demics. With the recent publication of several important books by scholars who made good use of archival sources, however, the subject is gai ning respectability enough to merit courses on piracy at university level. Bandits at Sea is intended as a teaching aid in such courses and a starting place for serious examination of the history of pirates. As a scholarly guide, the coll ection works very well indeed. Through fourteen substantial studies, the inquiring student is presented with not just the history of piracy, but the economics, motivations, sexuality, ethnicity, geography and politics of pirates as well. Particularly outstanding is a discussion of pirate homosexuality with the demure title "The Buccaneer Co mmunity ," authored by B. R. Burg, whose insight into the reasons men become seamen is quite extraordinarily inspiring. All of the essays are well worth th e time and effort of thorough perusal. The fact that they span such a great spread ofspace and time adds greatly to their value. While nothing jars, a consistent tone being adeptly maintained, there is controversy enough to stimulate some exciting debates. The editor is to be congratulated on his enterprise in masterminding such a thoroughly worthy and groundbreaking addition to the historiography of crime at sea.
historically little attention has been paid ro their construction and use. Providing technical detail and fascinating vignettes of key players such as Robert Cyril Thompson, Henry Kaiser and William Francis Gibbs, Elphick has surveyed the literature to produce an excellent design and operational history. This work will be the standard history of Liberty ships for the foreseeable future. HAROLD BOYER
Aston, Pennsylvania
Snow Squall: The Last American Clipper Ship, by Nicholas D ean (Maine Maritime Museum, Bath ME, and Tilbury House, Gardiner ME, 2001, 30lpp, illus, biblio, index, ISBN 0-88448-231-6; $30hc) As the last surviving example of that fabled breed of ship, the American clipper, the Snow Squall is vital ly important as an icon and as an archaeological treasure. The main body of this book is concerned with the history of the vessel, following her voyaging career from 1852 to 1864, while short sections at the beginning and end by archaeologist David Switzer describe the expeditions to the Falkland Islands to document the ship and recover pans of the hull for analysis, conservation and display. We should be very appreciative of the efforrs made by all involved in bringing back a large portion of her hull. The fact that these remnants had to be cut up and JOAN DRUETT Wellington, New Zealand sent to four separate museums-Portland H arbor Museum and Maine Maritime Liberty: The Ships That Won the War, Museum in Maine, South Street Seaport by Peter Elphick (Naval Institute Press, Museum in New York, and the San FranAnnapolis MD, 2001, 512pp, illus, appen, cisco Maritime National Historical Parkbiblio, index, ISBN 1-55750-535-7; $45hc) speaks to the lack of commitment in this The words "Liberty ship" evoke a vessel country to our maritime heritage. It is born of worldwide struggle, sacrifice and disgraceful that a well-funded comprehensuccess. British designed and American sive archaeological dig and salvage operaproduced, 2,710 were constructed during tion could not be mounted much earlier to the war. Retired master mariner Peter save more of her and the other ships in the Elphick tells the story of how the Liberty Falklands and elsewhere while millions are ship came to be, its impact on the war, and being spent to build alleged "replicas" of its importance to the merchant fleets of the wooden ships. world after the war. This book should be read by anyone Between October 1941 and the end of with an interest in our maritime heritage, World War II American shipyards pro- and particularly by shipmodel builders induced approximately 5,000 merchant ships. tent on creating an American clipper ship, Of a total of 21.7-million gross tons of who wi ll benefit from the excellent photoshipping lost during the war, Liberty ship graphs and highly detailed ship's lines and co nstruction replaced 19 .4-million gross plans included in this study. LLOYD M CCAFFERY tons. Elphick states that the war could not have been won without these ships, but Cottonwood, Arizona
SEA HISTORY 101 , SUMMER 2002
The American Neptune Enjoy the leading scholarly journal of maritime history and arts in the US. The American Neptune, a quarterly publication of the Peabody Essex Muse um, is a great read for collectors, model makers, and all who love ships and the sea. We offer Sea History readers an opportunity to subscribe to The American Neptune for $33, a $6 sav ings over our regular subscription rate ($36 for non-US residents . Institutions: call for rates). To start your subscription, send a check or money order to : The American Neptune Peabody Essex Museum East India Square Salem, MA 01970 (508) 745-1876 You may charge your subscription by fax at (508) 744-6776, or e-mail dori_phillips@ pem.org. We accept VISA, MasterCard and American Express.
Visit our website at www.pem.org/neptune
CROSSWORD ANSWERS ACROSS 5 C hivalri c 7 lrving ]ohnson 8 Tears 9 Red Cross Knight 12 Bladon 14 Cambridge 16 AnnaSynn0ve Bye 21 Cog 23 Atlantic C harter 24 USO 26 Faerie Queene 28 C harles Peterson 33 Burns 34 Crystal Project 35 Denny 39 Fabia 40 Thames 4 1 Grening 42 Effie M Morrissey 45 H ELM 47 Liberty ships 49 Brigantines 50 Snow Squall 52 Morning 53 Fierce 54 Nail DOWN
1 London River
2 3 4 6 10 11
Columbi a River Death French Candl emas Coin , Hundred Years W ar 13 Steam schooner 15 Belle Isle 17 Swne fere 18 Frob isher 19 Barge Driving Race 20 Sir Walrer Scott 22 Chief Wawatam 25 Rissa 27 United Nations 29 Superstitions 30 Cyrano 31 Army Air Co rps 32 "Sabbath at Sea" 34 Cold War 36 Cape of Storms 37 C hurchill 38 Whistling 43 Iron 44 Hebron 46 Castle 48 Baffin 51 Swyn
43