Book Reviews
Bathymetric Navigation and Charting
Philip M. Cohen. Annapolis: U. S. Naval Institute, 1970. 157 pp. Illus.
Reviewed by Commander Scott E. Drummond, Jr., U. S. Navy
(Following two years of graduate studies in hydrographic engineering at Ohio State University, Commander Drummond has served hydrographic officer on board the USS Tanner (AGS-15), as mapping and charting officer on the staffs of the Oceanographer of the Navy and the Strike Command, and as the assistant for nautical charts in the mapping and charting branch, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific. He is again serving on the staff of the Oceanographer of the Navy, this time as assistant to the director, program division.)
The mission of the Navy depends, to a large extent, on operations at sea with the integral requirement to navigate safely and accurately. It is becoming increasingly important that positions at sea be determined with greater accuracy, independent of vulnerable navigation aids, such as loran or navigation satellites. The technique today which provides the needed accuracy and security is bathymetric navigation.
Mr. Cohen’s concise book, Bathymetric Navigation and Charting, provides insights into the principles and practice of navigation from the bottom up. Appropriately provided with historical background, the book moves in orderly steps from basic concepts, through a review of echo-sounding equipment, data interpretation related to bottom features, the anatomy and role of the nautical chart, to the chapter on “Determination and Recovery of Position.” The book concludes with a discussion of computer applications, and a look into the future through the eyes of the author.
Technical information is well illustrated, clearly presented, and is complete with glossary, bibliography, and index. The content and format make the book a valuable tool for the student and apprentice. The discussions of the intricate aspects and less understood phenomena associated with bathymetric navigation and charting are worth review by the most experienced navigators.
One point that needs stronger emphasis is the fact that bathymetric navigation is dependent on bathymetric charts, which in turn, are dependent on hydrographic surveys controlled by the same vulnerable navigation aids that we seek to augment. As a result, the requirement for controlled surveys of the oceans—now—is enormous. The resources to conduct surveys, however, are limited. To get the most out of these resources, we must have carefully developed statements of what is needed. Mr. Cohen raises some particularly pertinent points concerning requirements—points that should be considered by everyone involved in developing chart requirements. In this regard, the book points out that requirements are dynamic, and the criteria for a satisfactory chart need continuing review from the standpoint of scale and accuracy.
Bathymetric Navigation and Charting provides its readers with two important opportunities. First, there is the occasion to learn or review the technical side of bathymetric navigation. Second, some insights are obtained as to what can and cannot be expected from the bathymetric chart and echo sounder as navigational tools. When considered together by navigators and planners, such awareness will assist in establishment of more realistic chart requirements. This book is a welcome addition to the libraries of those concerned with operations at sea.
Flying Ships: Hovercraft and Hydrofoils
Rear Adm. Malcolm W. Cagle, U.S.N., New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1970. 160 pp., Illus. $3.95.
Reviewed by Rear Admiral Nathan Sonenshein, U. S. Navy
(Rear Admiral Sonenshein completed graduate studies in naval construction and marine engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1944. He has since served with various commands connected with shipbuilding, maintenance, and design. Between 1963 and 1967, he was project manager for the fast deployment logistic ship (FDL) project, and is presently the Commander. Naval Ship Systems Command.)
Flying Ships is a book which can be widely read with the objective of being generally informed about two interesting new forms of transportation, and this is a praiseworthy goal. Admiral Cagle states in the Foreword that his book “. . . is particularly directed to those young people who are at the point of choosing their career and life’s work.” There is much to stimulate young imaginations in the book.
An average reader of more advanced age will also find some very enjoyable parts of the book. Admiral Cagle is at his best in telling sea stories such as the combat experience of hovercraft in Vietnam. He also has included some fine semi-biographic sketches of Sir Christopher Cockerell during his early struggles to get his hovercraft idea accepted. The historical section devotes considerable attention to several of the pioneers in the United States, who independently developed versions of air cushion vehicles (ACV). Curiously, Admiral Cagle has a blind spot relative to the early work done by his own Service, omitting among others, mention of the largest hovercraft built to date in the United States. This was the Hydroskimmer (SKMR-1), a 28-ton peripheral jet amphibious vehicle, built in 1960 by Bell Aerosystems as a research craft for the Navy Bureau of Ships. The SKMR-1 demonstrated speeds over land and water up to 70 knots, and was flown successfully both in the hard-bottom and skirted versions before a receding research budget left it on the beach.
Probably because of his “air” orientation and background, Admiral Cagle’s research into hydrofoils lacked the depth or scope given to hovercraft. Less than 10% of the text treats this part of the book’s title, Aside from Alexander Graham Bell, no U. S. hydrofoil pioneers are mentioned. The Sealegs, a 5-ton craft which proved the operational feasibility of fully-submerged, automatically-controlled, foils, is now in the Smithsonian. Her linear descendants, the USS High Point (PCH-1), USS Flagstaff (PGH-1), and USS Tucumcari (PGH-2) are operational today. The latter two gunboats have seen service in Vietnam, although at the time of writing the book, this experience could not be related.
Three other significant hydrofoil ships are Grumman’s 90-ton, 63-knot Denison, built as a research craft for the U. S. Maritime Commission, the Canadian 200-ton, 60-knot Bras d’Or, designed and built as a prototype ASW ship, and the 320-ton AGEH, a hydrofoil research ship, now the largest in the world.
The legal problems facing hovercraft air cushion vehicles (ACV), as they become larger and faster, are outlined in chapter eight. The problems, in brief, are whether hovercraft should be treated by regulatory bodies and insurance organizations as ships or aircraft, or as a new breed entirely. The United Kingdom is struggling with this problem, but in this country, so few hovercraft exist, each one is treated as a special case.
The sporting aspects are treated in considerable detail and should be of interest to the young at heart, combining aspects of surfboarding and motorcycles. Do-it-yourself builders and hovering clubs abound in England, but the sport has not made much headway in the United States. Perhaps this book will spark some interest.
Applications of the hovercraft principle for other than transportation are well treated. The reader may be surprised to learn that Cockerell’s principle has been applied to such diverse operations as the movement of very heavy industrial equipment, and the delicate task of supporting a severely-burned person in a bed almost completely out of contact with bedding.
The author expertly combines the roles of historian, reporter, and prophet in his book. He will succeed in stirring the imaginations of many of his youthful readers with his projections of 100-knot transoceanic, 400,000-h.p. surface effect ships by the year 1990. This reviewer hopes that progress that rapid may be made, but feels it his duty to call the reader’s attention to a few paragraphs in the book where the author also hints at the high cost of such ships and the need for major technical breakthroughs such as reliable, safe, lightweight nuclear propulsion plants.
The truly amphibious nature of the skirted hovercraft and its speed potential are its unique characteristics. The multiplication of tons of cargo per hour delivered to a beach by the air cushion vehicle landing craft, now being developed, will begin to match the pace of modern warfare. The equally unusual characteristic of the hydrofoil ship is the ability of even the small versions to maintain maximum speed and a stable platform in very rough seas. The Navy has not yet begun to exploit the full implications of these qualities in increased fighting efficiency and simplification of installed mission equipment. It is, however, moving steadily in the direction as difficult design, material, and production problems are identified and then overcome.
Professional Reading
Compiled by Robert A. Lambert, Associate Editor
Alexander the Great
Peter Green. New York: Praeger, 1970. 272 pp. Illus. $12.95.
Though fairly brief in length, this well-illustrated, readable biography, by a famous British scholar, does a remarkably fine job of getting inside this ruthless military genius.
America’s Cup Defenders
G. D. Dunlap. New York: American Heritage Press, 1970. 91 pp. Illus. $23.00.
Each of the defenders and their challengers are described along with comments on performances, crews, and the rules in effect for the individual races. The text is informative and readable, but fine writing must take second place to even finer illustrations. Artistry and exacting craftsmanship best describe Melbourne Smith’s full-color paintings of all 20 defenders.
Britain and Her Army 1509-1970
Corelli Barnett. New York: Morrow, 1970. 530 pp. Illus. $15.00.-
This is a history of the British army as an institution, rather than a chronicle of regimental battles; it is a study of the influence of war on modern British history. It puts an interesting perspective on the role of the army when viewed against the Royal Navy and developments in Continental armies.
British Generalship in the Twentieth Century
Major General E. K. G. Sixsmith. London: Arms and Armour Press, 1970. 312 pp. Illus. $7.80.
The military thinking and the tactical ability of notable British commanders between 1899 and 1945 are examined. Especially interesting are the chapters devoted to World War II and the differences that occurred between British and American generals.
Carrier Fighters, Vol. 2
J. V. Mizrahi. Northridge, Calif.: Sentry Books, 1969. 72 pp. Illus. $5.50 (paper).
The Buffalos, Wildcats, Hellcats, and Corsairs are shown in their various development stages and in action photographs as they fought in the Pacific Theater.
The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
R. F. K. Goldsmith. New York: Hillary House, 1970. 121 pp. Illus. $5.25.
This slim volume tells of an army regiment that began life early in the 18th century as Marines with the Royal Navy; later, as a foot regiment, it had a long association with the American colonies while fighting in the Seven Years’ War and the Revolution.
Fighting Vehicles of the Red Army
B. Perrett. New York: Arco, 1970. 104 pp. Illus. $3.95.
The strengths and weaknesses of Soviet armored vehicles are evaluated in detail, along with comments on the quality of personnel, training, and tactics of the armored units.
General Eisenhower on the Military Churchill
James Nelson (ed.). New York: Norton, 1970. 96 pp. Illus. $4.95.
In a conversation with Alistair Cooke, General Eisenhower reminisced about his wartime relationship with the great British Prime Minister.
GIs Speak Out Against the War
Fred Halstead. New York: Pathfinder, 1970. 128 pp. Illus. $4.50.
The case of the Fort Jackson 8 is presented in a series of interviews with the defendants by an anti-war journalist. The interviews took place after the men were released from custody following the Army’s dropping of charges.
Guide to the Soviet Navy
Siegfried Breyer. Annapolis, Md.: U. S. Naval Institute, 1970. 353 pp. Illus. $10.00.
Translated from the 1964 German edition, up-dated, and expanded, this is a most authoritative analytical compilation of Russian naval strength ranging through technical details of individual ships and weapon systems to organization, training, personnel, and port facilities.
Jane’s Fighting Ships, 1905-6
Fred T. Jane (ed.). New York: Arco, 1970. 452 pp. Illus. $19.95.
The principal features of this facsimile, the eighth issue of Jane’s, are the articles by combatants in the Russo-Japanese War, photographs and sketches showing battle damage to various ships, a summary of naval actions and notes on strategy and tactics.
Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War
R. J. Francillon. New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1970. 570 pp. Illus. $17.50.
A compact history of the Japanese aircraft industry and of all aircraft operated by or designed for the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy is provided by this volume. Each aircraft is shown by one or more photographs and line-drawings.
Japan—The Final Agony
Alvin Coox. New York: Ballantine, 1970. 160 pp. Illus. $1.00 (paper).
Stretched nearly to the breaking point when flushed with victories, the end was even more stunning for a deluded and disillusioned nation. Japan’s last year of conflict is the subject of this illustrated history.
Man-of-War
Donald Macintyre and Basil W. Bathe. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1970. 273 pp. Illus. $23.95.
This thorough and handsomely done, large-format volume traces the history of the combat vessel from earliest days to the present. The illustrations are many and splendid—paintings, photographs, silhouettes, cutaways, and diagrams—of battle actions, ships, weapons, and machinery. Probably the most unusual feature of this volume, as opposed to similar books, is the comparatively heavy attention given to propulsion machinery and the inner workings of the big guns.
The Merchant Sailing Ship
Basil Greenhill and Ann Gifford. New York: Praeger, 1970. 112 pp. Illus. $7.95.
The golden age of the sailing ship in the 19th century coincided with the emergence of photography, and this slim volume is an excellent blending of the two as it displays the variety of ships, the harbors, and the people who worked in the maritime industry. Vivid scenes depict launchings, ships under sail, and dockside life, offering an accurate view of a life marked by hard work, skill, and endurance. Photos are from the collection of the British National Maritime Museum. Recommended.
Northwest Passage
William D. Smith. New York: American Heritage Press, 1970. 204 pp. Illus. $6.95.
The 81-day voyage of the largest nonmilitary ship flying the American flag is followed on her course through ice-choked seas that have drawn profit-seeking men since the great days of exploration. This is a day-by-day account of the super-tanker Manhattan’s attempt to prove a navigable commercial route could be charted across the top of the North American continent.
The Northwest Passage
Bern Keating. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1970. 158 pp. Illus. $9.95.
While the previous book focuses on the Manhattan, with only slight mention of other transit attempts, the reverse is true in this large-format volume. From John Cabot on board the Mathew to Roger Steward, master of the Manhattan in 1969, the hardships, disasters, and achievements of 500 years of polar navigation are traced.
The Nuclear Years
Chalmers M. Roberts. New York: Praeger, 1970. 159 pp. Illus. $6.95.
The history of the arms race and the small attempts at arms control from the conclusion of World War II to the present SALT talks is summarized by this highly-respected, Washington-based journalist.
Oceans from Space
Peter C. Badgley (ed.). Houston, Texas: Gulf, 1969. 234 pp. Illus. $13.95.
Weather forecasting, fish locating, chart-making, recording ocean current circulation, and iodine concentrations are just a few of the uses of space satellites discussed in this collection of papers.
The Royal Horse Guards
R. J. T. Hills. New York: Hillary House, 1970. 116 pp. Illus. $5.25.
As involved with imperial pageantry as it has been with hard fighting, the long history of this famous cavalry unit is reviewed.
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Basil Peacock. New York: Hillary House, 1970. 127 pp. Illus. $5.25.
At Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, and Brandywine, this old regiment fought against Americans; 175 years later, at the Imjin River battle in Korea, its last major engagement, the regiment fought with Americans against a common foe.
Scorched Earth: The Russian-German War 1943-1944
Paul Carell. Boston: little, Brown, 1970. 556 pp. Illus. $12.50.
The great clash of armor, Kursk, is the focal point for this magnificent recreation of the most far-flung campaign undertaken by two warring nations. The author’s previous.book was Hitler Moves East.
Strange War, Strange Strategy
Gen. Lewis W. Walt, U.S.M.C. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1970. 208 pp. Illus. $7.95.
The Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps tells of his two-year tour in Vietnam; former President Lyndon Johnson wrote the book’s introduction.
Tank Force
Kenneth Macksey. New York: Ballantine, 1970. 160 pp. Illus. $1.00 (paper).
With a heavy reliance on British experience in tank technology and tactics, the coming of age of Allied armor in World War II is traced from its beginnings in the earlier conflict through the inter-war period.
The Thames Sailing Barge
Dennis J. Davis. Camden, Me.: International Marine, 1970. 46 pp. Illus. $10.00.
The utilitarian grace and beauty of these stubby, broad-beamed sailers is effectively displayed in some 50 pictures, mostly close-ups of rigging and working gear.
U. S. Warships of World War I
Paul H. Silverstone. New York: Doubleday, 1970. 304 pp. Illus. $6.95.
The real period covered by this compendium is 1883 to 1919, giving details and information for ships as completed by the Navy. Data includes displacement, dimensions, machinery, armament, date of launch, and eventual disposition.
Up Against the Brass
Andy Stapp. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1970. 192 pp. $4.95.
The organizer of a military labor union, the American Servicemen’s Union, tells of his experiences—mostly courts-martial, hearings, and jailings—both inside the Army and in civilian life since his undesirable discharge.
Waffen SS
John Keegan. New York: Ballantine, 1970. 160 pp. Illus. $1.00 (paper).
Numbering over 15 nationalities in its strength and nearly 40 divisions in its order of battle, often taking a highly disproportionate share of battle casualties, this is a slim, but detailed, history of the elite, black-uniformed fighting arm of the Nazi Party.
The Wartime Journals of Charles A. Lindbergh
Charles A. Lindbergh. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1970. 1,038 pp. Illus. $12.95.
Occasionally exciting and incisive, more often dull and naive, only the relatively short portion dealing with his World War II experiences in the Pacific and Germany make the book worth reading. Better editing of the material would have helped.
RE-ISSUES
Last Days of Mast & Sail
Alan Moore. Camden, Me.: International Marine [1925], 1970. 269 pp. Illus. $12.50.
Sailing Trawlers
Edgar J. March. Camden, Me.: International Marine [1953], 1970. 385 pp. Illus. $25.00.
Spritsail Barges of the Thames and Medway
Edgar J. March. Camden, Me.: International Marine [1948], 1970. 234 pp. Illus. $16.50.