Pirates and Privateers

Accounts Worth Reading

Pirate Treasures

Britain and Colonial Maritime War in the Eighteenth Century Britain and the Ocean Road Captain's Wife (Merry's review) Commanders of the Dutch East India Ships in the Eighteenth Century Eight Thousand Years of Maltese Maritime History The Fyddeye Guide to America's Maritime History Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Maritime Industry The History of the Port of London Life of a Smuggler Maritime Maryland The Roles of the Sea in Medieval England Seafarers, Merchants & Pirates in the Middle Ages Seized Shipping the Medieval Military Smuggling The Social History of English Seamen, 1485-1649 The View from the Masthead Young Men and the Sea

Captain's Wife (Cindy's review) Citizen Sailors The Coffin Ship Maritime Heritage of the Cayman Islands Pirates, Jack Tar, and Memory Tales of the Seven Seas Trading in War Tudor & Stuart Seafarers The Way of the Ship Whale Hunter Whaling Captains of Color

Britain and Colonial Maritime War in the Early Eighteenth Century: Silver, Seapower and the Atlantic
by Shinsuke Satsuma
Boydell, 2013, ISBN 978-1-84383-862-3, US $115.00 / UK £65.00

During the first decades of the 18th century, proponents put forth the idea that war should take place at sea not just on land. Spanish America was the primary target for this defensive/offensive maneuvering. Although not a new idea – first suggested in the 1560s – there was far more support and carry through this time around. Not everyone agreed, and there was much debate on the pros and cons of naval warfare. Those who supported this “ideal” way of fighting believed England would gain much, especially wealth, without a substantial financial commitment.

In his introduction, Satsuma writes: “By the end of the eighteenth century, this ideology was turned into the ‘national myth’ of sea power . . . However, some questions still remain.” These include why various political factions support the pro-maritime war argument and how this idea and discussion manage to stay alive for more than 200 years even though the political and diplomatic climate changes. Although other historians have examined these issues, Satsuma focuses on this discussion by delving into the connection between war and profit – a connection he believes is at the center of the pro-maritime war argument – and showing why fighting the Spanish colonies is more advantageous than directlyattacking Spain. How he lays the groundwork and the analysis to answer these questions can be seen in the Table of Contents.

Chapter 1: English Expansion into Spanish America and the Development of a Pro-maritime War Argument

Elizabethan Ventures into the ‘New World’: The Starting Point
Spanish War, Colonisation and the Emergence of the ‘New Merchants’
Cromwell’s ‘Western Design’
Buccaneers on the Rampage
The Nine Years War and Protection of English Interests in the Caribbean

PART 1: PRO-MARITIME WAR ARGUMENTS DURING THE WAR OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION

Chapter 2: The Idea of Economic Advantages of Maritime War in Spanish America

Wealth of Spanish America and Maritime War
Attacking the Enemy’s Financial Resources
Struggle over Spanish-American Trade
Ground for Conquest

Chapter 3: Pro-maritime War Arguments and Party Politics

PART II: IMPACT ON REALITY

Chapter 4: Impact on Reality – Naval Policy

Operations in the Middle Stage of the War
Operations in the Later Stage of the War
Frustration and Expectation – Analysis of Plans for Colonial Expeditions

Chapter 5: Impact on Reality – Legislation

The Context of the American Act
The Process of Enactment
The Politics behind the Act

Chapter 6: The South Sea Company and its Plan for a Naval Expedition in 1712

ver the The French Success in the South Sea Trade and the Establishment of the South Sea Company
Controversy over the South Sea Company: Free Trade and Settlements
Controversy oSouth Sea Company: Peace Negotiations

PART III: PRO-MARITIME WAR ARGUMENTS AFTER 1714

Chapter 7: Pro-maritime War Arguments during the War of the Quadruple Alliance and Anglo-Spanish Conflict of 1726-29

Chapter 8: Changes in Naval Policy after 1714 – From Conquest to Security of Trade

Naval Operations – Blockade
Naval Operations – Colonial Expeditions

This study also investigates the diverse issues that pertain to maritime warfare, as well as its effectiveness and importance during the War of the Spanish Succession and how influential it is concerning later warfare and naval policy. It also analyzes the ties between politics, trade, and naval warfare, and those with a vested interest in either supporting or fighting against the argument. Finally, it explores the reality and the myth of this belief and whether legislation and naval policy actually realizes the high returns with little initial outlay.

Each chapter opens with an overview, which sets the stage for what will be discussed. Footnotes appear within the chapters, which make it easy to see the source from which the information in the text comes or the additional information the author wishes the reader to know. There are four pages of black-&-white illustrations at the center of the book. In the conclusion, the author summarizes the key points of the analysis, and then evaluates what his research has shown in light of the questions he poses in the introduction. An extensive index of primary and secondary resources and an index are included.

Although the introduction comes across as pedantic, the chapters themselves are readable and contain interesting facts that students of Elizabethan, Cromwellian, and Stuart history are familiar with, but which present the English desire to gain a slice of New World riches in a new light. Pirates, buccaneers, and privateers play a part in this pro-maritime war argument so they are incorporated into the whole picture, but their importance is minor when compared to the rest of the covered material. One irritating aspect of the text is the overuse of the phrase “As we have seen so far.” I lost count of the number of times I encountered it, and its prevalence intrudes into the flow and seamlessness of the narrative.

The price of this book places it beyond the reach of the casual reader. Those academic libraries that support areas of study pertaining to English mercantile trade and naval warfare, Spanish America, and Latin American history will find this an important work to help round out the collection.

Review Copyright ©2014 Cindy Vallar

Britain and the Ocean Road: Shipwrecks and People, 1297-1825
by Ian Friel
Pen & Sword, 2020, ISBN 978-1-52673-836-3, UK £25.00 / US $49.95
Also available in other formats

If you seek information about shipwrecks, this book isn’t for you. If your interest lies in the victims and survivors of such wrecks, you’re likely to find more information in other volumes. If, however, you want a fascinating and outside-the-norm presentation of British maritime history, Britain and the Ocean Road may prove the perfect cup of tea. Presented in a chronological sequence, beginning in 1297 and ending in 1825, this first in a two-volume set explores that history using a particular shipwreck of a specific period as a facet of the development of the country’s dominance of the sea. Yet it’s not just a tale about ships and oceans; it’s also the story of England through the centuries, as well as her place on the world stage. Nor does it omit the people who play various roles in that history. During the voyage, readers discover tidbits about the oceans, weather, trade, naval warfare, and merchant shipping.

The first chapter, “Wine, Herrings and Blood,” discusses medieval seafaring, which is a combination of naval, merchant, and piratical shipping. It explores the rise of the Cinque ports, as well as the Anglo-French war during King Edward I’s reign that culminates in the destruction of St Cross and twenty-two vessels from Great Yarmouth in 1297.

“Flimsy Cells” examines ships and pilgrims making their way to and from the Holy Land in 1446. Little is known about the men who die or the Cog Anne, one of the few ships to sail directly to the Mediterranean, and her final voyage. This necessitates the use of other firsthand accounts to recount what pilgrims endure on their inbound and outbound journeys during the Middle Ages.

The story of Henry VII’s royal warship Regent and the origins of the Royal Navy are the focus of chapter three, “Like a Volcano.” She is one of the earliest vessels built specifically to wage war at sea, and her size necessitates a new shipyard that eventually becomes the Portsmouth Naval Base. The chapter is principally about the development and technological advancements during a period when sailors, soldiers, and gunners comprise the crew of a warship. Life at sea, conditions aboard ship, and wages earned are also discussed, as is Regent’s demise during the Battle of St. Mathieu in 1512.

“Trade, Not War” tells the story of the expansion of British commercial shipping beyond the Atlantic. The pride of the infant East India Company (EIC), Trade’s Increase, is the largest merchantman when she is launched in 1609. Five years later, she is gone, but it is merely the last in a series of stumbles that begin on that day. Her birth and loss serve as the backdrop for exploring the rise of London as the dominant port in foreign trade, the origins and early years of various trade companies, and what it is like to be a sailor serving aboard an EIC ship.

The latter half of the 17th century is the age of buccaneers and chapter five uses “The Pirates of the Resolutions” to delve into piracy in the Atlantic and Caribbean.

“Line of Battle” is the focus of chapter six, which uses the 74-gun Berwick to discuss the similarities and differences between the Royal Navy and France’s Revolutionary navy between 1795 and 1805. The reason this particular ship stands out is because she begins life as a British warship, but is captured in 1795 and taken into the French navy, only to be retaken at Trafalgar a decade later.

Chapter seven relates the story of “The Middle Passage” through the last voyage of the slave ship Eliza in 1806. With her colonies, England is a significant player in the selling of slaves, but Friel also shows that some Africans play complicit roles in these transactions. This chapter covers the voyages between Africa and the Caribbean, Liverpool’s rise as a center for the trade, conditions aboard the ships, Olaudah Equiano and John Newton, the abolition of the slave trade, and the Royal Navy’s role in suppressing slavery.

The final chapter, “‘In the very silence there is a deadness’,” recounts the story of HMS Fury. The difference between her voyage, which takes place in 1825, and the better-known Franklin expedition two decades later, is that Captain William Parry and all but two of his men make it home. History has forgotten both him and Fury while remembering the disappearance of Franklin and his crew, even though both dared to explore the Arctic’s unforgiving conditions in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage.

Throughout the book, Friel provides “see” references so readers know where certain information is discussed in greater detail or where pictures can be found. He includes maps, engravings, artwork, photographs, and diagrams. Nautical terms are described within the text, allowing readers to understand without having to search for a glossary. Also provided are endnotes, an index, and a bibliography.

The author’s purpose in writing this book is to introduce lay readers to England, the British, and the maritime world in which they play significant roles over the course of centuries. This volume covers the Middle Ages through Britain’s climb to the pinnacle of maritime dominance. The second volume, entitled Breaking Seas, Broken Ships, will cover the years 1854 through 2007. It will examine not only the decline of Britain’s control of the seas but also how humans have impacted that environment.

While Friel uses shipwrecks as the focal point of each chapter, readers need to understand three things about the use of this word. Here, “shipwreck” simply means a ship that is lost. Second, the known information about the individual vessels may be scant. Third, few people will be familiar with these ships. While each chapter teaches facets of Britain’s maritime history, often including tidbits rarely addressed in more thorough accounts of the subject, the author succeeds to greater and lesser extents in providing a riveting maritime history while teaching readers about the people, ships, dangers, and environment in which this history has evolved. For example, chapter two suffers from an excess of repetition, and while the discussion on pilgrims and pilgrimages is interesting, it’s not until the final paragraph that readers understand the true significance of the topic’s inclusion in this book: “English ships would not transport large numbers of passengers again until the seventeenth century, with the exception of soldiers carried for military campaigns.” (39) Chapter three provides the best demonstration of how shipwrecks serve as a device to discuss a grander topic under a unifying theme. Of all the chapters, seven provides the most information about the ship highlighted in the chapter title, although modern thoughts and opinions infiltrate the historical recounting. Chapter eight focuses specifically on the ship and the expedition, yet digresses into a discussion on contact with and treatment of the Inuits.

Of the eight chapters included in the book, chapter five is perhaps the weakest. Much of the information provided here comes from the testimonies of seven pirates. Assumptions more than historical facts are provided to readers, and not all of the assumptions are correct. The reason that captured pirates arre transported to London in 1684, has nothing to do with authorities feeling that that city is the better place to hold their trial. The law says that all pirates have to be transported to London to face an admiralty court, and admiralty courts aren’t established in the colonies until 1701. Nor is it surprising for pirates to elude the hangman’s noose; in fact, prior to Henry Every’s capture of Gang-i-Saway in 1695, captured pirates are rarely executed. The pirates in this chapter seem to acquire items through purchase rather than pillaging, and while pirates find that slave ships make tempting targets, they are more inclined to convert them into pirate ships than sail in consort with slavers. This chapter, by recounting the tale of three ships named Resolution and four captains and their crews, supposedly reflects common piracy during the 17th and 18th centuries. This may be true during the 1600s, but there are many other pirates and ships, some of which become shipwrecks, that will be more reflective of the golden age. Also, there are decided differences between the buccaneers of the 17th century and the pirates of the 18th. As for the inclusion of information about modern-day pirates, that information belongs in the second volume rather than being included in this chapter.

Those readers who venture within the pages of this book will find it readable and, at times, engrossing. No prior knowledge of maritime history is needed, because Friel does a commendable job entwining the necessary background information with the maritime history. Britain and the Ocean Road is perfect for anyone seeking information on English history from less common perspectives. Along the way, don’t be surprised if you discover answers to questions that you’ve not uncovered solutions to in reading other maritime texts.

Meet the author

Review Copyright ©2021 Cindy Vallar

Commanders of Dutch East India Ships in the Eighteenth Century
by Jaap R. Bruijn
Boydell, 2011, ISBN 978-1-84383-622-3, US $130.00

Written by a leading maritime historian in the Netherlands, Bruijn focuses on one segment of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) – the commanders who captain the company’s vessels during the 1700s. Divided into two parts, the first segment of the book focuses on these men at home. Each of the six Chambers of the VOC – located in Enkhuizen, Hoorn, Middelburg, Delft, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam – are covered. He also discusses those commanders who come from other places and the naval officers who sometimes seek employment with the Company. The second half of the book concentrates on the commanders at sea. Individual chapters cover their appointments as commander, their training and education, their income, the ships and their lives aboard them, the different personalities among the commanders, and navigation and other advancements. The final chapter compares the VOC with the English East India Company, France’s Compagnie des Indes, Denmark’s Dansk-Asiatisk Compagnie, and the Swedish Svenska Ostindiska Kompani. The book includes a number of black-&-white illustrations, an extensive bibliography, and two indices (one of Names, one of Ship Names).
            
Although there is a bit of repetition from one chapter to another, the reiteration helps to keep readers aware of the subject matter so they don’t forget a vital piece of information. For the most part, the English translation of this Dutch book (Schippers van de VOC in de achttiende eeuw aan de wal en op zee, De Bataafsche Leeuw, 2008) is well done, although there are a few spots where readers may have to read a brief passage more than once to fully understand what’s said. The text is easily read by layman and historian alike, and Bruijn skillfully shows the importance and evolution of the VOC on its commanders and the cities from which they sail during this time period.
            
The book includes a few references to pirates, particularly those of the Indian Ocean. The author, as if knowing the gems historical novelists search for when researching a topic, provides a wealth of information that will add realism to their stories. The price may be steep for some, but this is an important work that is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of the VOC at its zenith. Those who venture to do so will find a fascinating account of what it is like to be a commander in the Dutch East India Company.

Review Copyright ©2011 Cindy Vallar

Eight Thousand Years of Maltese Maritime History
Trade, Piracy, and Naval Warfare in the Central Mediterranean
by Ayse Devrim Atauz
University Press of Florida, 2008, ISBN 978-0-8130-3179-8, US $69.95

In recounting the maritime history of Malta, this book examines economic, military, political, and social facets to provide a comprehensive understanding for the reader. The islands’ strategic location means the country is often beset by invaders, be they pirates or soldiers. The 8,000 years begin with the Phoenicians who settle there through the 250 years that the Order of Saint John (commonly referred to as the Knights of Malta), who are headquartered on Malta, and beyond. The intended audience comprises anyone interested in Malta’s history from the general reader to scholars and historians. This volume’s primary focus is the people and islands, rather than the invaders, and the author examines archaeological and primary documents, as well as secondary and archival materials, to piece together this nation’s maritime history and whether it is as strategically important as history leads us to believe.

The book is divided into seven chronological chapters, with particular emphasis on the period involving the Order of Saint John. The sixth chapter focuses on the islands’ population from 1530 through 1798, and the last chapter concerns the author’s conclusions based on her research. Interspersed throughout are tables, maps, and charts. An afterword discusses Malta’s history since the turn of the 19th century. This is followed by four appendices that look at an underwater survey in which Atauz participated, the ships of the Order, and its major naval activities and forces. The book concludes with extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index.

While there isn’t a particular chapter devoted to pirates, they are discussed throughout, and the reader should remember that, at times, members of the Order of Saint John can be so classified. The Maltese islands’ distance from major Mediterranean trade routes makes it an ideal location for a pirate haven. Among the rogues discussed are Margarito of Brindisi, Giacomo de Pellegrino of Messina, and Ingarao and Antoni Desguanesch. Another fascinating aspect to the maritime history is the spread of bubonic plague during the 14th century and how Malta deals with this crisis. This is an enlightening and interesting book to read and, when done, the reader has a far better understanding of the Maltese islands and their maritime history.

Review Copyright ©2008 Cindy Vallar

The Fyddeye Guide to America’s Maritime History
edited by Joe Follansbee
Fyddeye Media, 2010, ISBN 9780615381534, US $24.95

In 2009, Follansbee launched a website where visitors can locate basic information about local and national maritime history, as well as news items related to our maritime heritage. Since some people prefer holding a book in their hands, he decided to publish the guide as a book and this is the result.
            
The chapters are divided into ships; shipwrecks; museums; research libraries; lighthouses and lightships; lifesaving stations; education; districts (living history sites & maritime festivals); structures and sites; markers and monuments; and organizations. A black-&-white photograph of an artifact opens each chapter, and there are other photographs throughout the book. Divisions within a chapter vary according to what topic is being discussed. Those places open to the public include the hours of operation and whether or not there is an admission fee. Latitude and longitude are also provided for readers with GPS in their vehicles. Several chapters also include brief articles pertaining to the subject.
            
Each listing consists of a one-sentence description, the location and phone number, the website URL, the organization that operates the attraction, and whether it’s listed in the National Register of Historic Places or it’s a National Historic Landmark. Also given is the year of establishment or construction. Some entries include a four-pointed star that signifies the attraction is recommended for visiting.
            
This isn’t the first maritime guide I’ve reviewed for Pirates and Privateers, but The Fyddeye Guide is definitely the most comprehensive one I’ve seen. The introduction explains how to read the listings; for the most part, these are easily figured out. The guide doesn’t relegate itself just to those places on saltwater coasts. Fresh water coastal sites are also included.
            
There is a city index, but no subject index, so you have to either know of a pirate exhibit’s location, such as Providence, Rhode Island for the Whydah museum, or the type of vessel, such as a tall ship, for the Pride of Baltimore to find the actual listing. This is one drawback to the book, but you can search for “pirates” or “Whydah” on the website and find exactly what you need or discover that there’s more information on the subject that’s not in the book.
            
Whenever I read nonfiction, I always peruse the introductory materials because these often contain essential information about the book’s content and why the author, or editor in this case, creates the book. Follansbee concludes his preface with a comment about the fragility of maritime history. He writes:

We’d rather spend time and money on the next new thing than on remembering the last new thing. . . . I want Fyddeye to be my small attempt to raise awareness of a heritage that is by-and-large slow[ly] decaying. Perhaps if people understand the breadth and scope of our heritage by presenting it in one place, they might recognize that keeping our history is part of what keeps our country whole.

The Fyddeye Guide is a great reference for when you’re planning a vacation or you find yourself in a city and want to know what maritime attractions are located in the area.

Review Copyright ©2011 Cindy Vallar

Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Maritime Industry
by Kenneth J. Blume
Scarecrow Press, 2012, ISBN 978-0-8105-5634-9, US $99.00 / UK £59.95
Also available in other formats

This latest addition to the Historical Dictionaries of Professions and Industries series concerns maritime industry in the United States from 1776 through 2010. Contained in a single volume and arranged alphabetically, the entries cover a wide variety of topics: 

Coastal and International Shipping
Evolving Ship Technologies
Famous Ships
Governmental Policies
Inland Waterways
Labor
Leading Entrepreneurs
Partnerships and Corporations
Shipbuilding
Trade

The book opens with an explanation as to what a historical dictionary is and why it’s an essential reference tool, or as the text says, “the perfect starting point for anyone looking to research in these fields.” Jon Woronoff, the series editor, provides the rationale behind a work that strictly focuses on the merchant maritime industry.

Aside from 512 pages of entries, the book includes a list of acronyms and abbreviations, a chronology of events from 1620 through 2010, four appendices, and a bibliography with a narrative introduction followed by resource listings by subject. Before the individual topics, Blume provides an introduction that contains an overview of U.S. maritime history, a discussion on the industry’s cyclical and volatile nature, and a concise summary of technological developments.

Even if a reader merely skims the entries, he/she quickly comes to understand that the maritime industry is far greater than just ships and shipbuilding, and that it frequently involves governmental interaction. Entry length varies from a single paragraph to two pages. Occasionally, black-&-white illustrations accompany the text. Some entries include boldface words to alert the reader to topics on these items. See and see also references are also included where appropriate.

Perhaps most surprising is discovering what subjects are covered and which ones are not. This stems from the author’s intention to narrow down a vast topic so that entries pertain only to merchant maritime industries, rather than including entries concerning private entities during times of war. There are some entries concerning the industry prior to 1815. Readers more interested in the Age of Sail period may be disappointed to find that the preponderance of material addresses subjects from 1815 onward. Those seeking explanations about different kinds of ships or for brief overviews of specific ships will be better off consulting other volumes. The former is rarely included, while the later focuses only on very famous ships.

Piracy, Privateering, and Smuggling have separate entries, but anyone needing/wanting in-depth information must look elsewhere. Few of the titles in the bibliography will help in this regard. Jean Laffite is included, but there’s no consistency to the spelling of his surname. Noticeably missing from his entry is any mention of his participation in the Battle of New Orleans, but he is mentioned in the Galveston, Texas entry. The only named pirates in Piracy are William Kidd and Blackbeard, although this entry does touch on Barbary pirates, river pirates, privateering, and modern-day pirates. Privateering, on the other hand, is just a single paragraph with two See also references: one to Joseph Ropes, a privateer in the War of 1812; the other to Piracy.

Overall, this is an important addition to any reference collection on maritime trade and the historical and technological developments of this industry in the United States.

Review Copyright ©2012 Cindy Vallar

The History of the Port of London: A Vast Emporium for All Nations
by Peter Stone
Pen and Sword, 2017, ISBN 978-1-47386-037-7 US $39.95 / UK £19.99

review by Irwin Bryan

This detailed examination of the growth and expansion of London’s port starts just after the Ice Age with the creation of the Thames and the mudflats where early boats are kept, and ends with the unloading of one of the world’s largest container ships. In many ways, this book is a history of Great Britain itself.

After the Romans invaded Britannia and forced the tribal kings to swear allegiance, they began building roads in southeast Briton. A narrow point upriver was chosen to erect a bridge and unite both sides of the Thames. A need to defend this structure with a garrison of soldiers led to the establishment of Londinium. The long, navigable tideway brought vessels fifty miles from the North Sea and provided easy access to Continental Europe. Goods arrived from throughout the Roman Empire. These included wines, foodstuffs, olive oil, textiles, pottery, fish, fruit, and salt. Navigating the Thames was slow and difficult for sailing ships even in Roman times. Most ships unloaded downriver and boats would transport their cargoes farther upriver.

Formal development of the port began in AD 670 with construction of a planned town that included wooden embankments and jetties along the Thames. Trade played the largest role in the port’s growth during these early centuries. Wool was the major export and wines were the greatest import. This commerce provided a source of revenue in the form of tariffs for the Crown and the city. These duties were imposed on foreign merchants who imported goods to the country. To avoid paying them, some merchants relocated to England. In the 12th century during Henry II’s reign, this led to the development of groups of merchants, or guilds, banding together to secure monopolies from the Crown to import specific goods. By the end of the 15th century, London was handling 60% of England’s trade, “more than the next 14 ports combined.” (51) To avoid paying tariffs the Thames boatmen smuggled their cargoes ashore and sold them at lower prices. This grew to such a problem that King Edward designated twenty-five “legal quays” where goods could be unloaded. A list of these and the products they handled in 1584 is on page 63 and a map of their locations appears on page 64.

As products started coming from farther distances, companies were formed and granted royal charters for exclusive rights on trade. The Muscovy Company was the first joint-stock company and had the trade with Russia. The Eastland Company had the Baltic trade and the Levant Company traded in the Mediterranean. The East India Company (EIC), which was granted its charter in 1600 to buy and sell goods in Asia, was bringing in 15% of England’s imports by 1774. Its incredible success and growth was a major influence on the expansion of London’s port. They opened a shipyard next to the Royal Dockyard at Deptford and built immense warehouses to store various goods. In time, they were granted permission to build their own dock complex, which opened in 1800.

Expansion of the British Empire leads to the growth of trade with the colonies and trading posts in North America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Far East. This creates the need for more dock complexes at London’s port. Dock companies are formed to construct and manage these new facilities. Each is discussed in detail, as is the excavation for canals that permit ships to turn into the docks from the Thames. The industrial revolution changes shipbuilding and more dock complexes are needed to handle the growth in the number and size of ships arriving and the amount of cargo each can hold. Industrial complexes are also built along the Thames to utilize its water supply for steam and to be in close proximity to the ships carrying goods.

All of the dock companies needed manpower to handle cargo, but because of different factors affecting how many ships arrived daily, it wasn’t cost-effective to keep large permanent workforces. Instead, workers were expected to report in the morning in the hopes of being “called-in” for work. Those not called often went hungry. By 1871, the Trade Union Act passed Parliament, making it legal for workers to join together to negotiate for better pay or conditions.

Lack of caring for the Thames and a need for a serious reorganizing of the outdated dock system leads to the creation of the Port of London Authority in 1903, answerable to the Board of Trade. The new Authority is “responsible for sixty-nine miles of tidal river, 3,000 acres of estate, 32 miles of quays, 17 passenger piers and 11,000 workers.” (167) The changes made and the impact of the Great War are explained. By the 1930s, the port is the maximum size it will ever be. Also covered are the damages wrought by the German bombing campaign of World War II, changes in subsequent decades, technological innovations, and the modernization of the port to what it is today.

This book includes several plates of black-&-white photographs, the first taken in 1899. Scattered throughout are illustrations of the port’s structures and various docks. An extensive bibliography is followed by a detailed index. Missing are the ships that the docks were servicing. No mention is made of the ceremonial ship launchings that bring large crowds to the Thames shores; the stately East Indiamen returning after voyages lasting a year and more; the ships-of-the-line returning from battle; the clipper ships that raced from China to the docks in little more than 100 days; or the dreadnaughts and cruisers or the tankers stretching 300 meters and more. From his coverage of the days of the Romans, the author repeatedly states that only small ships would or could go upriver. Left unanswered is how the many sailing ships pictured in contemporary artwork traveled up the Thames to the docks and were maneuvered alongside a quay. As a sailing ship enthusiast, I was hoping to learn more about this facet of the port than I did.

The History of the Port of London is as complete a history of England, world trade, and the port as you can hope for. Mr. Stone traces the various mercantile factors that lead to the growth and importance of London as a financial and shipping center and clearly describes how the banks of the Thames are continuously modified to make this all possible. Anyone interested in history, urban planning, civil engineering, the construction trades, economics, or business should take the opportunity to read this.

Review Copyright ©2018 Irwin Bryan

Roles of the Sea in Medieval England
edited by Richard Gorski
Boydell, 2012, ISBN 978-1-84383-701-5, US $90.00 / UK £50.00

This volume focuses on the historiography of England during the 14th century, while exploring the connections between maritime trade and war. The essays’ primary perspectives are from the land and the authors demonstrate how people of this time period used the sea. The entities involved include “the crown, the government, the merchant guild, the counting house and the port community” and the essayists use the medieval documentary evidence from these. (8)

“Roles of the Sea: Views from the Shore,” by Richard Gorski, serves as an overview to the times, the resources, and what each contributor discusses.

Significant changes in shipbuilding occur between 500 and 1500, and this is what Richard W. Unger examines in “Changes in Ship Design and Construction: England in the European Mould.” He discusses the influence of economics in designing and building, inventions and innovations in technological developments, and other facets that lead to better ships.

The Cinque Ports are coastal towns in Kent and Sussex. Susan Rose examines “The Value of the Cinque Ports to the Crown 1200-1500” in her essay. She discusses terms of service, resources and how these are deployed, feuds and violence within and between the ports, and the decline of the Cinque Ports.

Craig Lambert analyzes how the Cinque Ports contributed naval resources to the wars with Scotland and France from 1322 to 1360, in “The Contribution of the Cinque Ports to the Wars of Edward II and Edward III: New Methodologies and Estimates.” He looks at how fleets are raised and the frequency of their service, as well as “the numbers of unique ships” that the Ports supplied.

“Keeping the Seas: England’s Admirals, 1369-1389,” written by David Simpkin, investigates the men who hold the highest naval rank, “their powers, duties and activities” to assess how significant they are during a period of intensive military campaigning that involved naval ships. (80)

Tony K. Moore considers “The Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Fourteenth-Century Naval Campaign: Margate/Cadzand, 1387,” one of the few English victories during the 1300s. After a brief overview of the battle, he compares “known expenses . . . against the estimated values of the prizes taken.” (104)

Of particular interest to readers is “Piracy and Anglo-Hanseatic Relations, 1385-1420” by Marcus Pitcaithly. He explores Anglo-Hanseatic relations, the upsurge in piracy, the Vitalienbrüder, pretexts for trading with the enemy under Henry IV, and politics related to piracy and trade.

Tim Bowley’s “‘Herring of Sligo and Salmon of Bann’: Bristol’s Maritime Trade with Ireland in the Fifteenth Century” delves into the trade between these two places and how unique it is when compared to Bristol’s trade with other European countries; Bristol’s merchant community; and what this exchange tells us about the ships’ home ports. The principal commodities discussed include pottery, building stones, cloth, clothing, furs, and fish.

The time frame of the final essay, “How Much did the Sea Matter in Medieval England (c.1200-c.1500)?” by Ian Friel, extends from when King John loses Normandy in 1204, to the beginning of regular transoceanic voyages. He attempts to answer two questions: “In the centuries between, was the sea quite so important to the country?” and “What happened with England and the sea during the period in between?” (168) To achieve these aims he looks at towns, ports, trade, daily life for upper and lower classes as it pertains to the sea, the impact of war and defense, government, and peoples’ awareness of the sea.

The contributors to this volume are historians, professors, and a museum consultant, all of whom specialize in studies of the maritime world during the Middle Ages. A couple of maps, several tables, and an index accompany the text. Footnotes appear within each essay, providing sources and additional information.

For those interested in England during the Middle Ages and how its citizens use and view the sea, this is an important resource. Readers having some knowledge of the time period and maritime-related history will find Roles of the Sea in Medieval England more useful than those lacking such knowledge, as the writers don’t always explain basic information, such as what the Cinque Ports were.

Review Copyright ©2012 Cindy Vallar

Seafarers, Merchants and Pirates in the Middle Ages
by Dirk Meier
translated by Angus McGeoch
Boydell, 2006, ISBN 1843832372, US $37.95 / UK £19.99

Books abound on buccaneers and pirates of the golden age, but what about those of other time periods? Seafarers, Merchants and Pirates in the Middle Ages explores the maritime world several centuries earlier, particularly from the 10th through the early 15th century. While the British Isles are included to some extent, especially in the chapter on Vikings, primary emphasis is on northern Europe. One strength of this scholarly work is that it explores this time period in a more rounded fashion than most books because it looks at how sailors, merchants, cities and towns, and pirates interact and how they impact history. Through primary documents, illustrations, and information from archaeological finds, Meier presents a logical and easily understood explanation of the medieval seafaring world.

Divided into eleven chapters, this book explores early navigation and how advances in navigation during this time allow people to venture farther from shore. Readers will also learn about shipbuilding and its development. Dr. Meier next explores the various trading ports on the North and Baltic Seas and the rivers of Russia. Two chapters discuss the Viking pillaging expeditions and explorations in the North Atlantic. The history and power of the Hanseatic League is detailed, as are the pirates who plague the region in the later Middle Ages. Also included are a glossary, reading list, and index.

While I would have liked more information on the pirates, this book is a good introduction to the maritime world and developments in it during medieval times. Headings and subheadings provide easy access to what’s covered in the chapters. Captioned black-&-white illustrations and maps, interspersed with ones in vivid color, complement the narrative and provide readers with excellent visuals for points of reference. The inclusion of primary documents allows readers to see how people of the time period see their world. The only drawbacks to the book, and they are minor ones, are misspelled words and a few translated sentences that required me to reread them once or twice until I understood what is written. Some information on ships, sailing, and navigation is the best presented and easiest to understand that I’ve encountered in researching maritime history. Those interested in the Middles Ages, particularly those concerned with trade and piracy, will find this a worthy addition to their collections.

Review Copyright ©2007 Cindy Vallar

Seized
by Max Hardberger
Broadway Books, 2010, ISBN 978-0-7679-3138-0, US $25 / CAN $29.95
Nicholas Brealey, 2010, ISBN 9781857885569, UK £9.99

The subtitle for this book is “A Sea Captain’s Adventure Battling Scoundrels and Pirates while Recovering Stolen Ships in the World’s Most Trouble Waters.” Hardberger is a ship captain, as well as a pilot, maritime lawyer, and teacher (among other jobs). While Seized includes glimpses into the man and his personal life, it primarily recounts his adventures extracting freighters illegally seized from their owners, beginning with the first bulk carrier he retrieves in 1987. His travels take him from Louisiana to Haiti, Belize, East Germany, Russia, Greece, and other locales. Each has its own murky waters and life-threatening dangers through which he navigates – revolution, Russian mafia, and possible imprisonment to name but a few. The foreword does disclose that names and places have been changed to protect the innocent and guilty alike.

While pirates are mentioned in the subtitle, only one incident comes close to meeting the definition of maritime piracy. Seized is a riveting account of the seamier side of maritime shipping and the men willing to risk their lives to help others. Amid the daring rescues, the author reveals the life of seamen, the world in which they live, and the dangers they face.

Meet the author

Review Copyright ©2010 Cindy Vallar

Shipping the Medieval Military: English Maritime Logistics in the Fourteenth Century
by Craig L. Lambert
Boydell, 2010, ISBN 9780615381534, US $90.00 / UK £50.00

Lambert’s goal in writing this book is to provide a more thorough understanding of the maritime resources available to Kings Edward II and III when they go to war at a time when the Royal Navy as we know it does not exist. He achieves this through a close examination of documents related to the merchant fleet, which supplies the majority of vessels during these conflicts. Lambert also assesses the needs and effectiveness of maritime contributions to the logistical support of the troops that fight on land.

Chapter one, "Raising the Fleet," covers sources of shipping, requisition orders, the process of requisition, and return passage. The second chapter concerns the years 1320 through 1360, and discusses the supply of armies and garrisons by sea. This includes the logistics and preparations for war, supplying the armies and the naval war in Scotland, the maritime logistics relating to that war, and the supply of English armies in France. The following chapter discusses the transport of the armies to France from 1324 through 1360. Its subtopics include the preparation of the fleet, two transport fleets during Edward II’s reign, the Earl of Surrey’s fleet, five fleets for Edward III’s armies, and the Black Prince’s 1355 fleet. Chapter four, "Maritime Resources and the King’s War," examines organizational developments of the fleets, port resources, shipmaster service and mariners, and crew size and manning.

Various tables and pictures appear throughout the book. After the conclusion are two appendices: Ports that Supplied Ships to the Fleets and the Methodology of Reconstructing the Merchant Fleet. An extensive bibliography and index are also included.

What makes this book of such notable importance is that the focus is on mariners and port masters, instead of “knights, esquires, and their mounts,” and logistics from a nautical perspective, rather than naval warfare itself. Lambert commendably demonstrates the complexity of supplying an army that fights in another land. His research shows the royal advisors understand this and carefully manage their resources to meet the king’s needs. While the preponderance of material concerns the merchant fleet and wartimes, there are a few references to pirates. Shipping the Medieval Military opens an intriguing window into the medieval merchant navy in a well-thought-out and organized fashion that is easy for the layman to read.

Review Copyright ©2011 Cindy Vallar

Smuggling: Contraband and Corruption in World History
by Alan L. Karras
Rowman & Littlefield, 2010, ISBN 978-0-7425-5315-6, US $34.95 / UK £21.95 / EUR € 24.95
Also available in other formats

Most books on smuggling concentrate on a particular region or country during a specific time period. Karras approaches it from a worldwide view that includes case studies not only from the past but also today. Although his initial objective was to focus on Caribbean smuggling during the 1700s, he discovered what happened there, also happened elsewhere, so he expanded his research and the scope of this volume. He aptly shows how smugglers and purchasers of smuggled goods influence the evolution of laws and policies regulating smuggling while at the same time circumventing them.

The content is arranged into five chapters, plus a conclusion. The book also includes chapter notes, illustrations, a selected bibliography, and an index. The chapters are: 

1. Smuggling in Regional and Global Perspective: “Truck, Barter, and  Exchange”
2. “It’s Not Pirates!”
3. The Political Economy of Smuggling
4. Smuggling: Patterns and Practices
5. Smuggling, “Custom,” and Legal Violations

Chapter two is of particular interest to readers of this publication, and Karras deftly demonstrates that pirates and smugglers are not the same, contrary to popular opinion. Pirates identify themselves when they attack and often threaten or use violence to gain their objective. Their victims are easy to identify. Smugglers, on the other hand, operate clandestinely and rarely use violence because they don’t want to suffer the consequences of getting caught. Everyone is an enemy of the pirate, whereas the law is the smuggler’s enemy. The case studies used to prove these arguments date from 1750 to present-day Somalia.

Karras selects specific cases that illustrate “a larger pattern that is observable across both time and space” and reinforce his arguments. (viii) They demonstrate the amount of culling through primary resources he’s done to assemble this evidence. Also of noteworthy mention is how he shows the lack of correlation between implementing laws against smuggling and how these are interpreted. Readers looking for a general history of smuggling may not find this a compelling narrative, but the book provides an important examination of the global similarities of smuggling and the parallels between modern-day smugglers and those of the past.

Review Copyright ©2011 Cindy Vallar

The Social History of English Seamen, 1485-1649
edited by Cheryl A. Fury
Boydell, 2012, ISBN 978-1-8438-3689-6, US $115.00 / UK £65.00

This collection of essays, written by eminently qualified historians and an osteoarchaeologist, focuses on English mariners during the Tudor-Stuart eras. Specifically, each of the ten contributions examines what is known about seamen, rather than officers, who sail with the navy, the merchant marine, privateers, and pirates. The authors also share their conclusions on what can be inferred from this knowledge, and provide insight into where further research needs to be done. Fury, in her introduction to the book, explains the difficulties researchers encounter when delving into the mysteries surrounding those who sail before the mast and what primary documents are available for study.

“The English Maritime Community, 1500-1650”, by David Loades, provides an overview of seamen and the state of seafaring during this time to ground the reader for what follows. Among the topics he addresses are merchant guilds, shipbuilding, dockyards and storage facilities, training, where ships sailed, discipline, piracy, war, recruitment practices, smuggling, and public policy.

In chapter two, Fury summarizes “The Work of G. V. Scammell,” who died during the planning stage of this book. She liberally incorporates quotations from his many works while refraining from instilling her own research and conclusions into this composite of his writing. Her hope is to whet readers’ appetites to delve more fully into Scammell’s research on the merchant service, an area often ignored in favor of the navy. Other topics touched upon are war, shipowning and seamanship, the crew as pertains to “the emergence of an officer class,” provisioning, and mutiny.

One particularly interesting chapter is Ann Stirland’s “The Men of the Mary Rose.” She explains what information has been gleaned from studying the bones of seamen who died when this warship sank in 1545.

J. D. Alsop’s “Tudor Merchant Seafarers in the Early Guinea Trade” provides insights into the socio-economics of England’s commerce with West Africa. Subdivided into eight parts, he looks at the voyages between 1553 and 1565, the available source materials, will-making at sea, ships’ companies, seamen and traders, shipboard economy, shipboard society, and relations between the crew and the investors who finance the voyages.

“The Elizabethan Maritime Community” is Fury’s second contribution to this book. She concentrates on the sailors first at sea, and then on land before analyzing what the two worlds tells us about seamen during this period. Afterward, she examines how war affects the maritime community.

Vincent V. Patarino, Jr.’s contribution focuses on “The Religious Shipboard Culture of Sixteenth and Seventeenth-Century English Sailors.” This essay brings together superstition, folklore, and the shift from Catholicism to Protestant practices and beliefs.

Fury returns again with “Health and Health Care at Sea,” an important topic since thousands of men die from illnesses, rather than from injuries suffered in the course of their work or during times of war. She discusses their diet, solutions to complaints about the provisions, victuals served on naval ships, techniques the Crown tries to remedy problems with navy food, sickness and death at sea, prevalent diseases and attempts to prevent and contain them, other hazards encountered during voyages, health care provisions, and nursing.

In “The Relief of English Disabled Ex-Sailors, c. 1590-1680,” Geoffrey L. Hudson discusses national (the Chatham Chest) and county (Devon) systems that are founded to care for ex-seaman, including the disabled.

The editor’s final contribution is “Seamen’s Wives and Widows” and the challenges they face during the long periods in which their husbands are at sea or fail to return from a voyage. The subsection on problems includes women who are estranged at the time of their husbands’ departures. Fury also examines how women cope with these challenges.

Pirates and privateers appear in many of the essays, although they are the primary focus only in John C. Appleby’s “Jacobean Piracy: English Maritime Depredation in Transition, 1603-1625.” He opens by summarizing the background that leads to the flourishing of piracy during this time period and where the pirates sail. From there, he examines such villainy in the British Isles and the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean before a discussion on pirate culture. Readers familiar with later periods of piracy will be intrigued by some of the practices mentioned here, which are similar or forerunners to those used during the era of the Buccaneers and the golden age of piracy. He concludes with a summary of the decline of piracy in this time period. Among the pirates whom Appleby uses to illustrate his points are John Ward, Peter Easton, and Henry Mainwaring.

For all the chapters, citations appear on the same page as the footnote. This makes it easy to see additional information the author has included or simply the source from which the material comes. There are illustrations, tables, a detailed bibliography, and an index.

This volume is an important contribution to maritime studies, not just because it focuses on a less studied period in maritime history, but also because it features the average seamen and highlights what we’ve learned in spite of the limited resources. It also provides readers with areas where further research is necessary if we are to complete this picture of those men who chose to work at sea rather than on land.

Review Copyright ©2012 Cindy Vallar

The View from the Masthead
Maritime Imagination and Antebellum American Sea Narratives
by Hester Blum
University of North Carolina, 2008, ISBN 978-0-8078-5855-4, US $22.95

Remember back in high school when you had to read excerpts of American literature? They ranged from colonial offerings to those of the 19th or early 20th centuries. Most likely the only sea story in this collection was Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, yet many other maritime accounts exist. Hester Blum examines sailors’ accounts of their voyages and experiences, particularly during the first half of the 19th century. Divided into two parts, the book explores “The Sea Narrative and Sailors’ Literary Culture” and “Maritime Epistemology and Crisis.” Part one, which concentrates on history, contrasts early narratives of Barbary captives with those of later seamen, and discusses naval memoirs and the literary marketplace of the period. The second half of the book, which concentrates on the theoretical, explains the “Sea Eye,” writings on the Galapagos Islands and how maritime fiction evolved, and “Death and Burial at Sea.” She intersperses samplings from first-person narratives. The authors discussed are both well-known and unknown: James Fenimore Cooper, Herman Melville, Charles Darwin, William Dampier, Richard Henry Dana, Charles Barnard, Ned Buntline, Owen Chase, and John R. Jewitt.

This book gives voice to a body of works often forgotten or unknown, and in so doing, Blum introduces us to what it is like to have been a sailor from his perspective. She also explores his philosophical side, for being at sea provides him with periods of inner reflection. One particular discussion that interested me involves the “to use or not use nautical language” argument – a consideration maritime writers continue to face today. Also important in this study is that Blum concentrates on the narratives of working sailors (the common man), rather than ships’ officers. The inclusion of passages from this body of works enriches the reader’s experience. As she traces the evolution of sea narratives, Blum also introduces the reader to such changes in sailors’ lives as literacy and welfare. The View from the Masthead is a fascinating examination of a body of literature too long ignored. Who knows, maybe more of those students in American Lit classes will be captivated by the early literature if teachers incorporate tales of the sea into their studies.

Review Copyright ©2008 Cindy Vallar

Young Men and the Sea: Yankee Seafarers in the Age of Sail
by Daniel Vickers with Vince Walsh
Yale University, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10067-1, US $35.00

There is an element of romanticism to sailors and life at sea during the Age of Sail. But why do boys and men really go to sea, and what is life for them like both aboard ship and in port, especially for those who grow up and live near the coastline of American shores? These are the questions Daniel Vickers sets out to answer in this book, concentrating on seafaring life and changes in maritime commerce in Salem, Massachusetts from 1620 through the 19th century. When people hear of Salem, they tend to think only of the witchcraft trials that take place there, but this village seaport is involved in various types of shipping throughout its history. Also, it is small enough to allow historians to use local records to trace individual mariners and what they do over long periods of time.

This scholarly work is not for readers looking for details of colonists who turn to piracy or abet pirates. Nor does it dwell much on privateering. Rather Young Men and the Sea examines how a coastal village founded by landsmen develops into a vital seaport and how its inhabitants choose to go to sea rather than work the fields. In addition to the analysis of seafaring careers, Vickers looks at maritime life ashore, including sailors’ wives, and the laws that regulate life at sea. Appendices include primary sources, graphs, and ships’ logs. Maps and black-&-white drawings illustrate the text, and a detailed index and notes accompany the book.

Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

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