illus,appen, notes, biblio, index; $39.95hb) This latest offering from South Carolina's excellent Studies in Maritime History series presents the first comprehensive study of President Thomas Jefferson's gunboat program. Concentrating on the construction, characteristics and service of these gunboats instead of policy analysis, Spencer provides a highly detailed , scholarly overview of this crucial period in American naval history. Beginning with the construction and description of the 170 gunboats built during the first decade of the 19th century through the War of 1812, a chronological history of their employment is then presented with chapters on the Mediterranean, Embargo, War of 1812, the Great Lakes, and the vessels' use after I 8 12. Spencer's conclusions about this controversial program are summarized in the last chapter where he determines that it "was not a triumph of a weapon system nor a total failure." Indeed , they represented a major line of coastal defense, provided some training for nascent naval officers and were not, as is sometimes asserted, complete ly responsible for the fai lures of the Navy during the War of 1812. Despite the views of naval historians of this period, gunboats performed useful sev ice in a number of locations and actions . Sources used for thi s study include manuscripts, letters, personal papers, and the secondary literature of the period. In many respects the most valuable aspect of thi s book are the appendices which provide a service record of individual gunboats and their design, construction and equipment. HAROLD N. BOYER
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An Island's Trade; Nineteenth Century Shipbuilding on Long Island , by Richard F. Welch (Mystic Seaport Museum , Mystic CT, 1989, 153pp, illus, maps , appen, biblio, index; $20hb) Thi s excellent work of regional hi story fits nicely with William N. Petersen's "Mystic Built" : Ships and Shipyards of the Mystic River, Connecticut, 17841919, produced by the same publisher three years ago. Initially , the author reso lv es the anomal y presented by Brookl yn, Long Island, by classifying it with metropolitan Manhattan, rather than the rural communities covered by An Island's Trade. He al so establishes the effect of the Island's geophysical properties on the SEA HISTORY 67 , AUTUMN 1993
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At Sea with the Scientifics The Challenger Letters of Joseph Matkin
At Sea with the Scientifics The ChJl/enger l etters of Joseph Mat km &:ilted by PhJlip F Rehbock
Edited by Philip F. Rehbock The letters of Joseph Matkin, a young assistant ship's steward on board the Challenger, provide a "below decks" view of a three-and-a-half year voyage around the world. Matkin's descriptions of shipboard logistics, the crew's attitudes toward the scientific operations taking place on board, and the officer-scientist-crew relations bring freshness and immediacy to this great Victorian scientific enterprise. Illustrated . $38.00, hardcover To order : Send check or VISA/ Mastercard information !include account no., exp . date, and signature) . Shipping and handling: $2.00 forthe first book and $1.00 each additional.
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UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PRESS ~~4n°ofu1~~i~fst~~et 39