PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION.

An attempt is made, in the following pages, to cover a wider field than that covered by most of the existing works on Seamanship.

The admirable treatises of Luce, Nares, and Alston, originating in the days when seamanship was almost wholly concerned with the fitting and handling of vessels under sail, have preserved through later editions the general characteristics which they naturally assumed in the beginning. These treatises will never be out of date until the time, still far in the future, when sails shall have been entirely driven out by steam. It will hardly be denied, however, that the Steamer has long since established its claim to consideration in Seamanship, and that there is room for a work in which this claim shall be more fully recognized than in the treatises above referred to. The excellent work of Captains Todd and Whall, “Practical Seamanship for the Merchant Service," deals more fully than either of its predecessors with the handling of steamers; but its point of view is, as its name implies, primarily and almost exclusively that of the Merchant Service.

Shortly after the present work was begun, a circular letter was addressed to officers of the merchant service and extensively circulated through the Branch Hydrographic Offices at New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Norfolk, requesting the views of the officers addressed, upon the following subjects:

I. Taking a Disabled Vessel in Tow in Bad Weather.
II. Rescuing the Crew of a Wreck in Bad Weather.
III. Rescuing a Man Overboard.

IV. Lying-to in a Gale.

V. The Stowage and Handling of Boats.

VI. Manoeuvring Single-screw and Twin-screw Vessels.
VII. Floating a Stranded Vessel.

VIII. Handling Steamers around a Dock.

The answers received to these questions were unexpectedly numerous and complete. More than forty prominent officers of the Merchant Service replied, many of them writing out their views and describing their experiences with a fullness of detail far beyond anything that could have been anticipated.

The thanks of the author are due particularly to the following for letters or for personal interviews covering the above points: Capt. W. H. Thompson, S. S. Belgenland; Capt. T. Evans, S. S. Runo; Capt. J. Dann, S. S. Southwark; 1st Officer T. Anfindsen, S. S. Southwark; Capt. J. C. Jameson, S. S. St. Paul; Capt. H. E. Nickels, S. S. Friesland; Capt. G. J. Loveridge, S. S. Buffalo; Capt. F. M. Howes, S. S. Kershaw; Capt. T. J. Thorkildsen, S. S. Trojan; Capt. Otto Neilsen, S. S. Pennland; Capt. H. Doxrud, S. S. Noordland; Capt. C. O. Rockwell, Clyde S. S. Co.; Capt. S. W. Watkins, S. S. Montana; Capt. Anders Beer, S. S. Nordkyn; Capt. J. M. Johnston, S. S. Sardinian; Capt. A. R. Mills, S. S. Westernland; Capt. J. S. Garvin, S. S. Cherokee; Capt. Robt. B. Quick, S. S. El Cid; Capt. Wm. J. Roberts, S. S. New York; Capt. T. Richardson, S. S. Noranmore; Capt. E. O. Marshall, S. S. Maryland; 1st Officer H. S. Lane, S. S. Maryland; Capt. W. F. Bingham, S. S. Marengo ; Capt. R. Gowing, S. S. Greatham; Capt. H. J. Byrne, U. S. A. T. McPherson; Capt. Paul Grosch, S. S. Stuttgart; Capt. Geo. Schrotter, S. S. Belgravia; Capt. F. C. Saunders, S. S. English King; Capt. Chas. Cabot, S. S. Venango; Capt. Chas. Pinkham, S. S. Queen Wilhelmina; Capt. A. Traue, S. S. München ; Capt. W. Thomas, S. S. Quernmore; Capt. H. O. Nickerson, Fall River Line; Capt. Geo. Lane, Baltimore Steam Packet Co.

Important assistance was received from Naval Constructor W. J. Baxter, U. S. Navy, who prepared Chapters I and XVIII; and from Lieutenant E. E. Hayden, U. S. Navy, who contributed several Charts and much valuable information upon Meteorology, for Chapter XIX.

Chapter V was suggested by a paper, "Mechanical Appliances on board Ship," by Captain Thomas Mackenzie, issued by the London Shipmasters' Society as No. 29 of their valuable series of publications.

It would be impossible to mention all the naval officers who have assisted the author with criticism and suggestions; but acknowledgment is especially due to Lieut.-Commander A. W. Grant, Lieut. John Hood, Lieut. W. R. M. Field, Lieut. John Gow, Lieut.-Commander W. F. Worthington, Commander J. E. Pillsbury, Lieut. V. S. Nelson, Lieut. Ridgely Hunt, and Chief Boatswain W. L. Hill, all of the United States Navy.

Above all, acknowledgment is due to Chief Boatswain C. F. Pierce, U. S. Navy, who not only assisted in the preparation of many parts of the text, but prepared sketches for fully one-half the illustrations of the volume.

UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY,

APRIL 1, 1901.

AUSTIN M. KNIGHT.

PREFACE TO FIFTH EDITION.

In the present edition about one-half of the material retained from earlier editions has been entirely re-written and a large part of the remainder extensively revised.

The following chapters are entirely new:

Chapter XIX. Handling Torpedo Vessels and Submarines.
Chapter XX. Keeping Station and Manœuvring in Squadron.
Chapter XXV. Hints for Junior Officers.

The revision of Chapter XII, "The Rules of the Road," has been so extensive that it is practically new. Especial attention is invited to this chapter.

Chapter XIX was prepared by two groups of officers of the United States Navy, of wide experience in the handling of torpedo vessels and submarines.

Chapter XXV, by Lieutenant B. B. Wygant, U. S. Navy, is reproduced by permission of the author and the publishers from a pamphlet published by the United States Naval Institute.

All of the chapters in previous editions which dealt with sailingvessels have been omitted; but a brief description of such vessels is included in the Appendix, it being considered that some acquaintance with matters of this kind is desirable, if not essential, as a part of the education of a naval officer.

The Appendix includes also a considerable variety of information on other subjects of professional interest.

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Plates 149, 156, 157, and 158 (in Appendix), illustrating “ Sailing Craft” and “Buoyage,” are from the very valuable work or Seamanship," by Commander Wilfrid Henderson, R. N., published by Simpkin Marshall, London, permission to use this material having very kindly been granted by the author and publisher. Among the many officers of the United States Navy whose contributions or suggestions have been of importance in the preparation of the present edition, especial acknowledgment is due to Commander C. B. Brittain, Commander L. H. Chandler, Commander B. F. Hutchison, Commander C. F. Hughes, LieutenantCommander John Halligan, Jr., Naval Constructor R. H. Robinson, Lieutenant B. B. Wygant, Lieutenant D. C. Bingham, Lieutenant W. G. Diman, Ensign A. H. Miles, and Chief Boatswain J. P. O'Neil.

AUSTIN M. KNIGHT.