Synopses & Reviews
Of all the ships human beings have constructed to navigate the waters of the world—from a hollowed-out log sharpened at both ends to modern ocean liners weighing thousands of tons—those powered by the wind are among the most interesting and beautiful.
In this classic review, noted maritime artist Gordon Grant has created 80 magnificent line illustrations of some of history's most important sailing ships, beginning with a graceful Egyptian galley (c. 1600 B.C.) and ending with a splendid five-masted clipper ship of 1921. Also depicted are a Roman trireme, a Viking longship, a sixteenth-century caravel, an East Indiaman of 1750, an early nineteenth-century brigantine, a New Bedford whaling bark, and dozens of lesser-known vessels, among them the galleass, carrack, buss, and flute.
Henry B. Culver, well-known authority on naval history, has provided a detailed, meticulously researched text for each vessel, describing the materials and details of construction, how the ship's design matched its function, the period in which the vessel flourished, romance and lore surrounding the craft, and more. Naval historians and model shipbuilders will value this work as an excellent sourcebook and reference with much information on the evolution of sailing vessels, the origins of shipping, customs of the sea and other pertinent matters; sailing enthusiasts will find it a wonderful browsing book, offering an informative, handsomely illustrated look back at 3,000 years of sailing history.
Dover (1992) unabridged republication of The Book of Old Ships: and Something of Their Evolution and Romance, published by Doubleday, Page and Company, Garden City, New York, 1924.
Synopsis
Superb, authoritative history of sailing vessels, with 80 magnificent line illustrations by noted maritime illustrator Gordon Grant. Ships include a Roman trireme, Viking longship, 16th-century caravel, New Bedford whaling bark, 19th-century brigantine, many more. Detailed text on each vessel by noted naval historian. Introduction. Appendix, including Notes.
Synopsis
Superb, authoritative history of sailing vessels, with 80 magnificent line illustrations. Galley, bark, caravel, longship, whaler, many more. Detailed, informative text on each vessel by noted naval historian. Introduction.
Table of Contents
PART I LONG SHIPS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
GALLEYS
"AN EGYPTIAN GALLEY, 1600 B.C."
"A GREEK GALLEY, 500 B.C."
A ROMAN TRIREME
THE VIKING LONG SHIP
THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY GALLEY
THE GALLEASS
PART II ROUND SHIPS
ROUND SHIPS
A GREEK MERCHANTMAN
A MEDIÆVAL SHIP
A THIRTEENTH CENTURY ENGLISH WARSHIP
AN EARLY FIFTEENTH CENTURY MERCHANT SHIP
THE CARRACK
LATE FIFTEENTH CENTURY SHIP
AN EARLY SIXTEENTH CENTURY SHIP
THE HULK
THE CARAVEL
THE GALLEON
AN ELIZABETHAN SHIP OF 1588
THE CROMSTER
A LATE SIXTEENTH CENTURY ENGLISH SHIP
AN EARLY SEVENTEENTH CENTURY DUTCH MERCHANT SHIP
THE BUSS
THE DUTCH GALLIOT
AN ENGLISH CAPITAL SHIP ON THE EARLY SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
AN ENGLISH SIXTY-GUN SHIP OF ABOUT THE YEAR 1670
THE FLUTE
A LATE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY FRENCH SHIP OF THE FIRST RATE
A DUTCH SHIP OF THE END OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
THE KETCH
AN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SEVENTY-FOUR GUN SHIP
AN EAST INDIAMAN OF 1750
THE LUGGER
THE HOWKER
THE BUGALET
AN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY FRIGATE
THE FELUCCA
THE BARQUE PROVENÇALE
THE TARTANE
THE NORWEGIAN CAT
THE BILANDER
THE FIRE SHIP
THE PINK
THE PATACHE
THE POLACRE
THE XEBEC
THE SAÏQUE
A CAPITAL SHIP OF 1820
A FRIGATE OF 1820
THE BRIG
THE SNOW
THE BRIGANTINE
"EXTRACTS FROM THE LOG OF THE SHIP "FELICITY"
THE CORVETTE
THE TOPSAIL SCHOONER
THE GOËLETTE
THE PACKET SHIP
A NEW BEDFORD WHALING BARK
THE BARQUENTINE
CLIPPER SHIP OF 1850
THE MODERN SUPER SHIP
APPENDIX
PLAN OF A GALLEY
SIX TYPICAL STERNS
THE SETTING OF STUD SAILS
CANNON
A TYPICAL BOW
THE WHIPSTAFF
NOTES