Description

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"I beg my dear will not be uneasy at my staying out so long," wrote Admiral Boscawen to his wife in 1756. "To be sure I lose the fruits of the earth, but then I am gathering the flowers of the sea." Filled with 3,700 entries and covering a span of over 5,000 years, The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea offers readers the opportunity to gather also the many flowers of the world's bountiful waters. From the days when man first ventured on the waters in his primitive canoe to the modern age of the nuclear submarine, the hydrofoil, and the ultra large crude oil carriers of half a million tons, this comprehensive Companion brings together the immense field of marine terminology in one easily accessible volume.
International in scope, the Companion ranges from the ships and the men who opened up the world with their voyages into the unknown, through the struggle of nations as they developed and recognized that power and prosperity depended on the excercise of sea power, to those who wrote about and painted the sea scene. And within this wide compass lie all sorts of maritime specialties such as the changing designs of ships to meet particular needs, the huge growth of yachting as modern men and women continue to find more and more delight, relaxation, and challenge in the wide spaces of the sea, and the modern developments in navigation which so greatly simplify the art of finding one's way at sea. Also covered is the rich language of the sea, developed over centuries into a well-recognized and accepted vernacular that binds together seamen of many countries making them a breed whose colorful language quickly identifies their trade. Terms such as mizen-mast (the mast of a square-rigged sailing ship or of a three-masted schooner), bucko'mate (the mate of a sail ship who drove his crew by the power of his fists), and six water grog (a punishment in the British Navy often inflicted on seamen found guilty of neglect or drunkeness in which their daily tot of rum was diluted with six parts of water instead of the normal three) are just a few examples of the sea's unique and diverse language. Definitions, and the derivation where known, are given for most words and terms used everyday at sea, and those which have fallen into disuse through technological development are also included, as they appear so frequently in the literature of the sea. Included as well are helpful appendices on naval ranks, international signal codes, rules of the sea (important lights, daymarks, and fog signals), buoys and buoyage, and equivalents of some common units of measure, making this is an invaluable reference tool for both land and sea.
Illustrated throughout, The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea is the definitive reference of the seafaring history of the world. From biographies of those who left their mark upon the sea to accounts of naval battles and histories of famous ships to lore, language, and customs of the sea, this outstanding volume will provide hours of pleasure for all those with a love of the sea and all things nautical.

About the Author

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Peter Kemp has written widely on naval, military, and yachting subjects. He was previously the Head of the Naval Historical Branch, British Ministry of Defense and editor of sporting and yachting at The Times (London).