Search for facsimile reprint

[Mark P]

In 1711 John Davis, who had been boatswain on various ships for the last 30 years, published a book called 'The Seaman's Speculum, or Compleat Schoolmaster'. This has extensive rigging tables, and much other useful information. Unfortunately it now seems that no original copy exists, as none of the major repositories hold a copy. The only seeming survival is a volume which existed in 1945, and had been acquired by the library of the US Navy Department. Not sure if this copy still exists, and if anyone here has contacts with the library, would they please ask about it.

 

The Smithsonian has a photocopy, but as it is a photocopy they do not supply copies of it. However, in 1985 the NRG published a limited edition reprint of 200 copies. 

 

If anyone here has a copy of this reprint, and would be willing to either sell it or send me a copy (I will ask the NRG for permission for this if required) I would be very grateful.

 

All the best, and hope to hear from someone soon!

 

Mark P

[trippwj]

This is one that I have heard of but have never been able to locate.  According to R.C.Anderson in the Mariner's Mirror (1947), Marion Brewington advised him there was a copy at the US Navy as you noted above.  According to Worldcat, there are 3 library copies of the NRG facsimile edition - at the LOC, the Smithsonian and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Maritime Research Center.  There is a single table from the document in the NRJ volume 31.

 

I will, of course, let you know if I am ever able to locate an additional copy (or an online version of the original).

 

Good luck!

 

 

[Chuck]

Mark

 

Contact Kurt.   See if they still have a copy or even possibly a digital record.

[davyboy]

Mark,if you have a copy of Marquardts' Eighteenth Century Rigs & Rigging Davis's "The Proportion of the Rigging" tables are printed

in the appendix section pages 307 to 328. If you don't have a copy maybe your local Library could help.

 

Hope this may be of help to you.

 

Dave 

[Mark P]

Good Evening Everyone;

 

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions.

 

Wayne, thank you for the offer. if I ever do manage to locate a copy, I will let you know. I found the Anderson article previously. 

 

Chuck, I have already contacted Kurt, and he was unable to find out anything about it. Certainly there are no copies lying around at HQ, more's the pity!

 

Dave, I do have a copy of Marquardt's book, and the appendix is very useful. But from what I have read, the remainder of the book would be full of information also. Thank you for the thought, though.

 

All the best,

 

Mark 

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Mark P

[kurtvd19]

I also contacted our Journal Editor who said the only copies he is aware of are the ones already mentioned.  If anybody has a copy of the NRG reprint that they would make available to us we can investigate what would be needed to reprint it in some manner.

Kurt

[Bob Cleek]

If a copy can be located, I expect scanning it in PDF format and posting it on the "Articles Database" would be a great service to everyone.

[AON]

I have issue 1 through 4 of Volume 31

Issue 1 pg 22 - table of small cordage from 3/4 to 8 inch and blocks dated 1711 (John Davis)

Issue 1 pgs 31 - 41  Table of Blocks for American warships (Table No. 3 pgs 18-22) USN Table of Allowances dated 1826

Issue 2 pgs 72 - 97 Continued table of blocks (Table No. 3 pgs 23 -35) USN Table of Allowances dated 1826

Issue 3 pgs 146 - 159 Continued  (Table No.4 pgs 38 -46) USN Table of Allowances dated 1826

Issue 4 - nothing

 

Is anyone interested in any of these?

Am I allowed to scan and copy the single page 1711 table here... or the multiple pages of USN tables?

It is not the detailed book requested.

[kurtvd19]

Alan:

Thanks for asking but these issues are still under copyright so please don't copy them for others.

Parts of the issues mentioned by Allan are available from the NRG Store but I am unable to say exactly what is contained in the articles available due to the description in the store (we will get these better identified in the near future). 

However, due to the interest that has been expressed here about the book and it being unavailable, I have checked out our back issue discs and while looking up the articles mentioned by Alan found that the previous year the Complete Shipwright was reprinted in 4 parts.  I will be extracting these articles plus the tables in Alan's post and we will make them all available from the NRG Office shortly - within a week for a modest cost.  Don't bother the office until after I announce here that the copy's are available - they will be pdf's. 

Kurt

[kurtvd19]

I have extracted the reprints of The Complete Ship-Wright and they are now available from the NRG Office.  There are 80 pages of information.  The cost is $5.00 (US)

Kurt

 

The Complete Ship-Wright, Edmund Bushnell, third edition, London, 1669.

 

This book is considered the first known printed English book dealing

with the topic of naval architecture and was initially published in 1664 by W. Leyburn for George Hurlock.

Reprint from Journals 29.3, 30.1, 30.2 and 30.3

   69 Pages – Includes Tables 3, 4, 5 and Size of Small Cordage

Also included is Books as a Key to Ship Modeling Success, by Charles O. McDonald from NRJ 31.1  This article includes Table of Size of Small Cordage from The Complete Ship-Wright.

 

For now, the PDF files are available from the NRG Office only.  The cost is $5.00 (US), and the PDFs will be emailed to you upon payment.  Call the NRG Office at 585-968-8111 with your credit card information or to get our PayPal address to pay using PayPal.

This information will be available for purchase from the NRG Website Store in the near future.

 

Added:  Anyone who owns the NRG's First 40 Years CD set has this information on their discs.

Edited March 18, 2020 by kurtvd19

[cdnjrussell]

Kurt

 

I checked my library and I have copy #25 from the NRG reprint.

If the guild is investigating a reprint please let me know and I can make my copy available.

 

Jim Russell

Ottawa, Canada

[kurtvd19]

Jim:

Thanks.  Another member has a copy and offered it too.  I need to check with our Editor about him checking with the library that provided the initial permission to see if we can reprint it.  I will get back to you - and the other offer - ASAP.  If we can do it we would want to copy the best copy.

Thanks for the offer.

Kurt