Nature . res of 1 Mast and Sail in Europe Asia. By H. Warington Smyth Pp.^lx + 448. (London : John Murray, roo6.) Price zjs. net. NO. 1COI, VOL. 73] both hulls and sails in the vignettes scattered freelythroughout the text are admirable in their interest of the book is increased by the introduc-tion of numerous reproductions of famous pictures ofshipping, and no pains have been spared by thepublisher either in regard to these illustrations or toother features for which he is responsible. Mr. Smyth excludes from his survey pleasure boats,yachts, and square-rigged vessels, and g
Nature . res of 1 Mast and Sail in Europe Asia. By H. Warington Smyth Pp.^lx + 448. (London : John Murray, roo6.) Price zjs. net. NO. 1COI, VOL. 73] both hulls and sails in the vignettes scattered freelythroughout the text are admirable in their interest of the book is increased by the introduc-tion of numerous reproductions of famous pictures ofshipping, and no pains have been spared by thepublisher either in regard to these illustrations or toother features for which he is responsible. Mr. Smyth excludes from his survey pleasure boats,yachts, and square-rigged vessels, and gives adequatereasons for that course. About one-half of the bookis devoted to European types, beginning with theBaltic and Scandinavian countries, and passingto Holland, Scotland, the east coast of England andthe Thames estuary, the south and west coast ofEngland, and then to France and the English readers, probably the most interestingsection of the book will be that dealing with Eastern. vegian Pilo vessels, including those of the Indian Ocean, the MalayPeninsula, the Gulf of Siam, and China. Here wefind special types of great antiquity, differing widelyfrom Western vessels, but well adapted for theirspecial services and surroundings. Mr. Smyth com-bines philosophical reflection with a yachtsmans en-thusiasm and a technical knowledge which goesbeyond that of the ordinary amateur, and this factadds to the charm of his book. One quotation may be permitted, even within thelimited space available in this notice, as indicatingthis side of his work. He says :— It is probablytrue that the degree of civilisation of any race isremarkably reflected in its boat architecture. Thevariety of its adaptations to the peculiar requirementsof its waters is a measure of its appreciation of thevalue of the cheapest and most certain method ofcommunication known to man ; and it is evidence of April 5, 1906] NA TURE 537 its ability to use materials at command and fit themto its ne
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booksubjectscience
