JANE’S FIGHTING SHIPS, 1937. Edited by Francis E. McMurtrie, A.I.N.A. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. 425.
Reviewed by Rear Admiral C. P. Snyder, U. S. Navy Jane's Fighting Ships for 1937 continues to maintain its high standard of content and arrangement in listing and describing the naval fighting craft of all countries throughout the world.
In the year that has elapsed since the 1936 edition appeared, there will be noted extensive programs of naval construction by all the great powers and many of the smaller countries as well. Until recently many of these small powers have been more or less inconspicuous at sea; now they find it advisable to greatly increase their naval forces. Siam has a program nearly to double its naval strength, while the Netherlands is greatly augmenting its strength in the East Indies with modern surface vessels and submarines. All these changes have been covered in detail in the current issue of Jane's Fighting Ships.
The arrangement of the subject matter in this year’s volume is, in general, the same as in previous years. To provide some of the extra space that will be required in the future to list and describe the many new ships that are building and to be built, information concerning some of the older vessels has been greatly condensed and rearranged, thereby reducing the edition by some 30 pages.
The new system of silhouette arrangement started last year, wherein ships are grouped according to categories, has been continued and extended to include the French, Italian, and Japanese fleets. This “silhouette index” is considered to be one of the outstanding features of Jane’s Fighting Ships.
As a frontispiece, two notable cases of reconstruction have been selected in the Warspite and Cavour. Both have been rebuilt to such an extent that they bear little resemblance to their original designs and present a most formidable appearance.
At a time when much interest is being displayed throughout the United States in the proposed legislation for a moderate increase in our own naval strength, the section allotted to the United States Navy should prove most interesting to the layman, and invaluable to naval experts. Here will be found for the first time details of the new battleships North Carolina and Washington, plans of the new cruisers of the Brooklyn class, and a full set of photographs of the latest destroyer types, as well as the usual complete description of all types of naval ships which now make up the United States Navy.
Under the British program of construction for 1937 it is noted that this section of the book gives the names and description of 85 new ships since the previous issue. These include 5 aircraft carriers under construction, 17 new cruisers of four different types either building or authorized, destroyers, submarines, and sundry other ships. Full particulars of the 1700-ton Javelin type destroyer and the Triton class submarine appear for the first time.
In the section devoted to the French Navy, the arrangement of the Richelieu's main armament is shown for the first time. The battleship Dunkerque has been completed, and her sister-ship, the Strasbourg, has begun her trials. As these are the first capital ships which have been completed for 10 years, they have naturally aroused much interest.
A material increase is also noted in the number of ships in the German Navy now under construction or to be laid down in the near future. These include 3 battleships of 35,000 tons and 2 of 26,000 tons; 2 aircraft carriers; 5 cruisers of 10,000 tons, of which 3 mount 8-inch guns and the remaining two 5.9-inch guns; 2 cruisers of 7,000 tons; and a large number of destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, and mine sweepers. A considerable amount of interesting new material will be found under this German naval section.
A revised plan in more detail is shown of the 35,000-ton Italian battleships Littorio and Vittorio Veneto. These ships were laid down in 1934 and launched last year, but it is now doubtful if they will be completed before 1940. Due to the geographical position of Italy, her naval expansion program has been mostly concentrated on submarines and light forces. It is possible that Italy will soon have more submarines than any other navy in the world, and her increase in new destroyers and torpedo boats, especially of the motor boat type, is noted to be taking place with marked rapidity.
Information from Japan is not all that is to be desired, but a number of new photographs have been inserted and a considerable amount of interesting data which has not appeared in previous issues has been obtained.
Much more definite information about new construction is shown in the section under the Soviet Navy. Russia has announced her intention of beginning at least one battleship in 1938, with materials imported from abroad. In the number of her motor torpedo boats and submarines, according to Fighting Ships, 1937, she may soon be running Italy a close second.
In Jane’s Fighting Ships for 1936, in order to assist in an evaluation of the naval treaties, there is included a short summary of the provisions of the Washington Treaty of 1922, the London Treaty of 1930, the Three Power Treaty of 1936, and the Anglo-German Agreement of 1935. In the current issue, this summary has been augmented by a resume of the German Treaty with Great Britain, dated July 17, 1937, and the Russian Treaty with Great Britain of the same date.
The editor and assistant editor are to be congratulated on this exceptionally complete and informative edition of Jane’s Fighting Ships, especially at a time when all nations are paying particular attention to the security of information regarding details of new construction.
GALLANT JOHN BARRY. By William Bell Clark. New York: The Macmillan Co., 530 pages. Illustrated. 1938. $3.50.
Reviewed by Rear Admiral Arthur St. Clair Smith, U.S. Navy (Retired) The picture of life and maritime conditions on the American coast in the eighteenth century as given in this life of Commodore Barry is a valuable contribution to those wishing information of these early days and times. The growth of colonial shipping in trade along our coast and in the West Indies is well described, and shows the sources of such naval strength as the Colonies possessed in early Revolutionary days.
Barry, son of an Irish peasant, first went to sea at the age of 10 as a cabin boy. He arrived in Philadelphia in 1760 and, at 21, became captain of a 60-ton West India trader. There is no record of his schooling and in after years considerable evidence of its lack. However, 21-year-old Captain Barry had acquired enough education by this time to navigate his ship and keep its accounts and on this voyage records the speaking of three vessels and gives the latitude and longitude. His after life shows that this is a good indicator of his ability to acquire the things necessary to know as he rose in life.
His career in the merchant service and later in the Navy shows clearly a man of ability and energy, but more particularly a man chosen for reliability when difficulties arose or situations needed a thoroughly capable person. His qualities of courage, energy, ability, and reliability carried him up in position and reputation in official life and led to his selection late in 1775 as the captain of one of the first vessels of the Continental Navy—the Black Prince, of which he had been master for some time. He was uniformly successful in encounters with enemy ships. The author’s accounts of these are clear and satisfactory. The picture of conditions in the Colonies—the struggle for money, the large part played by politics in all questions even in these early days, the general emergence of leaders of ability and character is well portrayed. The growing preponderance of Army activities, the loss of naval vessels, and the lack of funds for replacements saw the Revolution close with but three ships left in the Navy. By 1785 even these had been disposed of and Barry turned to the China trade.
However, in the succeeding years he was recalled from time to time, served against the Algerian pirates, and was one of the first Captains commissioned when the Navy was re-established for the War with France in 1797-98. The Federal Administration used him frequently as its advisor in naval or maritime matters. His command in the French War was the United States, one of the first ships built for that war. He completed his service when Jefferson called home all the naval ships at the close of the French War in 1801. He returned to his home long maintained near Philadelphia and died there in 1803 at the age of 58.
The author refers to Barry as the “Father of the Navy,” and perhaps his claim is as good as that of some others who have been so called. It is, however, more as an energetic and capable naval captain that he appears, though he did some truly constructive work. It might be said that the book is marred to some extent by its unnecessary length and colloquial style. The author has some difficulty with nautical terms, and some of his criticisms of public men, in no way connected with the Navy, could better have been eliminated. These matters do not destroy the general value of the book. A good index and bibliography are rather unusual and commendatory features.
HELL ON ICE: THE SAGA OF THE JEANNETTE. By Commander Edward Ellsberg. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. 421 pages. 1938. $2.75.
Reviewed by Rear Admiral Spencer S. Wood, U.S. Navy (Retired)
The Saga of the Jeannette, as told by Commander Ellsberg, gives us a graphic picture of a very unusual voyage with its tragic ending. Sailing from San Francisco in July, 1879, too late to take advantage of the summer season and too slow to make much headway in bad weather, the Jeannette was early caught in the ice, where she was forced to remain, drifting with it, until she crushed in June, 1881. The heart-rending trip across the ice and water to reach land in the Lena Delta is briefly told, but gives an insight into the suffering which officers and men endured. One boatload was lost in a gale, all but two of another died of starvation after reaching land, while those in the third boat suffered almost unbelievable hardships.
The author follows almost verbatim many passages from Admiral Melville’s book, In the Lena Delta, but overlooks much in Captain De Long’s journal which shows the constant thought which he gave to the welfare of his officers and men.
The references to insubordination of two of the civilian members of the expedition, as brought out in the Congressional investigation, show the inadvisability of taking men who are not prepared to submit to naval discipline. The Captain’s tact in dealing with such offenders deserves high praise.
In view of the finding of the Naval Court of Inquiry that “the general conduct of the personnel of the expedition seems to have been a marvel of cheerfulness, good fellowship, and mutual forbearance, while the constancy and endurance with which they met hardships and dangers that beset them entitle them to great praise,” it certainly was unwise and unfortunate that the author felt called upon to revive the line and staff quarrel which had been dead and buried for so many years.
The personal narrative form which is adopted adds interest to the story, but tends to reflect great credit upon Melville while almost belittling the very important part which Captain De Long took in directing affairs. Melville’s ability, resourcefulness, and energy are well worthy of praise, but De Long is entitled to far more credit than is given to him.
This story of grit and determination under terrible weather conditions, causing discouragement and hardship, shows what brave men can do under a competent leader who is actuated by a high sense of duty.
As we look back over those two weary years of seemingly useless endeavor we see that they were not wasted but really paved the way for the polar explorations which followed.
LOCATION OF AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL TROUBLES MADE EASY. A chart prepared by Victor W. Page, M.S.A.E. New York: The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co. 1938. $.50.
Reviewed by Captain Bryson Bruce, U.S. Navy
This chart has been prepared to make it easy for the operator to diagnose engine troubles and ascertain the remedy. The chart, about 24 by 36 inches, is printed on heavy paper, suitable for posting, is illustrated with transverse and longitudinal sections of an automotive Diesel engine, and also the fuel supply system, with names of parts. There are 9 tables on the chart, made up in the usual manner, for easy consultation, showing the principal troubles to be expected, the causes, and the remedy.
The chart would be valuable in the hands of personnel having anything to do with the operation of direct injection Diesel engines.