The Observer's Book of Ships [antikvár]

PREFACE The main purpose of this book is to introduce the observer to the wide variety of ships that he may see within the four main categories: merchant ships, warships, fishing vessels and sail school-ships, and to provide him with some general background information about ships and the sea. Previous editions have included a brief history of ships and a small section on the rigs of yachts and small boats. These have now been omitted so that the other sections could be extended. In this entirely new edition the line drawings, silhouettes and photographs have been distributed throughout the text in a way that should make the book easier to use 'in the field'. Like other major transport organizations, both the administration and the working units of the shipping industry are constantly changing. New types of vessels appear as others lose their importance ; the rapid world-wide development of the container system and the run-down of the passenger service liner are but two examples of such far-reaching changes. A larger selection of flags and funnels than in the previous edition is included in the colour section although here, too, it is not easy to keep abreast of the visual results of mergers and take-overs. The P & O fleet, for instance, now consists of twenty or so shipping companies and it will be several years before the funnels and hull colours are changed ; some, in the Short Sea Division, may retain their present distinctive liveries. The adoption of the metric system in the marine industry has, as far as this book is concerned, resulted in the following usage. Ship lengths, and other linear measurements are given in metres and gun calibres in millimetres. Any reference to