REVIEWS hisro ry of V icrorian Brirain and rhe srarr of rhe dispure berween crearionism and Old Tesrament rheology. Added ro rhis unusual mix are important glimpses inro anrhropology, geography of Cape Horn, the origin of oceanic meteorology, and the clini cal course of a calamirous episode of pathopsychology. The shortcomings are a lack of primary source notatio ns o n rhe many quorarions throughour rhe book and need of an index. In spire of rhese minor fl aws, rhe concise wriring and scholarship of Evolution's Captain make ir enjoyable and very informative, a highly reco mmended addirion ro any maririme hisro rian's library. LOUIS ARTHUR NORTON Wesr Simsbury, CT
Florida's Vero Beach, Caprain Srron g, recognizing he is rhe o nly ship rhat can help, makes rhe decisio n to risk his career, his ship, and Florida's beach being fou led by his cargo, in an effo rt to save the smaller vessel, irs crew, and, if poss ible, the barge. All in rhe height of what is now, very nearly a hurricane. While a bir pedanric ar times, Captain Strong tells his sto ry in a clear voice
In Peril: A Daring Decision, A Captain's Resolve, and the Salvage that Made History, by Skip Srrong and Twain Braden (The Lyo ns Press, G uilford, CT, 2003, 288pp, phoros, diagram s, biblio, index, ISBN 1-59228- 105-2; $22.95) Caprain Skip Srrong and his writing parrner, Twain Braden, provide rhe ideal march ro rell this srory-S rrong was masrer of rhe 688' Cherry Valley, the oi l tanker which he skippered ro glory in the rale, and Braden, also a deep warer sailor wrires for several maritime publi cations and is a former ediror of Professional 1\1ariner. The srory rhey rell is ar once compelling and enthralling. In November 1994, the oi l tanker Cherry Valley took on ten million gallons of oil for transport from New O rleans to the east coas t of Florida. Ar rh e sam e rim e, the ocean-go ing tug, ] A. Orgeron picked up a barge at the Martin Marietta plant a few mi les up the Mississippi River from New Orleans; on the barge was secured the external fuel tank for the space shuttl e Atlantis which would be rowed to Cape Canaveral for use in th at vehicle's 1995 fli ght. The tank had cos t in excess of $5 0 million and would naturally be crucial to lifting the shuttle into orbit. Add to this combination a late-seaso n tropical sto rm , which formed qui ckly off Central America and moved uncharacreristically, confounding the weather forecasters ar rhe Narional Hurricane Cenrer. When rhe rug's engines fai l and she is in danger of being swept onto the lee shore of
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without a bir of grandsranding. His m otivations are the morivarions of a mariner in a position ro help another at sea, not o ne seeking accolades, though he and his crew surely received their share, as well as a share of the salvage fee. While modern sea sto ries are not generally in my realm of interesr, I fo und In Peril to be riveting and exhilarati ng. Anyone who loves the derring-do of real life heroes is sure to feel the sam e way. WILLIAM H. WHITE Rumson, New Jersey
Out of the Fog: The Sinking of the Andrea Doria, by Algot Matrsson, rranslation edired by Gordon W Paulsen and Bruce G. Paulsen (Cornell Maririme Press, Centreville, MD, 2003, 184pp, illus, appen, biblio, ISBN 0870335456; $24.95) After 48 years, the public is still learning new details abour rhe Andrea DoriaStockholm collision. This book by an information officer on rhe corporate sraff of Swedish America Line (Stockholm's owner) recounrs the incident as seen by an insider. More importantly, the editors (maritime lawyers) have supplemented rhe original rext wirh previously unpublished documents and opinions. These finally shed lighr on the our-of-courr sertl ement rhar broughr the public inquiry to an early end
in January 1957. Thar agreement was possible because borh sides wanted to avo id a lengrhy and expensive rrial, neirher side was eager to see a judicial assignment of "blam e" and borh wanted to minimize the bad publiciry rhar could affecr rhe fu rure of the lin er trade-a future rhat was already being rhrearened by rransAtlantic airlines. The fac ts show thar the preponderance of fa ulr for rhe collision lay with Andrea Doria, and rh e terms of rhe sertlement confirm that view. The editors cover rhis ground nicely in a succincr legal brief. Out ofthe Fog derai ls, for the firsr time, the design and construction defecrs rhar adversely impacted the Andrea Doria's srabili ry and wa rerrighr integriry-facts rhar were ar the time well known to rhe ship's owners, Iralian Line, and to rhe caprain who commanded her on rhar fareful evening. This book deserves a place alongsid e Alvin Moscow's classic accounr, Collision Course, because ir goes beyond thar analysis and ill uminates issues abour which Moscow had little information. CAPTAIN HAROLD J. SUTPHEN Kilmarnock, Virginia
Fury Beach: The Four-Year Odyssey of Captain John Ross and the Victory, by Ray Edinger (Berkley Books, New York, 2003 , 279 pp, maps, illus, index, biblio, ISB N 0-425- 18845-0; $22.95hc) Throughout the 19th century, numerous explorers traveled to the Arcric on expeditions searching for a Northwest Passage. In their attempts, sailors braved harsh co ndirions, faced insurmounrab le odds, and struggled for survival. The sto ry of the Victory recounts one of the more norab le voyages and presents a more accurate acco unt of the captain, the often-disparaged Sir John Ross. Using primary sources, such as Ross's personal narratives, Edinger relares rhe srory of rhe Victory's voyage and rhe sm all gro up of men behind rhe derogato ry campaign agai nsr Caprain Ross. In his vividly descripri ve work, Edinger inrerweaves sh ipboard policies and rhe fare of rhe Victory and her crew. Through rhe colorful descriprions of rhe Arcric landscape and rhe Inuir of Boorhia Peninsula, a barren world of rock, ice, and snow comes to life. The reader feels rhe pain, ago ny, and
SEA HISTORY I 07, SPRING/SUMMER 2004