William Brady - The Kedge Anchor; or, Young Sailors Assistant

THE KEDGE ANCHOR; or, YOUNG SAILORS ASSISTANT: second edition, improved and enlarged with additional matter, illustrated with seventy engravings, and tables, 8vo., pp. 420. By WILLIAM BRADY, Sailing Master, U. S. Navy; reviewed by a Master Mariner.

This is a work very much needed for the younger members of our profession, being the most complete thing of the kind that has ever been published. There is nothing of the smallest moment in use on board a man-of-war, or merchantman, but it has illustrated in a plate, and its use or uses fully described. With singular faithfulness it details the whole minutiae of ships duty, from the knotting of ropeyarns to splicing heavy cables and fitting standing rigging. It not only embraces all the particulars of the rigging work, but explains with equal clearness the various mechanical operations necessarily combined to fit out a first class ship. Here the novice may acquire a great deal by practising from the various plates and figures, while preparing for a nautical life; besides, from its fullness on those subjects the most interesting to the young sailor, it will be calculated to lead him to study his Manual, and thereby not entirely lose all relish for study, when first embarking in his ocean life, which has hitherto been so common and so disadvantageous to young men. There is no kind of duty on ship-board but is here explained, and I conceive it the most valuable work not only for novices, but for every grade in our profession. There is a great deal of very useful information for all, however experienced they may be. Every kind of spar is described, with its relative proportions and usethe rules for which few men can carry in their minds. And it is quite important to know, in masting and sparring a ship, what are the principles which govern the usage of the day, even if we alter the proportions afterward to suit our own caprice or fancy.

The author has clearly shown himself to be master of his business; he has described fully all the various parts of the ships hull and sparsthe different pieces of standing and running rigging, with the way to fit the one and how to cut and reeve the other. He teaches how to get the masts and yards on board, aloft, and riggedhe speaks of all with sufficient clearness, and at the same time does not unnecessarily multiply words. After rigging and sparring the ship, he bends the sails, after the most judicious plan in fitting out for sea, or when blown away or split in a stormand after putting the ship to sea, as it were, he then, in a seamanlike manner, explains all the various evolutions through which a ship may be passed, and supposes almost every extremity to which a ship is liable, giving the modern, and I might add, profitably improved method of doing things; for it is well known, that during the last 30 years there have been very many and equally great improvements in the method of rigging as well as working sea-going ships.

I observe the author explains, in such places as have been deemed necessary, the different methods in use on board heavy-armed ships and merchantmen, which makes the book the more valuable to both classes of the service. Mr. Brady has some capital and useful remarks on the subject of the barometer, some of which I found entirely new to myself, although having used one for the last twenty years. But I conceive that his tables are very valuable even to shipmasters. Instead of lumbering up this book with what in fact belongs to an epitome of navigation, as has been the practice generally hitherto, he has confined himself, strictly speaking, to only those subjects which would naturally occur to one as coming under the head of seamanshipor, in other words, he has compiled literally a Sailors Assistant. I confidently assert, I have never seen the same amount of really useful and practical information in the same space adapted to our profession before. Here we find enumerated for the various classes of vessels, according to their tonnage, the requisite number of anchors, cables, guns, carriages, shot, &c., with their size, weight, and the comparative strength of the cables and rigging both chain and hemp: also a variety of most useful intelligence, and which must have been elicited only after considerable practical experimentall of the most interesting as well as useful importance, not only to the novice, but the officerthe masterand I would even confidently add, that there is a great deal of information contained in this work which would make it a valuable acquisition to every ship-owners counting-room. There is nothing put on board the various classes of ships, but is described in the book, first to tell how it is made, and how it is riggedhow it is taken on board (if heavy)its weight, and the amount allowed according to the length of the cruise. Nothing is omitted. I conceive that every ship-owner would find it an acquisition as a counting-house companion, as well as a Young Sailors Assistant. His recipes, which I find at the termination of the book, are not without their value; and although simple in themselves, yet not generally known.

I cannot close without saying a few words in relation to the very judicious remarks he has made under the head of good order (merchant service) and cleanliness. It is undeniable that temperance and cleanliness would add much to the health, comfort, and good order of a crew; but it must be allowed that comparatively little has been done for the sailormuch more must be done before he will be made to realize the terrible effects of intemperance and licentiousness upon both body and soul, for time and eternity. It is cheering to see that spirits have been banished from the list of small stores on board of respectable American ships: and we can but hope that, ere long, through the influence of the efforts that are being made, especially for seamen, among several denominations of Christians in this cityby their building handsome churches on shore and afloat splendid Homes which are made to them homes indeed when they resort tc themby their donations of books and libraries adapted to their characters and professionthat a few years will see them a different and vastly improved class of men. Already do we begin to see the influence of the leaven that has been cast among them, which leads us to the conviction that there is a better time coming for the sailor; and we cannot but hope and trust that all ranks of Christians will be diligent in prayer to God that the abundance of the sea may be speedily converted unto him. Finally, with the author I also think it entirely unnecessary for him to offer any apology in sending this work abroad to the public. If I may be allowed to offer an opinion on the merits of the composition or its style, I must say I have come to the conclusion, in the absence of any other guide but this book, being an utter stranger to the author, that he ishe must be a seamana scholarand a gentleman. I observe he professes, as his motto, Hope for his anchor, and Heaven for his guide, and I fervently pray that neither the one nor the other may ever fail him.

THE KEDGE ANCHOR; or, YOUNG SAILORS ASSISTANT. By WM. BRADY, Sailing Master, U. S. N. Published by the Author.

Nowadays, when all science, arts, and callings are delineated in books, and the pen is wielded by members of every profession, it is no marvel that an excellently planned work, upon all things pertaining to seamanship, should be presented to the public by a gentleman of the marline-spike. And albeit the author tells us that that instrument is to him more familiar than the pen, he has, nevertheless, shown himself quite expert with the latter.