Merchantmen-at-arms : the British merchants' service in the war

Merchantmen-at-arms : the British merchants' service in the war

It is necessarily halting and incomplete. The extent of the subject is perhaps beyond the safe traverse of a mariner's dead reckoning. Policies of governmental control and of the economics of our management do not come within the[xii] scope of the book except as text to the diary of seafaring. Out at sea it is not easy to keep the right proportions in forming an opinion of measures devised on a grand scale, and of the operation of which we see only a small part. Our slender thread of communication with longshore happenings is often broken, and understanding is warped by conjecture. In pride of his ancient trade, the seaman may perceive an importance and vital instrumentality in the ships and their voyages that may not be so evident to the landsman. By this is the mariner constantly impressed: that, without the merchant's enterprise on the seathe adventure of his finance, his ships, his gear, his menthe armed and enlisted resources of the State could not have prevailed in averting disaster and defeat. The unique experiences of individual seamenthe trials of seafaring under less favourable circumstances than was the writer's good fortunethe plaints and grievances of our internal affairsare but lightly sketched. Many brother seamen may feel that the harassing and often despairing case of the average tramp steamer has not adequately been dealt with; thatin "Outward Bound," as an instancethe writer presents a tranquil and idyllic picture which cannot be accepted as typical. The bitter hardship of proceeding on a voyage under war conditions, with the same small crew that was found inadequate in peace-time, is hardly suggested; the extent of the work to be overtaken is perhaps camouflaged in that description of setting out. Reality would more frequently show a vessel being hurried out of dock on the top of the tide, putting to sea into heavy weather, with the hatchways open over hasty stowage, and all the litter of a week's harbour disroutine standing to be cleared by a raw and semi-mutinous crew. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 31953
Author: Bone, David W. (David William)
Release Date: Apr 11, 2010
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Illustrator: Bone, Muirhead, Sir, 1876-1953