144 Bibliography. 



VI. Bibliography. 



L The Sailor's Horn- Book for the Law of Storms, being a Prac- 

 tical Exposition of the Theory of the law of Storms, and its uses to 

 Mariners of All Classes in All Parts of the World, shown by Trans- 

 parent Storm Cards, and Useful Lessons ; by Henry Piddington, 

 President of Marine Courts of Enquiry, Calcutta. — 308 pp. 8vo, with 4 

 Maps, and 2 Horn-Cards.* — No work has appeared of late years, tend- 

 ing more to promote the interests of navigation and the welfare of sea- 

 men, than this volume by Mr. Piddington. It is written for practical 

 men, in plain and forcible English, with full illustrations and directions, 

 and with all the details required by the sailor in his voyages over the 

 world. And if taken and carefully studied, it may be made a safe 

 guide from the violence of gales and hurricanes, and prevent at least 

 four-fifths of all the shipwrecks that happen in the open ocean. It 

 teaches that hurricanes have their courses, and a certain regular system 

 in their winds, and that while a prolonged storm, resulting perhaps in 

 disaster, may await the ship that drives on without knowledge, a speedy 

 escape is nearly certain, if one or two simple rules are regarded. In- 

 deed the mere placing of a piece of horn marked with the requisite circles, 

 upon a map over the position of the vessel, enables the sailor to see at a 

 glance the course he must take to avoid the storm ; and often he thus 

 may even make its violence contribute to hasten him on his course. 



The author observes in his Preface, " I know that many forget that a 

 hurricane at sea is like c a battle in a campaign ; — an important though 

 unfrequent occurrence for which it is wise to be well prepared ? and, 

 rarely looking at works like the present till they want assistance from 

 them, are thus very liable to mistakes in a moment of anxiety. If such 

 however, will but give it one fair perusal at leisure, they may find per- 

 haps — recollecting with quaint old Thomas Fuller, that fc the winds are 

 not only wild in a storm, but even stark mad in a hurricane' — that a 

 little study in fine weather may save a world of labor and mischief 

 in bad." 



This work therefore claims attention as an invaluable contribution 

 to the interests of humanity as well as commerce. It teaches how to 

 wield the storm, or avert its fury ; and it is a work of benevolence to 

 place this knowledge within the reach of those who are so often at the 

 mercy literally of the winds and waves. No mate, much less captain, 

 should be allowed, without a familiarity with the facts here detailed, to 

 have the control of a ship and the lives it contains. 



The introduction of new ideas will encounter prejudices. As Mr. Pid- 

 dington mentions, even the variation of the compass was once written 

 against as an absurdity, and Mercator's projection was pronounced as 

 only fit for land-lubbers ! " We must expect," he adds, u to find many 

 4 of the old school' who 'do not like new-fangled notions,' many who 

 4 do not like to be put out of their way,' many who 4 think the old 

 plan is good enough,' and that l hit or miss, for luck's all,' is quite 

 enough with a stout ship and a good crew ; and to conclude, many who 

 are too proud, too ignorant, or too indolent to take the trouble to learn. 

 From such we can only entreat a patient hearing; and if, by chance, 



* Published at Calcutta, and also by Wiley in New York. 





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