean through passenger traffic their repeal. Her professed aim is to bridge 1815-1939 (McPherson, et al.). "the conventional gulf between political and The more impressive articles from a economic history" while supporting "the methodological perspective are by Fischer, growing claim of maritime history to be who uses crew lists and censuses to trace considered as a field of study in its own deserters as migrants, and by Jones, who right." (p.x) Although she is only partially through business records examines the role successful, the book is important. shipping agents played in migration. The Palmer, an interested observer of the volume contains some excellent empirical contemporary political scene, is strong on studies on maritime migration within the the politics of repeal. She provides an Indian Ocean region, on shipping lines and account of party political alignments and agencies, and particularly on the Huguenot the manoeuvres of protectionists and free• immigrants in Ireland (de Courcy) and the traders which, though largely garnered passenger traffic to Australia and New from the readily-accessible Hansard and Zealand (Broeze). Common's and Lord's Select Committee The volume unfortunately is virtually Reports, nevertheless sets the record unedited with respect to grammar and syn• straight. Palmer suggests that the shipping tax. Nonetheless it is a very valuable refer• interest was not well represented in the ence book for scholars of maritime history Commons after examining its composition, and migration. and she documents the greater importance of extra-parliamentary lobbies of shipown• W.G. Handcock ers and, significantly, of seamen. Britain's St. John's, Newfoundland northeast coal ports produced a protection• ist lobby which probably contributed to the Book Reviews 73 prolongation of coastal trade regulation book undoubtedly has a place alongside until 1854. Elsewhere there was less una• them, but its long-term importance may nimity in opposition to the repeal of the well be to persuade maritime historians to Laws: the owners of steam liner companies, look anew at the Navigation Laws. in particular, professed their support for free trade. Valerie Burton The issues were different from those St. John's, Newfoundland involved in the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. The Navigation Laws impinged more Peter N. Davies. Fyffes and the Banana: directly upon national security and strength Musa Sapientum-A Centenary History 1888- in their connection with state revenue and 1988. London and Atlantic Highlands, NJ: the manning of the Royal Navy, and their Athlone Press, 1990. xviii + 301 pp., maps, repeal involved a much greater commit• photographs, tables, bibliography, index. ment to free trade. Palmer is right to insist US $39.95, cloth; ISBN 0-485-11382-1. that the Navigation Laws not be subsumed under the Corn Law repeal in the narrative "Yes, we have bananas!" With that clarion of mainstream political and economic his• call Canadians welcomed the inauguration tory. She does a real service to maritime of the Canadian National Railways' ocean/ history by bringing shipping into politics rail service that enabled bananas from the and politics into shipping. West Indies to be brought into this country But what does the book contribute to on the fabled "Lady Boats." This, and the the "new maritime history" and how far memory of my diminutive mother wrestling does it reinforce the scholarly credentials of in one of Glasgow's railway stations during the discipline? The early chapters are pro• World War II for a bunch of bananas mising. Concisely, Palmer outlines the state tossed by American servicemen, helps point of British seaborne commerce (colonial out both the way in which the fruit caught shipping is relatively neglected) in the consumers' imaginations and the extent to period immediately before the repeal of the which they came to it as a dietary Navigation Laws. She covers the regional staple. It is therefore interesting to read deployment of shipping and patterns of Davies' account of Fyffes, the quintessential trade, evaluates the strength of foreign purveyor of bananas in Britain. Davies has competition and provides insights into the solid credentials to write this story, for in business structure of the industry and the addition to his other accomplishments he state of shipping technology. However, in wrote the best early biography of A.E. subsequent chapters a narrative of political Jones, the British shipowner who left such events takes over. The validity of key argu• a mark on both sides of the Atlantic. ments for and against repeal is not tested All you ever wanted to know about against the realities of shipping and trade. bananas, ad musa sapientum: this is a ped• The final result is an equivocal and confus• antic yet erudite book, and a company his• ing picture of the significance of repeal. tory in the truest sense of the beast. It con• Clarification may be sought in the work of tains much of the minutiae to satisfy the Schyler, Imlah and Clapman, which exemp• oldest of dear Aunties looking for a re• lify just that synthesis of politics and econ• membered name, as well as a solid account omics which makes maritime history of Fyffes from its modest origins to the greater than the sum of its parts. Palmer's present. Above all, however, it is the book's The Northern Mariner emphasis on "marketing, not produc- found to be bad for one's teeth will be tion...the ultimate key to success" (p. 32) overcome as successfully as other such that takes it out of the genre of potted his• canards detailed in the text (p. 167), and tories of shipping companies and marks it Fyffes will proceed into its next century as unique. In fact Davies fits the ships into with confidence. his narrative in much the way that Fyffes One thing that is missing from the dealt with bananas~as necessary adjuncts book-amidst, it must be acknowledged, a but not central to the story. What was plethora of the familiar academic baggage important to Fyffes was to make the lowly of footnotes and appendices, and a fleet banana "the most popular fruit in the list—is a good description of the Fyffes United Kingdom"-a goal achieved by 1905 archive. Although its existence is noted (p. (p. 116)~so that satisfactory profits could 285) there is no indication of its extent- be maintained. Then it was up to the com• and it is important to note that when pany's servants to keep it within the reach Davies himself discusses recent profit of the ordinary bloke. Davies cites some statements he cites the public record (p. remarkable efforts by management to en• 225). This is of significance to potential sure this (pp. 138-40). researchers, as no mention is made of The closest Canadian parallel to Fyffes' Fyffes' records in either Mathias and Pear- business approach was probably that of the sall, Shipping: A Survey of Historical Quebec Steamship Company in its market- Records (London, 1971) or the more recent farm-to-consumer approach to the Bermu• Guide to the Manuscripts in the National da-New York vegetable trade, 1875-1915. Maritime Museum, Vol. 2 (London, 1980). This is the strongest aspect of the book, We may not want to tackle the banana giving the feel for what was really involved trade again, but there is always an interest in keeping ships gainfully employed; they in ships that could be followed up. were there, after all, not just to flog the ocean, but to transport a product that Kenneth S. Mackenzie someone wanted to buy in sufficient vol• Pointe Claire, Quebec ume to generate a profit for all concerned, sometimes including the planter. If no Malcolm Falkus. The Blue Funnel Legend: other lesson is learned from this book, this A History of the Ocean Steam Ship Com• should be the one. pany, 1865-1973. London: Macmillan, 1990. It is intriguing to find one of Britain's xix + 411 pp., maps, tables, photographs, leading maritime historians plying his craft bibliography, appendices, index. £45, cloth; in such a way as to take full advantage of ISBN 0-333-52283-4. commercial realities. One would suggest, however, that such a worthwhile pursuit not Trained as an NZS apprentice in the mid- be made so easy to cavil at by having the 1950s, it has taken a long time for my author's photograph cheek-by-jowl with the socialization to wear off sufficiently to company's public relations manager on the appreciate that, in Britain at least, Blue inside front cover. Or to have the current Funnel was unique. Malcolm Falkus' book Chief Executive Officer give the last word is the first full-length, analytical study of a in pronouncing on the company's future (p. British cargo-liner firm and it is wholly 236). Presumably, with such clout, the appropriate that this extraordinary com• recent news that bananas have now been pany should be its object. Book Reviews 75

Blue Funnel Legend, a history of the subjects rather than submit them to the business rather than of the fleet and its critical scrutiny normally expected in an crews, is almost encyclopedic in style and academic study. An experienced scholar length and is sensibly organised as much like Malcolm Falkus would of course have around themes as chronology. The author's been as aware of this difficulty as of the first substantial chapter highlights the firm's fact that as he closed on contemporary uniqueness by describing and probing the events and persons his sources would be system and style of management which selected for him and not by him. A careful until the mid-1960s had scarcely changed reading and decoding of occasional pass• for three-quarters of a century: the famous ages reveals an understandably cautious open-plan office with the partners (not author who, presumably in the interests of directors) sitting at their desks on a raised diplomacy but certainly not of the disinter• "quarterdeck," their continuing commitment ested reader, determinedly registers trib• to civic duty and their determination to utes and CVs of worthy individuals. At maintain what would today be called a such moments the prose is as trite as an "hands-on" approach to everyday manage• annual report to shareholders. ment. These matters, taken together with When it comes to analysis-most if it some observations on such salient personal• implicit—Falkus is refreshingly resistant to ities as Lawrence Holt, neatly prepare—and the great man theory of history. The found• fortify—the reader for some of the over- ing Alfred Holt is firmly put in perspec- detailed minutia of the unfolding episodes tive~"a child of his time." (p. 83) Of other of commercial history. The next two chap• characters, Lawrence Holt appears as an ters deal successively with voyage patterns austere liberal who, if bound by a sense of and cargoes and the intricate network of rectitude and often capable of benevolence, agencies so essential to the finding of was pretty unlikeable. The fact that cargoes and the dispatch of ships. The Leonard Cripps (in the 1930s) was cordially remaining ten chapters, except one on the loathed by the seagoing staff is not men- subject of conferences and the role of tioned-but Falkus does record that Cripps Holts within them, relate chronologically was not well-loved by his fellow partners, Blue Funnel's commercial development. either! The author himself, while acknowl• The final chapters in this sequence become edging Cripps' managerial effectiveness, ever more schematic but nonetheless re• comes close to suggesting that the Major vealing as the firm steadily diversified out (as Cripps was known to seafarers) took an of shipping and, without ever announcing almost pathological pleasure in his cost- the fact locally, moved its head office to cutting measures. More recent figures are London. Sensitive to Liverpool's problems also not exempted from comment: Sir John and mindful of the unremitting blows to Nicholson was said not to "suffer fools the city's morale during the economic gladly and preferred not to suffer them at collapse of the 1970s and 1980s, the firm all." (p. 291) Here again, however, Falkus went quietly in 1980. Even in 1988 it was is careful to distinguish between managerial no less discreet when India Buildings was competence and personality: if Nicholson sold to a London-based property firm. was remote and autocratic in the manner The notorious problem with commis• of Richard and Lawrence Holt he is pres• sioned histories of companies and trade ented as a person of outstanding ability. unions is their tendency to celebrate their For an economic historian, Falkus is 76 The Northern Mariner unusual in his sensitivity to the nuances of company. Taken literally, this is a study of characters and their significance in the Blue Funnel. Read more laterally, it is both closed social world of the enterprise and at a study of the modern British shipping in• least tacitly seems to acknowledge the con• dustry and an illuminating case history of a tribution that social history might make to company's attempt to get out of an ailing the study of the firm. But this said, it is industry and find a new and more profit• plain that Falkus himself lacks the analyti• able role. Highly recommended. cal tools of the social historian and is not always sure-footed on political questions, Tony Lane either. For example, the armed Chinese Liverpool, England Communist uprising against the National• ists in Shanghai in 1927 is written off as a Gerald A. Rushton. Whistle Up the Inlet: riot. More glaring than this, given his The Union Steamship Story. Vancouver and obvious interest in commercial family Toronto: Douglas and Mclntyre, 1974. 236 dynasties, is the failure to explore the pp., photographs, appendices, fleet list, significance for the style of the firm of the index. $14.95, paper: ISBN 0-88894-186-2. connectedness between the families who ran Holts and the radical Liberal and For seventy years, from 1889 to 1959, the Fabian socialist elites. Some exploration red-funnelled ships of the Union Steamship here might have led to some very interest• Company of British Columbia Ltd. were a ing and provocative comments on the im• familiar part of the maritime scene at Van• pact of Fabian socialism on the enterprise. couver and all coastal settlements as far Falkus notes the brief employment of north as the Alaska border. The ships often Michael Foot by Blue Funnel in the 1930s afforded the only means of communications and likens Stafford Cripps' austerity with scores of canneries, logging camps and measures when he was chancellor of the isolated ports of call. They provided close exchequer to those of his brother personal contacts with lonely settlers, deliv• Leonard-but leaves untraced the paths ering the mail and necessities.In addition connecting the Hobhouses, Holts, Webbs the company operated a fleet of excursion and Cripps. There is comparable neglect of vessels out of Vancouver to popular resorts the family politics that must surely have such as Bowen Island, well-patronised featured prominently at key moments when before the days of access by roads. the firm was collectively owned by a closed In its early years the company had a circle of relatives and trusted friends and close association with the famous Union unquoted on the stock exchange. The lead• Steamship Company of New Zealand; ing families only appear in the persons of hence the choice of name and funnel col• the prominent males and it is hard to ours. In 1911 control was acquired by J.H. believe that in those family networks, form• Welsford and Company, a prominent Liver• ed and maintained by women, the women pool shipowning family, with capital to were silently quiescent. But it is easy for an expand widely the company operations. historical sociologist to highlight these Shortly after World War I, a young man errors of omission. The fact is that this is a was sent out from Liverpool to become fascinating book and currently provides the traffic manager. He was Gerald A. Rush- only example of a well-informed study of ton, son of Sir Arnold Rushton, manager of the rise and decline of the British liner the Welsford Company, and he remained Book Reviews 77 with the company until its demise in 1959. ton's book include a fleet list and list of No one was more qualified to write the company captains and executives. history of the company, and the result was the publication of Wliistle Up the Inlet: The Norman Hacking Union Steamship Story in 1974. The book North Vancouver, British Columbia was a surprise best-seller on the coast, for this was a human-interest story that William McClosky. Fish Decks: Seafarers of appealed to all who had travelled with and the North Atlantic. New York: Paragon admired the old company. The first hard• House, 1990. xvi + 307 pp., photographs, cover edition quickly sold out and was fol• appendices. US $22.95, cloth; ISBN 1- lowed by a paperback version in 1978. Mr. 55778-076-5. Rushton followed his first book in 1980 with Echoes of the Wliistle, a copiously To quote Senator Michael Kirby, "dealing illustrated history of the company. And with Canada's constitution was mere child's now another paperback edition of the ori• play compared to dealing with fisheries." ginal book is available. Last year the his• Kirby might now have second thoughts but tory of the company was the subject of a the point he made is still valid. The fishing special display at the Vancouver Maritime industry is both complex and diverse and Museum, officially opened by Mr. Rushton. anyone who ventures to describe it is cou• The company expanded rapidly during rageous. the boom years on the coast, absorbing Freelance writer William McClosky has several competing firms, including the braved these confused waters in his latest Boscowitz Steamship Company, Terminal full-length book. His stated intention is "to Steam Navigation Company, All-Red Line, report on those representative fisheries Frank Waterhouse Company, and Tide• along the great continental shelves of water Shipping Company. These acquisi• northern Atlantic waters which it has been tions included valuable resort properties at my good fortune to observe." (p. 23) By Bowen Island and Selma Park. By 1929 the restricting his book to his personal observa• Union Fleet was at its zenith, serving more tions he leaves gaping holes in his focus on than two hundred ports on the coast. Then the north Atlantic. Instead, we are treated came the depression, and the company to six chapters dealing with the fisheries in started a downhill slide, with no dividends the Norwegian and Barent Seas. Five relate and no necessary fleet renewals. In 1937 to Labrador, while the Grand Bank and the Welsford family sold its controlling George's Bank rate only one chapter each. interest to Vancouver capitalists. Under its The remaining chapters deal with New Canadian owners the company had a che• England activities, sealing and the "water• quered career. While still maintaining its men" of Chesapeake Bay. It is quite a leap reputation on the coast, it fell victim to from the "sheltered estuarine waters" (p. progress. Roads and planes won traffic. 180) of the latter to the hostility of the Out-of-date and uneconomical ships were north Atlantic. The geography is further not replaced. With a change of government stretched as the writer treats us to his the company lost its subsidy. It was the last experiences in Madras, the Dominican Re• straw, and in 1959 the proud Union house - public, Japan, China, Alaska and even far- flag was lowered for the last time. flung Bali, all of which would be fine if The valuable appendices of Mr. Rush- there were a shortage of topics in the north 78 The Northern Mariner

Atlantic fishery begging for in-depth treat• find Newfoundland's favourite meal given ment. The Hague Line decision of the as "fish and brews," which to the uninitiated World Court, the two hundred-mile limit, will signify an entirely different thing. and changing technology, to mention just For all its errors and omissions, this three concerns, have had far-reaching collection of essays (not necessarily a con• effects on the industry. McClosky does give tinuous work) is still captivating. They are a section of a chapter to the World Court more anecdotal than historical, more enter• decision, but it is a quick glance through taining than educational. McClosky has a American eyes. sharp eye for detail and a descriptive turn It would have been helpful to have of phrase. The book contains excellent explained Canada's argument based on the photographs but a map or two might help equidistant line as opposed to the US some readers. Those with a romantic view contention that it was entitled to jurisdic• of the sea will find this book interesting. It tion over maritime areas contiguous to its will be less appealing to those who have to coastline. The two hundred-mile limit is wrest a living from the hostile north Atlan• given a chapter but scant treatment is tic on slippery fish decks. afforded the all-important "cod wars" between Iceland and Britain. As for tech• Gregory P. Pritchard nological changes, the electronic age is Lunenburg, Nova Scotia acknowledged but little is said about the revolutionary switch from side to stern Rosemary E. Ommer. From Outpost to otter trawling. The latter greatly increased Outport. A Structural Analysis of the Jersey- the catch rate with wide ramifications. Gaspé Cod Fishery, 1767-1886. Kingston Among other notable failures is the treat• and Montreal: McGill-Queens University ment given attempts to unionize the fishery Press, 1991. xvi + 245 pp., tables, maps, in Newfoundland. Surely such names as diagrams, notes, bibliography, index. $39.95, Coaker, Lane, Lake, Locking and McGrath cloth; ISBN 0-7735-0730-2. deserve mention. Can the Canadian coop• erative movement be discussed without This detailed case study of the Jersey cod recognizing the work of Moses Coady with fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is based the fishermen of eastern Nova Scotia? And on the extensive Charles Robin Company what can be said about a book on the archives, Jersey ship movements and re• north Atlantic fishery that does not men• cords of some of the lesser Jersey com• tion Lunenburg once? Historians might panies. Using export-base theory and the also flinch when they read that "in 1949 concepts of forward, backward and final- Canada absorbed Newfoundland" (p. 114) demand linkages, the author demonstrates and that Newfoundland's resettlement why Gaspé gained very little from either policy was the brainchild of Ottawa bureau• the processing of the cod before shipment crats. The long-standing debate over wheth• (forward linkage) or the supply and pro• er John Cabot was Venetian or Genoese duction of material for the fisheries (back• has been decided by McClosky, who ward linkage), which were concentrated in declares him to be an "Englishman." (p. 68) Jersey. Virtually all the profits of the fish• Spelling errors can sometimes be over• ery went to Jersey where they were used to looked if they do not alter the meaning, develop ancillary industries, shipbuilding such as on pages 136 and 168 where we and a maritime carrying trade (final- Book Reviews 79 demand linkage). In Gaspé the only back• vessels either registered for the first time in ward linkage was the construction of some Jersey or re-registered there later was transport vessels; in this connection, 1836-45. There was a considerable decrease twenty-nine percent of the Jersey-owned in these registrations for vessels built dur• fleet in 1830 had been built in Gaspé, the ing 1845-55 but it was followed by a steady Baie des Chaleurs and Cape Breton. When increase until construction of square-riggers Gaspé was abandoned by the Jersey com• ended in the 1870s, by which time the ton• panies in the latter part of the 1800s, about nage and numbers of the Jersey fleet had all that the Gaspesians had gained from the fallen well below the 1865 peak. Finally it fisheries was an increased population. A has to be pointed out that there were substantial part of the analysis is concerned Gaspesians who were not subservient to the with the "merchant triangle" which had an Jersey firms. Three, all of whom by coinci• administrative base in Jersey, a production dence had family or business connections base in Gaspé and marketing areas in the with Prince Edward Island, were: the Mabe Mediterranean, the West Indies and Brazil. (not Mabé) family which built vessels at or This has required reconstruction of the near Malbaie from 1813 to about 1890 for shipping routes of both individual vessels their own account, Jersey firms, Quebec and all Jersey shipping for the years 1830 City merchants and local men; William and 1840. (pp. 144-167) Cuthbert of New Richmond, whose busi• I am impressed with the way this case ness was peripheral to the timber trade of study explains the workings of the Jersey- northern New Brunswick and in 1846 and Gaspé cod fishery, but at the same time 1848 was the owner of the two largest uneasy with the manner in which some vessels to be constructed anywhere on the aspects of the Gaspé coast fisheries have Gaspé coast; and, as an earlier example, been described. As two examples, the state• Mathew Stewart, owner of the Shoolbred ments that by 1834 shipbuilding at Paspé- Seigneury at Nouvelle, who with his biac was minimal and that in 1850 CRC brothers was involved in shipbuilding, had "discontinued shipbuilding" (p. 144) are whaling and the salmon trade from the misleading. Although this suggests that 1790s to the 1830s. shipbuilding was on the verge of collapse by the mid-1830s, between 1792 and 1873 David J. McDougall CRC's Paspébiac shipyard built thirty-three Lachine, Quebec square-rigged vessels totalling 6,638 tons at a nearly uniform rate of three to five every Alain Cabantous. Le del dans la mer: ten years. When the four decades before Christianisme et civilisation maritime XVIe- and after 1835 are compared the decrease XlXe siécle. Paris: Editions Fayard, 1990. in post-1835 production was only 193 tons 433 pp., bibliography, index. FF150, paper; and three vessels. Anther example, which ISBN 2-213-02513-4. has been neither explained nor footnoted, states that because of the reduction and In Le del dans la mer, Alain Cabantous removal of the preferential duties on tim• attempts to map the mentality of Europe's ber, shipbuilding began to decline in the seagoing populations by exploring their 1830s and was transferred to Jersey, (p. changing spiritual and institutional relations 114) Yet the peak period for the number with faith and the ocean in the period and tonnage of Gaspé-built square-rigged 1500-1850. He organizes his discussion 80 The Northern Mariner around a triangular relationship: God, ing control over the dangers of the sea, or Man, and Ocean. just another aspect of the rationalist spirit The individual elements of the trilogy of the age? By the nineteenth century both seem stable. The ocean is changeless and Catholics and Protestants had a formidable its hazards were barely ameliorated during institutional presence among maritime the period under study. Christian imagery, populations. By 1850, few ports would have while retaining some of the Old Testament much trouble organizing a blessing-of-the- sense of Ocean as alien chaos, mostly boats ceremony. But nineteenth-century honoured the sea as a highway for Christ's religion had become a more private experi• message, a symbol of unfathomable maj• ence, and the importance of overt religios• esty, and a harbinger of personal obliter• ity in sailors' activities was fading. ation and helplessness. And seamen, in Cabantous's working method is mostly Cabantous's view, were naturally spiritual, to seek and ponder archival and published sharing not a religion of duty and fear but quotations on the God-Man-Ocean theme. "une religion du tragique" inspired by the These he has in impressive abundance, sense of humble insignificance the sea mostly from French sailors, chaplains, and brings home to those who venture upon it. theologians, but including an assortment But sailors were curious parishioners. from the rest of Europe and even North By their profession they spent much of America. His themes are so general and their lives far from regular Sunday attend• his conclusions so prudently hedged that it ance and other hallmarks of institutional is difficult to imagine what evidence might Christianity. In any case, Europe's seamen test or disprove his findings. But would his were too few and scattered to be important model of a particularly maritime variant of targets for clerical attention through most religion stand up to a comparison to land• of the period. Their inescapably spiritual locked Christianity? There must have been encounter with the Ocean made them many peasants who were innately devout, eager for comforting and protecting rites, yet lax in observance, sceptical about the Cabantous argues, but their lifestyle often clergy, superstitious, backsliding, and blas• kept them detached from, if not hostile to, phemous in the face of misfortune—just like many institutions of formal Christianity. Cabantous's sailors and fishermen. This ambivalent and evolving relationship By cheerfully drawing our attention to between sailors and Christianity is Caban• the proliferation of question marks in the tous's central preoccupation. chapter headings and subtitles, Cabantous The ambivalence was maintained disarms potential criticism. Perhaps we through 350 years of Church-sailor rela• expect French historical studies, particularly tions that changed constantly but never those concerned with the dread theme of quite settled into lasting harmony. In the "mentalité," to be rigorously theoretical and early stages, the seaman's innate religiosity serially-statistical. Instead Le ciel dans la was just barely channelled by the Church's mer is speculative and impressionistic. haphazard efforts to provide chaplaincies, Cabantous seems content to engage our confreries, and other shaping institutions. interest in questions to which he expects no In the eighteenth century, the Church conclusive answers. began more vigorous missionary efforts, but a secularizing, laicizing counter-trend had Christopher Moore begun among sailors—a response to grow• Toronto, Ontario Book Reviews 81

Edmund Eglinton (ed. and intro. Basil men to what they know is a vanishing life: Greenhill). The Mary Fletcher. Seven Days In The Life Of A West Country Coasting By the time George had drunk his Ketch. Exeter: University of Exeter Press, tea and smoked a cigarette it was 1990. x + 85 pp., photographs, drawings, half an hour after midnight. In notes. £16.50, hardcover; ISBN 0-85989- three and a half hours he would 326-X. be at the helm again. True they had all had a full night in the night One of the more ironic aspects of today's before, but by eight o'clock the increasing interest in traditional sail is that next day he, the mate, would have vessels which actually make their living managed only less than four hours' under sail are virtually extinct, with some sleep. Yet men like him, his ship• exceptions in the East Indies, Indian mate, Arthur, and the Captain Ocean, Baltic Sea and Chesapeake Bay. himself, even though they knew Shiphandling skills and sail seamanship are their lot was unlikely to improve, largely maintained through school ships still clung to the little ships they and sail training programmes, routinely had grown to cherish and to exer• using inexperienced but willing youths to cise of the highly developed skills work the ship and fulfil the simple purpose they had acquired on board them. of getting from one port to another both No power on earth, however, instructively and safely. Their experiences, would have persuaded any one of while real enough, offer few glimpses of them to admit to that fact. (p. 31) the undermanned, hardscrabble existence that characterized the last years of "working The book functions as a primer in sail" in Europe and North America. seamanship, depicting the techniques Edmund Eglinton's delightful little whereby two men carry out the work of work, The Mary Fletcher, gives the reader a several with the aid of worn-out gear in glimpse of this vanished, "real" world of reefing down the main and mizzen and how working sail, written by a man who spent a single man works the headsail sheets with fifteen years at sea in West Country coastal the economy of effort of a seasoned dinghy vessels. Finishing shortly before his death hand to bring the Mary Fletcher round in 1983, Eglinton has written a fictional through the wind. The book adds simple account of a week in the life of a generic but effective details on how men like small coastal ketch, in particular the key "Trumper" used tide, wind and ground moments of its voyage from the Irish Sea tackle as effective tools to manoeuvre the to Newport and the mouth of the River powerless ketch, with a skill and simplicity Yeo, which he named the Mary Fletcher that makes it easier to understand how The book is subtly effective, for in the another superb coastal sailor, James Cook, laconic, often humorous interplay between could come to handle his Whitby cat in "Captain Trumper" and his two men-the North Sea estuaries, learning skills that Mate and the Cook—the reader is led by would come to full fruition in the distant gentle degrees to understand not only the South Pacific. A note by Peter Allington at simple, effective, and often startlingly eight• the end on dredging and other methods of eenth century seamanship practised but moving a vessel in tidal water elucidates in also the affection and commitment of the detail the techniques referred to in Eglin- 82 The Northern Mariner

ton's fictional account, and are of interest was king and crews cost money. to anyone undertaking to move engineless Today, masters and officers on sail vessels in such waters. But most impressive training vessels face different problems. remains the paragraph-by-paragraph ac• How, in the case of the Eagle, to employ count of how three overworked, tired men and train nearly two hundred cadets aboard actually made the Mary Fletcher's gear and a vessel which as a cargo carrier would rig get them to where they wanted to be. have carried a crew of no more than An additional delight of the book, twenty-five, not to mention contemporary which was skilfully edited by former Na• safety regulations and complications caused tional Maritime Museum Director Basil by engines and electronic equipment? In Greenhill, are the photographs of crew this small book, working a square-rigged laboriously emptying the hold virtually by sailing vessel is explained to the last detail, hand after a voyage, or ketches similar to indeed to such an extent that it makes me the fictional craft, some of startling age, wince. Yet I do see the necessity of it if lying on the bottom in oddly graceful bulki- faced with an large number of cadets serv• ness as the tide ebbs. The tide of time has ing aboard a sailing vessel for only a short ebbed for these working vessels and those time. While the book focuses on a three- who manned them but Eglinton's beautiful masted barque, it should be worthwhile little work creates a picture that is lucid reading for masters and officers on any and worth treasuring by any student of the square-rigged sail training vessel plying her interaction of men and the sea. trade and it is an absolute must for cadets who are taking their short time at sea Victor Suthren seriously and are conscious of the chance Ottawa, Ontario of a lifetime given them by this experience. Desk-bound maritime historians would also Edwin H. Daniels, Jr. (ed.). Eagle Seaman• benefit by carefully perusing this volume. ship, A Manual for Square-Rigger Sailing. But, for the life of me, I cannot help 3rd ed; Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, but take exception to some of the Ameri• 1990. vi + 216 pp., figures, glossary, index. can nautical terminology. Who, for in• US $14.95, paper; ISBN 0-87021-251-6. stance, has ever heard of "dousing" a square Canadian distributor, Vanwell Publishing, sail? I would be most interested to learn St. Catharines, Ontario. where this expression originated.

This is a strange manual for an ex-seaman Niels W. Jannasch who grew up on Nicholl's Seamanship in its Tantallon, Nova Scotia various editions from 1905 to 1913 and who served aboard Baltic and four- James P. Ronda. Astoria and Empire. Lin• masted barques on which the basics of sea• coln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990. manship were taken for granted or, if non• xiv + 400 pp., maps, illustrations, appendix, existent, were quickly learned, sometimes notes, bibliography, index. US $25, cloth; painfully, by example, experience, and ISBN 0-8032-3896-7. necessity. But those were the days of four hundred-ton schooners with crews of no Astoria and Empire chronicles John Jacob more than six and 4,800-ton barques with Astor's enterprise on the Columbia River complements of thirty-the days when cargo (1811-13) from the perspective of his na- Book Reviews 83 tional ambitions. Astoria brought the first than a dramatic race to establish a fort at settlers to Oregon, launched British fur the mouth of the Columbia to gain a terri• traders into competition on the Columbia, torial foothold in the lucrative sea otter and led to the opening of the Pacific north• trade and more than a money-making ven• west. It was a risky yet bold political asser• ture for Astor. It embodied his interna• tion of American sovereignty in the region. tional vision, spreading his fur trade empire Astoria has been the subject of much writ• across the continent and allowing him to ing, but this is the first comprehensive participate in the contest for the shores of analysis in over fifty years and the first to the Pacific northwest. Astor was a larger- place it in an international political context. than-life figure, the most successful early It is long overdue. nineteenth-century American businessman Astoria and Empire compares well with who kept regular company with princes and earlier works, such as Washington Irving's presidents. Ronda captures his dreams contemporary account, Astoria: or, Anec• through the surviving letters between Astor dotes of an Enterprise beyond the Rocky and Thomas Jefferson and others in the Mountains (1836) and Kenneth Porter's American government. Yet we are left scholarly study, John Jacob Astor: Business without a strong sense of Astor as a per• Man (1931). Crisply written, with a dra• son. In concentrating on Astor's empire, matic story line and detailed footnotes, it Ronda has missed the man. It is, perhaps, will appeal to professional and casual a minor point, for such an analysis could be historian alike. Ronda's fine eye for accu• lengthy. Porter needed two volumes. racy does not cloud the tense drama of the It is to be regretted that so few Astor Tonquin's voyage and destruction, or the documents have survived and those that adventure-filled race between Astor's over• have are scattered throughout North land expedition, led by Wilson Price Hunt, American archives. Ronda has done a fine and the Missouri Fur Company's expedition job of tracing and analyzing his correspon• under Manuel Lisa. Ronda brings the dence, but the analysis is tied to its sources. personalities of these expeditions to life, Missing is a complete global and maritime especially for the overland expedition. So context. Astor played his venture out over rich is the detail and story that an appendix an international arena of Britain, Canada summarizing the expedition members and and Russia. A review of his other interna• their backgrounds would have been useful. tional business interests would have helped. Ronda's sources for the drama and Much can be done to paint that picture adventure of the sea and overland journeys once more Astoria material comes to light, include the oft-cited contemporary journals in particular from Russia and possibly of Alexander Ross, Gabriel Franchere and China. From a maritime historian's per• Ross Cox as well as less familiar contem• spective, however, Ronda missed a very porary journals of John Reed and Duncan significant archival source-ships' logs, McDougall. Reed's journals of the overland journals and correspondence from the era. expedition provide a useful perspective to That material is concentrated in New the overall Astoria adventure. The overland England archives because most sea otter expedition is often overshadowed by the traders originated from Boston, Providence, more dramatic voyage of the Tonquin led Salem, New Bedford, etc. The archives of by the despotic Captain Jonathan Thorn. the Peabody Museum, Essex Institute, and The Astoria adventure was far more the Massachusetts Historical Society have 84 The Northern Mariner considerable holdings on this era. Much Museum of Harvard University, this pro• remains to be mined from them. fusely-illustrated volume traces the history The Astoria trade was maritime—sea of the maritime fur trade and of relations otter pelts for Chinese silk-yet Astor was between the Pacific coast peoples and Eur• not a maritime fur trader. His was a "land" opeans who came by the sea to explore and empire built on beaver pelts and New York trade on the northwest coast. Chinese real estate. Arguably Astor was out of his demand for the luxuriant sea otter pelts, depth. He hired good fur traders, Scottish- the "soft gold" described in the title, Canadian and French-Canadian voyageurs, attracted many nations into the isolated but in hindsight he hired the wrong captain north Pacific and launched the trans-Pacific in Thorn. The Tonquin was doomed with commerce that opened the northwest coast, him at the helm. He caused eight sailors to bringing explorers, traders, missionaries, drown crossing the Columbia River bar, an and artists into contact with native. Rus• ominous portent of the explosion at Naw- sian, Spanish, British, American and hitti on Vancouver Island which destroyed French visitors left written and pictorial the ship, killing the entire crew as well as depictions of what they saw and many col• dozens of natives, all because Thorn had lected beautifully constructed Indian arti• insulted a chief. However, as Ronda ex• facts that are found in major collections plains, "because the ship was destroyed in around the world. The Peabody Museum such a dramatic fashion, it is easy to over• became the repository for collections of estimate the consequences of the event." (p. artifacts gathered by Captain James Magee 267) I concur. The Tonquin's destruction and other Boston fur traders who partici• did not create Astoria's failure, and there is pated in the trans-Pacific fur trade. Vau• much more to the Astoria story than the ghan and Holm stress the theme of trade story of the Tonquin. which commenced the moment that the In short, while Ronda has written a Spanish explorer Juan Pdrez arrived in fine book which offers new insights, the 1774 off the Queen Charlotte Islands to story of Astoria remains incomplete until contact the Haida peoples. the full maritime perspective is revealed. The book embraces the period from the early explorations up to the mid-nine• Thomas F. Beasley teenth century. The introductory essay Vancouver, British Columbia provides a useful outline of the major his• torical events, illustrated with trade goods, Thomas Vaughan and Bill Holm. Soft instruments, and other items. The main Gold: The Fur Trade and Cultural Exchange body of the volume is divided into two on the Northwest Coast of America. 2nd rev. parts that examine northwest coast Indian ed.; Portland: Oregon Historical Society artifacts from the Peabody Museum and Press, 1990. xi + 297 pp., illustrations, the European visual record of maps, maps, bibliography, index. US $25, paper; sketches, drawings, and paintings that ISBN 0-87595-206-2. depict coastal themes. The organization of the artifacts into sections illustrating canoe First published in 1982 as a catalogue to models, weapons and armour, wooden accompany a major exhibit at the Oregon bowls, basketry hats, headdresses and Historical Centre of materials from the masks, textiles and ceremonial dress, Oregon Historical Society and the Peabody rattles, pipes, tools, and argillite carvings, Book Reviews 85

gives readers a comprehensive view of the J.E. Candow. Of Men and Seals: A History outstanding artistic and technical achieve• of the Newfoundland Seal Hunt. Ottawa: ments of northwest coast peoples and of Canadian Parks Services, Environment the dramatic changes that occurred during Canada, 1989. 239 pp., bibliography, photo• the period of the maritime fur trade and graphs. $13.25, paper; ISBN 0-660-12938-8. the beginning of European settlement. Each section draws attention to traditional While numerous works have treated speci• art forms and often shows the remarkable fic periods in the history of the Newfound• innovations introduced by native artisans land seal fishery, none has covered them using metal tools following the era of first all. It is Candow's stated intent "to fill that contacts. The excellent colour plates and void." This is a noble objective-and long detailed annotations make the volume a overdue. It is also timely; Of Men and Seals truly valuable contribution for those inter• was published one year after the Federal ested in the early history of the coast. government effectively ended commercial Perhaps of even greater interest for sealing by banning the use of large vessels. maritime historians, Vaughan and Holm Candow identifies all the main compo• compile a comprehensive collection of nents and processes of the hunt and pro• charts, maps, coastal profiles, drawings, vides essential details of the resource (harp illustrations from log books, watercolours, and hooded seals) and physical environ• and paintings. Drawings by John Webber, ment (sea, ice, temperature, wind and who sailed with James Cook, and other currents) which dictated where, when and early artists are reproduced beautifully in how Newfoundlanders could "go to the ice." full colour. The Russian pictures and He is also to be commended for attempting sketches of Tlingit subjects are less well- to place this complicated industry in a known and the section on Canton and the proper temporal and global context. The Pearl River approaches to the Chinese main body of text is divided into three marketplace add a fascinating dimension "natural" segments: 1793 (first large sailing that spans the Pacific. The authors include vessel)-1861; 1862 (introduction of steam- a number of the accurate detailed pictorial powered vessels)-1938; and "The Seal Hunt studies of coastal peoples and places by since 1939." Each of the first two contains Sigismund Bacstrom. The collection brings an "overview" followed by a chapter con• to life the romance, difficulty, and high taining more detailed information, which adventure that inspired many engaged in unfortunately produces considerable dupli• the maritime fur trade. Although there cation. In addition, sixty-four individual were distinctly negative sides to the cultural parts with little apparent attempt at inte• exchanges and the trade that do not often gration guarantee not only uneven treat• appear in the volume, the authors have ment of individual topics but disrupt the illustrated the richness and diversity of narrative. Yet it would be perhaps unreas• native civilizations and the north Pacific onable to expect more from a study which and presented the first stage of trans- began as an attempt "to accumulate a Pacific commerce. research base for a Canadian Parks Service commemorative exhibit on the Newfound• Christon I. Archer land seal hunt." Unfortunately it often Calgary, Alberta seems that significant portions of the text have been lifted straight from a wall display. 86 The Northern Mariner

Of Men and Seals would also have expedition and a valuable contribution to benefited from a more judicious use of the study of the men of the heroic age of sources. While there is a fairly comprehen• polar exploration. Trying to understand sive bibliography which is meticulously them involves not only mastering the com• referenced in the text, Candow does not plex contexts (such as gender, class, Imper• always appear to have a firm understanding ialism, naval tradition, nutrition and sailing of the relative importance and reliability of and sledging lore) in which they lived but some sources. There are thus numerous also learning as much as possible about the inaccuracies: the instrumental role of Dun• individuals. The publication of any previ• dee, rather than Peterhead, in the introduc• ously unpublished writings is therefore a tion of steamers, for example. Neither does case of the more the better. the author's explanation that he was forced Aeneas Mackintosh (1879-1916) was to rely almost entirely upon secondary leader of the Ross Sea Party in Shackle• sources "because of time constraints" ton's 1915-1916 Imperial Trans-Antarctic excuse citing material as "quoted in" rather Expedition. He first encountered the Ant• than using the primary source. arctic as Second Officer of the Nimrod in Nonetheless, Candow's is thus far the Shackleton's 1907-1909 British Antarctic only serious attempt to provide a compre• Expedition. The diary recounts his trip hensive treatment of this important indus• south from New Zealand in January 1908 try, which was second only to the cod as the Nimrod, without sufficient coal for fishery in terms of its influence on the the return voyage, was towed by the Koon- economic, social and cultural development ya to the edge of the pack ice. At 1,150 of Newfoundland during the eighteenth and nautical miles it is reportedly the longest nineteenth centuries, and which continued successful tow by a ship not built as a tug. to have a regional impact in this century. Given the unusually stormy weather, it was Furthermore, it is the author's intention an horrendous experience for those on that Of Men and Seals serve only as "an board, especially the ponies. Their suffer• introduction." Until a truly definitive history ings are depicted with much sympathy by of the seal fishery is written, this book Mackintosh, who throughout the diary provides a useful overview, enhanced by an appears capable of feeling, or at any rate excellent set of photographs. expressing, more warmth for animals and birds than he does for people. Chesley W. Sanger Mackintosh's first experience of the St. John's, Newfoundland Antarctic was rapturous-Tt was all beauti• ful and wonderful" (p.41)~and he was over• Stanley Newman (ed.). Shackleton's Lieu• joyed when Shackleton gave him a place in tenant: The Nimrod Diary of A.L-A. Mac• the shore party. On 31 January, however, kintosh, British Antarctic Expedition 1907- while unloading cargo he was struck in the 1909. Auckland, NZ: Polar Publications, right eye by a hook. The eye had to be 1990. 144 pp., maps, photographs, bibli• removed. That this was the first major ography, biographical notes, index. US operation performed in the Antarctic was $27.50, cloth; ISBN 0-473-00969-2. no consolidation to Mackintosh, a man on whom enforced inactivity weighed heavily. Shackleton's Lieutenant is both a welcome Compelled to mooch uselessly around, he addition to the literature on the Nimrod came across a herd of seals, and was not Book Reviews 87 amused: "What lazy creatures these are! One has to admire a man willing to risk his Like great big, fat men, they grunt and life but in reading this it is impossible not wheeze as they loll idly in the snow...oh, to think of Mackintosh's death seven years who would be a seal?" (pp. 54-55) This later when, unwilling to wait for safe ice horror of idleness was to prove ominously conditions and with a blizzard threatening, characteristic. he set off from Hut Point to Cape Evans After returning to New Zealand and and was never seen again. (Neither was his visiting Australia for further treatment and companion, V.G. Hayward; as on the for• the fitting of a glass eye, Mackintosh sailed mer occasion, he was accompanied by a back to the Antarctic in the Nimrod for a member of the lower classes.) brief sojourn in late 1908 and early 1909. We should be grateful to Mackintosh's Here he gained all the land experience that daughters for allowing the publication of he was to have before leading the Ross Sea their father's diary and to Stanley Newman Party and here again he demonstrated his and all who assisted him for the excellent hatred of sitting tight. job they have done. The notes are copious, Returning from an abortive trip to well-researched and fair-minded. There are Cape Royds, Mackintosh and his compan• plenty of maps and photographs. The bio• ion, the trimmer Thomas McGillan, were graphical notes on every member of the lucky not to lose their lives when the ice expedition are an especially good touch. began to break up and move out to sea. Shackleton's Lieutenant will be enjoyed Saving themselves by frantic scrambling, by any fan of polar exploration. But it is they regained their camp, where in a few more than a pleasure to read, for it also days Mackintosh, thinking they might have raises troubling questions about heroism to wait weeks for rescue, decided to walk and folly and the thin line between the two. to Cape Royds, and off they went. The pages that follow are the most hair-raising Anne Morton in the book but the dangers were caused as Winnipeg, Manitoba much by their inexperience and lack of equipment as by the terrain. (They at least Nathaniel French Caldwell, Jr. Arctic Lever• realized the wisdom of roping themselves age: Canadian Sovereignty and Security. together after poor McGillan plummeted New York: Praeger Publishers, 1990. xviii thirty feet down a crevasse, mercifully + 123 pp., maps, bibliography, index. US alighting on a ledge.) They finally found $37.95, cloth; ISBN 0-275-93453-5. themselves with nowhere to go but three thousand feet straight down a slope: The author was sponsored by the Advanced Education Program of the US Navy; he has We did not know what was at the served as a naval officer on nuclear attack bottom of the slope, so thought and fleet ballistic missile submarines, which that if we had to die it was better provided him with first-hand experience in to go this way than to die of star• Arctic waters. He recognizes that sover• vation at the bottom of a crevasse; eignty is a prominent issue in Canadian so we took our lives in our hands, political affairs. Canada shares a continent dug our knives deep into the snow with a superpower with a common lan• to act as brakes, stuck our heels guage, a linked economy and a similar well in, and let go. (p. 102) culture. These militate against a separate 88 The Northern Mariner

Canadian identity, and so sovereignty As the Soviet threat evolved Canadian and protection is a major concern of our American defence policies became more foreign and defence policies. interdependent. Canada hoped the creation The background and events that led to of the Atlantic Community would reduce Canada's claim over the Arctic territories the pressures from its southern neighbour. and waters are outlined and questions rais• In the 1980s the Canadian government ed concerning the decision at one point to briefly flirted with a new Arctic maritime develop a nuclear force strategy based on the acquisition of nuclear relative to the issue of sovereignty. As the submarines, giving Canada a three-ocean book's emphasis is on the Arctic, there are capability, but this plan did not survive the numerous remarks and references to speci• 1989 budget cuts. The author at the same fic events in Arctic lands and waters. time briefly examined Soviet Arctic policy, The issue of Arctic sovereignty was in particular Gorbachev's proposals for an first raised by Senator Pascal Poirier in Arctic zone of peace. Unfortunately, this 1907. He proposed the sector principle, zone would not have applied to Soviet ter• which enclosed lands and waters between ritory or naval activities in the Baltic Sea. lines extending to the north pole from the Caldwell concludes that while Senator eastern and western extremities of Cana• Poirier's sector theory has never been da's mainland. However, there was little in accepted under international law, it was the form of settlements or outposts, so Ca• largely followed in the Arctic. Recognition nada did not appear to have effective pos• of claims was based upon "effective occupa• session of the Arctic islands. Attempts to tion," such as Canada achieved with its rectify this by commissioning expeditions RCMP detachments. Caldwell also con• were judged by many to be insufficient cludes that Canada has not yet established grounds for possession, so the Canadian such control over waters in the Arctic. If it government developed a plan to take pos• could do so, it would be a major advance. session of the Arctic archipelago by setting In a relatively short book Nathaniel up permanently-manned Royal Canadian Caldwell has written six chapters with Mounted Police posts, which after 1922 extensive footnotes and references. These were established on major islands. By 1933 will be excellent resources for students of historian Kenneth Johnson concluded that Arctic studies. Canada had a valid claim to the Arctic archipelago based mainly on these outposts. Donald A. Grant In World War II the Arctic was not Nepean, Ontario key to the strategic plans of either side. After the war, however, the Canadian Gail Osherenko and Oran P. Young. 77ie Arctic emerged as a significant strategic Age of the Arctic: Hot Conflicts and Cold territory. Submarines could use Arctic Realities. Cambridge: Cambridge University waters, and it was the shortest route for the Press, 1989. xvi + 316 pp., maps, figures, bombers of the superpowers. The Perma• photographs, index. £37.50 & US $59.50, nent Joint Board of Defence which Canada cloth; ISBN 0-521-36451-5. and the US had established in 1940 became prominently involved after the war in mat• This, the fifteenth title in the "Studies in ters associated with Canada/US coopera• Polar Research" series, is a comprehensive tion in the air defence of North America. and easy-to-read primer on conflicts of Book Reviews 89 interest and uses in the Arctic along with Chapters 6-9 examine the handling of potential paths to national and interna• Arctic conflicts through private initiatives, tional dispute resolution. Chapters 2-5 governmental programs and international survey the complex array of players and arrangements. The authors make a particu• interests giving rise to increasing conflicts. larly useful contribution by documenting Chapter 2 describes the strategic interests the somewhat hidden and often neglected and capabilities of the US and the Soviet route to mutual understanding involving Union. The authors characterize militariza• private organizations. Three private initiat• tion of the Arctic as "a fact of life" for the ives are discussed and critically reviewed: foreseeable future, partly because the assisted negotiations under the auspices of shortest air route between the superpowers the Institute for Resource Management of is across the Arctic Basin. The authors offshore hydrocarbon leasing in the Bering back up this claim with some useful statis• Sea; the USA-Canada Arctic Policy Forum tics, such as that one-half of all Soviet of 1984 in which twenty-six selected individ• ballistic missile nuclear submarines uals undertook frank but informal discus• (SSBNS) are stationed with the Northern sions of US-Canadian Arctic issues; and Fleet. Chapter 3 provides an overview of the Canadian Arctic Resources Commit• industrial interests in the Arctic, including tee's hosting of six public seminars on not only resource potential, such as emerging northern issues, including Arctic hydrocarbon reserves estimated at between sovereignty and land claims. one and two hundred billion barrels of The book is by no means timeless, as crude oil and up to two to three thousand the authors recognize in an epilogue up• trillion cubic feet of natural gas, but also dating readers to fast-changing issues to transnational corporate connections which May 1989. The conclusion that a broad may complicate future decision-making. movement toward multilateral arrange• Chapter 4 summarizes aboriginal interests ments dealing with environmental issues and claims by comparing the political and would occur has been substantiated by socio-economic situations in Greenland, subsequent events. Founding articles for Alaska, Canada, the Soviet Union and the International Arctic Science Committee northern Scandinavia. Three issues on the (IASC) were signed by representatives agenda of indigenous peoples are high• from eight states in August 1990; the IASC lighted: cultural survival, protection of as a non-governmental scientific organiz• lands and offshore waters and self-deter• ation promises to encourage international mination. In chapter 5 the authors dispel consultation and cooperation related to the notion of the Arctic as a pristine wil• Arctic environmental issues. In June 1991 derness by describing major environmental at the First Ministers' Conference on the issues, including long-range transport of Protection of the Arctic Environment held pollutants, such as radioactive fallout from in Rovaniemi, Finland, representatives of the Chernobyl disaster, habitat disturbance Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Nor• from oil and gas activities (including the way, Sweden, the Soviet Union and the uncertain effects of noise on marine mam• United States issued a Declaration on the mals), and wildlife protection, which has Protection of the Arctic Environment and created perhaps one of the hottest contro• adopted an Arctic Environmental Protec• versies between nature preservationists and tion Strategy to begin to address better six traditional wildlife harvesters. key environmental problems—persistent 90 The Northern Mariner organic contaminants, oil pollution, heavy There are probably many of us who have metals, noise, radioactivity and acidifica• wished at times for a textbook on the Law tion. While stopping short of forging speci• of the Sea that can be easily comprehended fic regional environmental standards, the by those not trained as lawyers. strategy commits the states to develop a The book is about regulating the uses network of protected areas, to enhance of the sea. It is organized around, but not regional cooperation in response to emer• limited to, a unifying theme: the geographic gency pollution incidents and to develop an aspects of the Law of the Sea, primarily as Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Pro• set out in the 1982 United Nations Con• gram (AMAP). vention on the Law of the Sea. One of the While the authors present a balanced main issues on which there was early academic perspective on resource develop• agreement was a two hundred nautical mile ment and management issues in the Arctic, "exclusive economic zone" (EEZ). Accord• there is at least one "term of art" which ing to Glassner, some readers might find offensive. The repeated reference to "lesser Arctic rim One of the justifications advanced states," while perhaps a common term in by proponents of a 200-mile EEZ strategic jargon, should be replaced by less was that the high seas beyond a connotative language such as "less militar• narrow belt of territorial waters ized countries." had been polluted and overfished As a valuable contribution to the liter• because it was treated as common ature on environmental dispute resolution property...[Their] solution to the and as a possible introductory textbook on problem was to let individual Arctic affairs, the book is worth the price. States undertake the management of the most valuable parts of the David VanderZwaag sea. The fallacy in that argument Halifax, Nova Scotia was clear from the beginning. If, in fact, the sea had been res Martin Ira Glassner. Neptune's Domain: A communis, the property of all, Political Geography of the Sea. Boston: then every state, every seaman, Unwin Hyman, 1990. xii + 151 pp., tables, every fisherman owned a share of maps, photographs, index. US $34.95, cloth; it and should have striven to pro• ISBN 0-04-910091-2. tect that share by cooperating with all other owners in the manage• Political geography of the sea is a new ment (of this common property). field. Neptune's Domain is a political geo• But the sea was not treated as grapher's analysis of the main issues in the common property; it was treated Third United Nations Conference on the as res nullius, the property of no Law of the Sea, plus issues such as military one, and thus open to be raped uses not in the conference agenda. and ravaged at will. The author, who teaches political and marine geography and the Law of the Sea Glassner questions whether the new system at Southern Connecticut State University, will work better than the old non-system, says that he often wished he had a book replying in the affirmative but adding that such as this to use in his own courses. it will not be quick or easy. (p. 134) Book Reviews 91

"The sea," Glassner concludes, "is not (1989) contains excerpts from a letter of 8 ours to destroy; it remains Neptune's August 1988 which reaffirmed Canada's domain and we are only its stewards." (p. position that all waters south of the A-B 136) These are idealistic sentiments, but Line in the Dixon Entrance region between worth stating. This is a good little book for British Columbia and Alaska are Canadian, those who want to bring themselves up-to- (p. 389) Volume 26 (1988) contains ex• date on the current state of the Law of the cerpts from an External Affairs document Sea without having to wade through the of 29 March 1988 which described Cana• legal and technical complexities. da's position on Arctic waters, (pp. 314-5) Given the importance of oceans to Allen D. Taylor Canada and the priority given by the Can• Cantley, Quebec adian government to law of the sea issues over the last twenty years, it is not surpris• C.B. Bourne (ed.). The Canadian Yearbook ing that these are discussed in a number of of International Law/Annuaire Canadien de articles. Three contributions to Volume 26 Droit International, Volumes 25-27. deal with ocean issues. Two of these, Vancouver: University of British Columbia Elaine L. Hughes' essay on "Ocean Dump• Press, 1987-1989. Index. $60, cloth; ISBN 0- ing and Its Regulation in Canada" and L. 7747-0281-2 (Vol. 25, 1987); $60, cloth; Alan Willis' essay on "The Crown Zeller- ISBN 0-7747-0328-2 (Vol. 26, 1988); $60, bach Case on Marine Pollution," deal spe• cloth; ISBN 0-7748-0335-X (Vol. 27, 1989). cifically with ocean environment issues. In Volume 25, respected Arctic specialist The Canadian Yearbook of International Donat Pharand has contributed an exten• Law is the only academic publication in sive note entitled "Canada's Sovereignty Canada that specializes in issues of interna• over the Newly Enclosed Arctic Waters." It tional law. Long-time editor Professor C.B. is Dr. Pharand's conclusion that the waters Bourne of the University of British Colum• between Canada's Arctic islands are locales bia and his distinguished board consistently over which Canada may exercise unlimited produce an excellent book which canvasses jurisdiction, including the denial of passage Canada's broad interest in the development rights to foreign vessels. of international law. Many of the contributions to the Can• Each Yearbook is organized the same adian Yearbook are technical and designed way, with sections entitled "Articles," "Notes for the specialist. One piece, however, and Comments," "Canadian Practice in stands out for comment. My colleague at International Law," "Canadian Cases in the University of Victoria, Douglas M. International Law," and "Book Reviews." Johnston, contributed an article to Volume The section on "Canadian Practice in Inter• 26 entitled "Functionalism in the Theory of national Law" sets out statements and International Law" which provides a unique answers to questions raised in the House of analysis of the whole field of international Commons on topics about international law. This article is the preliminary work law. This section also contains documents which will lead to a book applying function• selected from the files of the Department alist thinking, as defined by Johnston, to of External Affairs which provide insight international law theory and issues. into the official Canadian position on Professor Maxwell Cohen contributed numerous topics. For instance, Volume 27 the lead article to Volume 25, entitled "The 92 The Northern Mariner

Canadian Yearbook and International Law is extraordinary in such a comparatively in Canada after Twenty-Five Years." This slim volume, ranging from broad interna• surveys Canadian government and aca• tional trade and investment policy to very demic trends in international law. As specific recommendations for curing a na• always, Cohen's style and insights provide tion's economic malaise. Still, their fascinating reading. Volume 27 contains a relationship is not always obvious. To over• tribute to Cohen entitled "Maxwell Cohen come this, Nemetz contributes a sixty-seven at Eighty: International Lawyer, Educator page introduction which is a real tour-de• and Judge" by Professor R. St.J. Mac- force and the most interesting and valuable Donald. MacDonald, former law dean at essay in the book. He includes no fewer Toronto and Dalhousie, a judge on the than thirty-seven tables and figures which European Court of Human Rights, and one not only help to fill in the gaps but also of Canada's most respected international make the subject much easier for the non• lawyers, contributed major papers to each expert. Frankly, some of the articles are of the three volumes under review. not easy to follow; I quailed slightly when For those interested in international my eye fell on "...importance judgement (on legal developments and insights into Cana• five-point Likert-type scale) of attributes of da's position on international legal issues, a financial centre in terms of attribute the Canadian Yearbook of International contribution to centre growth." (p. 251) Law is the principal source of information Of the fourteen individual studies, five and opinion. are concerned directly with Japan. They give a clear picture of Japanese penetration T.L. McDorman of Far Eastern financial and commercial Victoria, British Columbia markets over the last twenty years. Shifting manufacturing offshore to the developing Peter N. Nemetz (ed.). 77ie Pacific Rim: nations has not only improved their market Investment, Development and Trade. 2nd penetration but reduced production costs rev. ed.; Vancouver: University of British through the employment of cheaper labour Columbia Press, 1990. x + 361 pp., tables, and by lessening the amount of imported figures, maps, sources. $29.95, paper; ISBN energy in the home islands. Aggressive pur• 0-7748-0360-6. suit of such policies has greatly reduced the market share of other developed nations, Peter Nemetz is an associate professor of particularly the European Community. policy analysis at the University of British Two articles discuss emerging financial Columbia and editor of the Journal of centres in the Pacific; there is a very inter• Business Administration. In this second esting comparison between the services de• edition of The Pacific Rim he has gathered manded of the "live-wire" centres of fourteen new or updated studies with wide• Singapore and Hong Kong, and why and ly differing subjects and emphases to create how they are growing. Another article an intriguing overview of the background, studies the importance of the export trade policy considerations, practical difficulties of the ASEAN countries (Indonesia, and possible future of conducting interna• Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand tional business with Asian countries around and Brunei) to the Pacific Basin and to the Pacific rim. each other. ASEAN, with a population of The diversity of viewpoints represented some three hundred million, has an aggre- Book Reviews 93

gate income about sixty percent of Canada duction capacity by about seventy-two and the same as Australia, so the thirty- percent. Even with Japanese equity in the three percent of their income generated by new mines ranging from ten to forty per• exports is relatively more important to cent, the British Columbia and Federal them. Petroleum and other mineral prod• governments committed almost $500 mil• ucts continue to account for about a third lion, even before their own cost-benefit of their exports, but there has been a analysis was completed! Meanwhile the marked shift in the remainder away from growth of Japanese steel production, which agriculture to manufactures, which by 1986 had been forecast to increase at a com• comprised forty percent of exports. Signifi• pound rate of one percent per annum, cantly, Canada's share in ASEAN trade, actually decreased by 21/2% annually. And exports and imports, is under one percent! while the Japanese perhaps did not actually The second part of the book is devoted encourage overcapacity, they certainly had to the critical role of energy supply and no reason to discourage it: a low return on demand in the future development of the equity would be more than balanced by Pacific rim. Over the last twenty years the savings on purchases due to fierce competi• Asia-Pacific region has experienced a tion. The prospects for our coal industry dramatic increase in Gross Domestic Prod• remain very problematic. uct, trade and industrial growth, despite Nemetz raises as many questions as he global economic disruption caused largely answers; therein lies the value of his book. by the energy crises of 1973,1979 and 1986. Anyone contemplating business in Asia or Given stability in energy supplies, what the Pacific should read it; it will certainly progress may it anticipate? The outlook for improve the assumptions in his business nuclear power is not bright: except perhaps plan. For the rest of us, its overview is for India and China, little new construction invaluable for understanding both oppor• is expected and the United States, with 108 tunities and pitfalls in our trade and invest• plants, is still the biggest producer. The ment relations with the region. perceived risks and world outlook are the subject of one study. Another provides a Daniel L. Hanington thorough discussion of the prospects for Victoria, British Columbia energy cooperation among the developing countries of the Pacific Basin, while still Harvey Oxenhorn. Tuning the Rig: A Jour• another compares energy requirements and nal to the Arctic. Toronto: Harper and policies of Japan and China. The latter Row, 1990. x + 281 pp., map, diagrams. shows, among other things, just how much $29.95, cloth; ISBN 0-06-016351-8. it is possible to lower energy consumption, even in highly industrialized nations. This is the refurbished log of a landsman's Two studies provide a real cautionary two-month voyage between Boston and tale of how British Columbia developed a Baffin Bay aboard the research vessel huge overcapacity for coal production. Regina Maris during a 1980s summer which Fuelled largely by anticipated Japanese he deliberately fails to date. Log is perhaps demand for coking coal which did not too literal a description since it is a mood materialize, five new mines were opened piece as well as a factual account, and the (four in British Columbia and one in author is as much concerned with literary Alberta) in 1983-84, increasing total pro• contrivance as portraying what actually 94 The Northern Mariner happened on the seventy-year-old wooden Above all, however, Oxenhorn is a barquentine. In fact he must embellish in wordsmith. While I do not warm particular• order to produce a marketable tale since ly to his episodic and whimsical style, I he admits that ninety percent of the time must admit that it is effective. From the aboard was totally unremarkable. Nonethe• description of the icebergs to the drama of less it is an enjoyable book, combining a going aloft, from the vivid impressions of great variety of history, science, sociology the changes in the sea and the sky to the and lyrical description. portrayal of shipboard grubbiness and Historical passages relate to the discomfort, the strokes of his pen are Basque whaling venture at Red Bay in executed with skilful artistry. He is also Labrador, the Danish settlement of God- very good on people. One really gets to thab in Greenland, and, in Newfoundland, know Captain George Nichols, Jr., the the Viking base at L'Anse-aux-Meadows as medical researcher/Harvard University well as the effect of Smallwood's resettle• dean turned shipmaster who founded the ment policy on the erstwhile town of Wil- Ocean Research and Education Society liamsport, all told with the keen eye of an (ORES), ran a tight ship, and believed that observer. Oxenhorn's descriptions of the "You should choose as your life's work archaeological research are pure National whatever feels most like play." (p. 239) Geographic. Since the Regina Maris was Another character is the "lumpy, crude" (p. operating as a scientific station for tracking 53), loud-mouthed engineer Fran Grost, humpback whales, we learn a great deal with the bright, shrewd eyes, daughter of a about endangered species. The science- Jewish submarine base commander, who cum-art of seafaring also figures promi• normally lived on a tug. She condescend• nently. Seven of the crew plus master, cook ingly allowed the landlubbers to dry their and engineer were experienced seafarers; wet clothing in her filthy engine room. Her the sixteen male and female students taken practical and pragmatic approach stands in on as researchers and sailors had to bal• sharp contrast to Oxenhorn's own romantic ance their scientific lessons, under the and idealistic nature. By the time the book guidance of four scientists, with their nauti• appeared in 1990, the Regina Maris had cal ones, which made for agonizingly long sunk, George Nichols had retired, and the days of study, experiments and watches. ORES, which Oxenhorn had set out to Oxenhorn excels in his sociological publicize, had dissolved. analysis. While it extends to all facets of the voyage, he is particularly good on the Judith Fingard relationship between master and crew, in Halifax, Nova Scotia which his own position as seaman/journal• ist provides a striking illustration of the Jimmy Cornell. World Cruising Survey. difficulty of adjusting to absolute authority Camden, ME: International Marine Pub• and to the priority assigned to working the lishing Company, 1990. xii + 260 pp., maps, vessel over all other considerations. He photographs, tables, index. US $29.95, also analyses the dynamics of group behav• hardback; ISBN 0-87742-250-8. iour in cramped quarters under very trying climatic conditions, and comments on the World Cruising Survey is the most recent devastating impact of civilization on the version of Cornell's popular first book, Greenland Inuits visited en route. Modern Ocean Cruising, revised in 1986. In Book Reviews 95 this updated edition, Cornell answers those (ARC), an annual event that brings over a vital questions that concern anyone dream• hundred yachts to the Canaries for the ing of blue-water voyaging. No stranger to transatlantic passage to the Caribbean, and deep-water cruising himself, Cornell, with in which your reviewer participated in 1989. family aboard, set sail from England in Jimmy Cornell is a regular contributor to 1975. Six years and fifty countries on five Cruising World magazine and author of continents later, circumnavigation complete, World Cruising Routes (1987). For anyone he had the makings of his first survey. dreaming of that far distant shore, but Along the way Cornell, a former BBC assailed with doubts, this book is required radio journalist, interviewed hundreds of reading. offshore cruisers with questions such as: Do you carry a firearm? What do you do Geoffrey H. Farmer about medical emergencies? What elec• St. John's, Newfoundland tronics do you carry? Should you take a pet? How do you educate your children? Robert Doherty. Disputed Waters: Native What are the effects on marriage? Are Americans and the Great Lakes Fishery. autopilots more effective than wind vane Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, self-steerers? 1990. vii + 172 pp., map, index. US $24, Chapter 8-"How Much a Macho cloth; ISBN 0-8131-1715-1. World"~elaborates on an earlier theme: cruising from a woman's point of view. Robert Doherty has written an informative Here, Cornell offers the suggestions of and sympathetic account of the attempt by some forty women undertaking long voy• the natives of northern Michigan to assert ages. He notes with satisfaction the grow• their treaty rights to fish in the Great ing number fully competent to navigate Lakes. The story will be relevant to Cana• offshore, compared with his findings in dian readers with an interest in the history 1979. Several women remarked, perhaps and future of the Great Lakes fisheries or wryly, that "one should have as many com• in native claims. forts as possible, such as a small washing Disputed Waters begins with a brief machine!" No chauvinist, Cornell is a solid account of the pre-contact life of the promoter of the increased involvement of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians of northern women in sailing. His wife, Glenda, actively Michigan. The Indians had a relatively contributed to the design of his present secure life based primarily on fishing which cruiser, La Aventura. Cornell's survey is was largely destroyed by the commercial meticulous and painstaking. The book is fishery of the nineteenth century. By the replete with tables and statistics woven beginning of the twentieth century Michi• through the pages, but not so they become gan's native population had been margin• tiresome. Cornell's style is neither heavy- alized and impoverished. handed nor facile; he writes authoritatively As part of a strategy to boost the econ• but does not preach. An intriguing series of omy in the 1960s, the Michigan government tables display yacht arrivals and departures established a sport fishery by stocking lake by month for selected ports. Canadian trout and coho salmon. This was a success yachts figure prominently. although few Indians benefited. In fact, In recent years Jimmy Cornell has when the government moved to restrict organized the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers commercial fishing in order to save the 96 The Northern Mariner stocked fish for the lucrative sport fishery, "in the business of producing potentially it threatened the livelihood of Indian and dangerous food, nourishing tourist profit at white commercial fishermen. The Indians the expense of human health," (p. 145) but resisted the restrictions on commercial he does not consider the question of Indian fishing, arguing that although they had commercial fishermen selling the same fish surrendered their land by treaties in 1836 for human consumption. and 1855, they had never surrendered their Disputed Waters is a short book, and in fishing rights and thus were not subject to some cases one wishes for a little more state regulations. In 1987 they took their detail. For example, Doherty argues that case to court and won. Doherty discusses because the fish at the centre of the dis• the case, United States v. Michigan, and pute, lake trout, are the result of a put- concludes that the state made only a token grow-take system and do not reproduce effort to win, concentrating instead on naturally, the issue is one of allocation and scoring political points with the sports not of conservation. Unfortunately there fishing lobby and building support for a are too few statistics in the book to allow political solution. While the court decision the reader to make any judgement on the did not provide for an allocation between feasibility of successful allocation or on the the sport and native fishing interests, in relative importance of the sport and com• 1984 the issue came before the courts and mercial fisheries. a settlement was negotiated under an "al• Although Disputed Waters leaves sev• ternative dispute resolution" procedure. eral questions either unanswered or This gave the Indians control of the north• unasked, its relevance to the Canadian situ• ern waters and the state and sport fishing ation makes it an important book. interests control of those in the south. Although the alternative dispute resol• Alan McCullough ution procedure, which appears to have Ottawa, Ontario been simply a high pressure negotiation, resolved the dispute, Doherty is critical, be• A.H. Duke and W.M. Gray. The Boatbuild- lieving that it inherently favours the ers of Muskoka. Erin, ONT: Boston Mills stronger party. He contends that the Press, 1985; second printing 1990. 152 pp., Indians were, with the exception of one photographs, illustrations. $40, cloth; ISBN group, overmatched. As a result, he argues, 0-9692213-0-4. although large-scale commercial Indian fishermen benefitted from the settlement, Harold Wilson. Boats Unlimited. Erin, the majority lost their chance to participate Ontario: Boston Mills Press, 1990. xi + 269 in the fishery. pp., photographs, index. $29.95, cloth; ISBN Doherty acted as an expert witness on 0-919783-98-8. the Indian's behalf in the case and his sym• pathy for their position is evident. Occa• Boatbuilders explores its theme on Lakes sionally it leads to questionable judge• Joseph, Rosseau, and Muskoka, three inter• ments. For example, many of the large connected lakes in southern Ontario's "Cot• predator fish in the Great Lakes are con• tage Country." It examines boatbuilding taminated with heavy metals, pesticides, from the pioneering firms in the early and PCBs. Doherty excoriates the Michigan 1870s to the decline and virtual demise of Department of Natural Resources for being the industry during and shortly after World Book Reviews 97

War II. The technology covered is equally shared a dedication to their craft. Many broad, from muscle-powered paddles and could have made better money as saw-and- oars, through wind and steam-driven boats hammer carpenters, but chose boatbuilding to modern gasoline and diesel engines. instead. Muskoka's many boatbuilding firms Both major and minor builders are cover• (one of the highest concentrations in North ed. Though some began their careers build• America) provides the authors with a ing simple canoes, rowboats, and skiffs, at unique opportunity to trace the dawning, least one pioneer brought a boatbuilding flourishing, and passing of the age of clas• tradition which could be traced back to sic, made-to-order launches. Today, that Elizabethan England; this was Henry era has given way to fibreglass hulls and Ditchburn, a veteran of the Royal Navy mass production, but its legacy of beauti• who came to Muskoka, where he estab• fully-crafted wooden hulls may still be seen, lished himself as the leading boatbuilder in lovingly preserved or restored in private the district. His Ditchburn boat works were collections or at antique boatshows on the active from the early 1870s to 1938, with waters where once they reigned supreme. locations in Gravenhurst and Orillia. In Boats Unlimited examines one particu• 1893 at Gravenhurst, he became the first to lar aspect of the history of freshwater build a gasoline launch in the district. boatbuilding, namely the search for speed, Another fine boatbuilder was H.C. Minett, as seen through the eyes of one of Cana• of Minett and Minett Shields on Lake da's foremost power-racers, Harold Wilson. Rosseau and Bracebridge from 1910 until He and his father, Ernie, founded the the firm closed down in 1948. Tom Grea- Wilson Racing Team, which dominated vette was a third outstanding boatbuilder; powerboat racing in this country in the he was the first in Canada to build 1930s with two series of boats named either launches on an assembly line. Eventually Miss Canada or the Little Miss Canada. his firm shifted into the custom trade. Be• Many of their boats were built by firms ginning in 1936, it produced three or four described by Duke and Gray in Boatbuild- hundred "disappearing propeller" boats ers. Thus, the Miss Canada was a twenty- under license; during the war it built Fair- eight foot Ditchburn Viking, a two hundred miles. Another firm which actually went by horsepower hydroplane capable of speeds the name "Disappearing Propeller Boat up to forty-five miles per hour, while the Company" was established by W.J. "Young first boat to bear the name Little Miss Billy" Johnston, Jr. and J.R. Hodson; the Canada was a hundred horsepower Grea- firm built mainly three different models. vette Ensign. Throughout the 1930s, the Several other firms and their creations are several Wilson Team boats were usually examined in this well-illustrated book, designed either by John Hacker, an Ameri• including the Port Carling Boat Works, can, or by Douglas Van Patten. The com• which also shifted construction from bination of boats designed by Hacker or launches to Fairmiles during the war, and Van Patten, built by Greavette, and driven the Duke Works, which is the sole active by Harold Wilson was potent. Wilson won survivor of all the boat works that flour• the Canadian National Exhibition "225 ished during the heyday of the industry in Class" World Championship race in 1933 in the 1920s. the Little Miss Canada III, designed by Despite the differences in their back• Hacker and built by Greavette, while in grounds and specialties, all the shipwrights 1939 he won the President's Gold Cup in 98 The Northern Mariner

Miss Canada III; these were but two of James Barry, author of the best history of many victories during that decade. Georgian Bay, Georgian Bay: The Sixth Boats Unlimited is not all about racing. Great Lake and a good photographic his• In Chapter 11, Wilson returns to more tory, Wrecks and Rescues of the Great leisurely sailing and cruising on the Trent Lakes, among others. But this is local and Rideau waterways as well as barge history of a sort that is just beginning to travel in France. He served as supernumer• emerge, the cottage country community. ary on the Malcolm Miller, a sail training And this is produced by one of the best in ship and consort of the Sir Winston that business, Boston Mills Press. The book Churchill. In the final chapter, Wilson also is standard Boston Mills' fare; only twice describes the Lord Nelson, a Sail Training do two pages of text face the reader on Association ship built to specification by turning the page. The long list of acknowl• the Jubilee Trust to take the handicapped edgements, many of which appear again in to sea as active sailors and passengers. the text, must be balanced against a tiny Nevertheless, Boats Unlimited, like Boat- bibliography. Surprisingly, neither acknowl• builders, is really about pleasure and power edgments nor bibliography refers to Barry, boats of a bygone era; together these two although his cottage makes an appearance books help keep the memories and the in the photographs. boats of that era alive. To the marine historian Northcott offers brief chapters on "Lights and Don Withrow Wrecks," "Hope Island's Marine History" Etobicoke, Ontario and "Commercial Fishing." Each section mixes a little local legend and reminiscence Bill Northcott. Thunder Bay Beach. Erin, with the newspaper clippings. The section ONT: Boston Mills Press, 1989. 150 pp., on commercial fishing cries out for a dis• maps, photographs, bibliography. $15, cussion of its relationship to the large paper; ISBN 1-55046-028-5. community on the beach of French Cana• dian ancestry, their persistence, and their No, this is not a book about the beaches relationship to the wealthy Ontario urban- just down the waterfront from the grain ites who settled in their midst. elevators at the head of the lakes. As The result is a book of few preten• Northcott notes early in this work, the city sions, best enjoyed for what it is and not of Thunder Bay is simply a "new upstart" berated for what it might have been. This which appropriated the name in 1970. The is lazy summer afternoon reading. We original Thunder Bay opens into Georgian could use a careful scholarly investigation Bay at the head of the peninsula which into the cottage phenomenon, on the over• contains Penetanguishene and Midland to laying of urban waterfront communities on the east and Wasaga Beach to the west. an essentially rural infrastructure, and on The beach has only a marginal stake in an "industry" whose principal economic the broader sweep of history. Its most product is leisure. But it would not be notorious resident was probably the late Northcott's book and they would not be Harold Ballard; its most famous song a Northcott's readers. 1972 Gordon Lightfoot ballad about the " Heels." Perhaps most familiar to Walter Lewis marine historians would be the name of Acton, Ontario Book Reviews 99

Stephen Weir. Sinking of the Mayflower, are repeated irritatingly in different con• Lost November 12, 1912. Burnstown, ONT: texts, and a good copy editor would surely General Store Publishing House, 1989. 160 have curbed a tendency to use three words pp., map, photographs, bibliography. where two would serve. The same is true of $12.95, paper; ISBN 0-919431-42-9. the many illustrations: do photos of grave• stones really contribute to Canadian marine Just before the turn of the century, mineral history? Mayflower herself appears only resources began to be developed at Graig- once, apart from many underwater photos. mont, near York River in the lee of Ont• For the dedicated specialist, this is ario's Algonquin Park. Corundum was nevertheless a welcome book. We need shipped on the Madawaska River and more of this sort of work. It is unfortunate Kamaniskeg Lake to the railhead at Barry's that this particular story is really too slight Bay. The sternwheel tug Mayflower was to stand alone. built for this service in 1903, but the mining company soon brought in its own tugs, John M. Mills forcing Mayflower to eke out a marginal Toronto, Ontario existence carrying passengers and package- freight. On 12 November 1912 she made a John R. Halsey. Beneath the Inland Seas: rare night-time run to deliver a casket; Michigan's Underwater Archaeological while on this mercy mission she was wreck• Heritage. Lansing, MI: Bureau of History, ed in a sudden storm. Nine lives were lost. Michigan Department of State, 1990. 64 This book is the story of her life and death pp., map, photographs, endnotes, bibliogra• and the subsequent investigation. There is phy. US $6.95, paper. also a long section aimed at scuba divers. Considerable prominence is given to Steve Harrington (ed.). Diving Into St. the inquiry. Mayflower was operating with• Ignace Past: An Underwater Investigation of out lights, qualified officers, lifeboats or a East Moran Bay. Mason, MI: Maritime passenger certificate. The certificate had Press, 1990. 42 pp., maps, photographs, been refused because of the other short• illustrations. US $7.95, paper; ISBN 0- comings, but she had not been tied up by 9624629-9-4. the Steamboat Inspector because the owner had promised, but failed, to comply. These two timely publications focus on The author knows his subject; he has Michigan's archaeological heritage beneath done his research well and has found all the Great Lakes, the first on an overall possible illustrations. He quotes extensively level, and the second in microcosm. from local inhabitants who know the details Dr. Halsey, State Archaeologist of and has himself dived on the wreck. In Michigan since 1976, has been, among short, it is just the kind of research work of other things, a key figure in the manage• which there has been too little in Canada. ment, protection, and interpretation of the In view of this, I wish I could recom• state's underwater heritage. His yearning to mend it without reservation, but I am learn firsthand about these submerged afraid I cannot. It would make a fine chap• historical resources and to understand the ter in a book with a wider focus, but there reasons behind conflicts between sport is simply not enough to be said to justify an scuba divers and marine archaeologists led independent publication. The same details him to his scuba certification two years age, 100 The Northern Mariner and more recently to the production of this Students located historic features and educational book. artifacts, including submerged cribs, a cast- In succinct chapters, Dr. Halsey traces iron water intake pipe, and a portion of a the pre-history and maritime past of Michi• ship's keel and a metal deck winch; they gan, describes and explains the importance also drew many of the rough sketches, of non-renewable marine heritage sites, and several of which are reproduced in this establishes clearly the importance of educa• publication, of the underwater sites. Valu• tion and co-operation among all who visit able chapters include information on sev• those sites. The role of sport scuba divers eral key topics, including "Development of in locating and conserving underwater ar• Sport Diver Attitudes" and "Basic Training chaeological locations for future gener• in Underwater Archaeology." ations to appreciate is stressed. Finally, he This book is an enticing display of outlines the development of Michigan's what can be accomplished when sport Bottomland Preserves system and accu• scuba divers have opportunities to work rately measures the pulse of the emerging with professional archaeologists on mean• sport diving ethic of conservation and ingful projects to appreciate our submerged appreciation, while working in conjunction heritage and to share knowledge gleaned with marine archaeologists, an attitude from their discoveries with others. Perhaps which promises to benefit everyone. we can hope that the old "battle" involving The book is precise and to the point, heritage site looting is drawing to a close, with a symmetrical blend of colour and with educated people asking themselves black-and-white, as well as modern and "How on earth could we ever have thought archival, photographs. My only reservation like that in the past?" concerns the lengthy, ten-page bibliography, These publications offer an ideal over• which unnecessarily drives home the schol• view of Michigan's Great Lakes marine arship that went into this twenty-one page heritage and a close study of the work done (excluding the photos and maps) essay. at one of its many historic areas. Anyone In the summers of 1989 and 1990, wishing to behold the present and future thirty sport scuba divers interested in mar• direction of underwater recreation and the ine history and the conservation of this conservation of submerged heritage sites heritage received special training from mar• will surely benefit from these informative ine archaeologists at St. Ignace at the books. Both are available postpaid from Straits of Mackinac, and then produced Maritime Press, P.O. Box 275, Mason, valuable and rewarding underwater survey Michigan 48854. work of that historic harbour. The pub• lished result, edited by Steve Harrington Cris Kohl (author of Divers Guide to Michigan and Chatham, Ontario Divers Guide to Wisconsin), contains chap• ters contributed by the aforementioned Jean Wright-Popescul. 77ie Marine Art of J. , Mike Kohut (President of the Franklin Wright. Toronto: National Marine Michigan Bottomlands Preserve Commit• Arts, 1990. xvii + 176 pp., photographs, tee), Phil Wright (marine archaeologist colour reproductions. $60, cloth; ISBN 0- formerly with the Ontario Ministry of 9694192-1-X. Culture and Communications), and several other equally qualified people. As a native of Cape Breton, J. Franklin Book Reviews 101

Wright spent his childhood looking out subjects in bright weather discloses as over the Strait of Canso in the heart of much as possible about the vessel and its Canada's Maritimes. Inspired by the mari• details, both on board and in its surround• time life of the island, encouraged by a ings. Through his paintings the nostalgic Cape Breton artist, Morrow Williams, and glory of the past lives despite the fact that later influenced by the remarkable works all the ships are gone. In depicting an by Montague Dawson, Wright spent a anonymous saltbanker and her flocks of lifetime painting seascapes and ships. The dories the background often is veiled in a present volume, with over seventy full- golden fog. colour plates, meets a general demand for The same accuracy and technical a survey of his work. The publisher has details marked the work of Edward John done this handsomely and has also pro• Russell, the Saint John marine artist (1832- duced motifs from the book as prints, 1906). According to tradition Russell used signed and numbered in limited editions. builder's plans for his watercolours. Un• After a preface and an introduction to doubtedly it was Russell's great influence the artist, the greater part of the book is that brought about a change in Wright's art divided into six sections with titles rep• in the spring of 1973. Before that he resenting chapters in Canadian maritime worked as a marine painter; in the present history, beginning with some of the first volume we can enjoy in a smaller-scale vessels to bring settlers to Nova Scotia, some remarkable seascapes. moving through Confederation, and ending The competitions arranged by Mystic with the "Defenders," well-known Royal Seaport in Connecticut have promoted and Canadian Navy ships from World War II. encouraged several young talents. Among In between there are schooners, barques, these is a Danish artist, the late A. Skot- dories and steamers. The world-famous tenborg Frederiksen, who left a great racing Bluenose is reproduced number of Danish historical ship portraits, several times. The artist's daughter, Jean reconstructed after careful studies, and Wright-Popescul, provides a comprehensive whose work is very remisicent of Wright's. text to accompany each ship depicted. It is also tempting to compare Wright's Most of the originals are in private ship paintings with those by the German collections. Many of the ship portraits were artist Jochen Sachse, whose career started commissioned from Wright by descendants with a dominating technical interest and of shipowners and captains, who were able who has produced a great number of natu• to provide the artist with a drawing or a ralistic ship portraits. From childhood, photograph of their ancestor's vessel, which Franklin Wright acquired a stock of mari• has perhaps been wrecked or possibly was time knowledge by making models, taking even the source from which the family's photographs, and making scale drawings in fortune derived. Other ships, whether scale from existing craft and pictures. Like famous or merely typical of the coastal Frederiksen and Sachse, Wright's ship trade or fishery, were motifs loved by many portraits are technical rather than romantic Canadians. or heroic. They are also very good, and this A characteristic feature of Wright's well-produced book does them justice. production is the clear and accurate draughtsmanship. The colouring is natural• Hanne Poulsen istic and luminous and the depiction of his Espergaerde, Denmark