Traffiques & Discoveries
"The Lesson These Men Teach Us All"
A social historian of the Royal Navy notes (in a book reviewed on page 46 of this Sea History), the surprising insight of the Times of London, in commenting on the generosity of the ship's company of HM destroyer Carysfort taking up a collection for the benefit of the family of a shipmate lost at sea in November 1957. The average voluntary contribution from these ill-paid men was ÂŁ36 (then $100.80), Leading to this salute from the Times:
Above, a stone mosaic of a lighthouse, symbol of light and truth, in Saint Thomas Church in New York City. Below, a 4' by 2' sculptured image ofa weatherbeaten. seafarer on the Bush Building in New York City.
This collective and individual act of generosity was not causeless and fortuitou s. Its origin lay in the kind of men there were and are, the life they lead, the outlook which they share, the virtues which are instilled into them which they learn swiftly-and unstintingly put into practi ce. If men acquire the habit of be ing di sciplined, generous and un selfish ... and in their every day concerns are capab le in a moment of crisis of pulling out that extra effort, whether of heroism or comradely kindness ... that is the lesson these men teach us all. -Cited in John Wells, The Royal Navy
Should History Be Popularized?
The popular historian, novelist, poet and playwright Shelby Foote-famed for his commentary on the PBS series The Civil Wartalked recently with Naval History (September/October 1994) about the writing of history. This illuminating exchange comes from that interview: Naval History: How can we make history more popular in the classroom? Shelby Foote: You know, I'm not interested in popularity, bei ng popul ar, or even selling a lot of books. I li ke to do it, but that's not why I write. I'm trying to understand the damned thing and make other people understand it. Calling it popular makes it sound as though I did something to hi story to make it more palatable. I never want to do that. What I want to do is te ll as forceful a story as I know how, as true as I know how to make it. There's nothing popular abo ut it in conception. lf it turns mt to be popular, fine . .t SEA HISTORY 71, AUTUMN 994
"Making the Hard to See More Visible" Photographer Gregory Thorp of New Haven, Connecticut, often finds that hi s subject matter is above people's heads. There is nothing elitist about it, but he does have to climb to some lofty pl aces to find it. Thorp has a special talent for recording ornamental art, frequently fo und in church interi ors and on commercial building exteri ors. In hi s prospecting, Thorp has found some excepti onal pieces with nautical motifs in glass, stone and wood . Pictured above are just two of hi s images. Thorp has a simpl e philosoph y about his art: "My vocati on is to make the hard to see more visi ble-more appreciable." It certainl y isn't difficult to appreciate the beauty and powerful symboli sm in these images-now that they have been brought down to our level. The photographer is currently looking for support to do a photographic survey of an Ep isco pal c hurc h in Gloucester, Massachusetts , that he describes as " loaded with ornamental art. " (Gregory Thorp, 155 Wooster Street, New Haven CT 06511) .t 33