Book Review: Ghost Ships - Hamilton and Scourge: Historical Treasures from the War of 1812

[Russ MIlland]

 1. The title of the book.: Hamilton and Scourge: Historical Treasures from the War of 1812

2. The author's name: Emily Cain

3. The publishing data - 1984 - Fountain Press Limited

4. Pertinent specs - Hardcover with jacket,  150 pages, 11 x 8.5 ins. ISBN 0-86343-090-2 indexed

5. Modelers are especially keen to know if the book has plans, drawings, color plates, or any other such informative goodies. What kind and how many? Good quality or bad? Anything particularly noteworthy? - Well written book with some colour images; no plans; drawings of ships on inner covers

6. Summarize the contents of the book: The story of two schooners converted into warships in the War of 1812 which fought on Lake Ontario but sank in a storm. They were discovered in 1975 in perfect condition in the depths of Lake Ontario. They are now "managed" by the City of Hamilton (Ontario) Museum System and are protected by underwater system against intruders. 

7. And finally, give your subjective opinion of the book. - A good story including the history of these types of schooners. 

 

Beautiful plank-on-frame models have been built of both schooners and are in the Hamilton Museum system collection. I do not believe they are on display to the public at the present time.

 

The book is not in print but available online as a used book. Look for it on www.bookfinder.com.

 

More information can be found at Wikipedia:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton–Scourge_survey_expedition

 

Russ Milland

 

 

 

 

[uss frolick]

I've had that book for decades and I love it. Sadly, the zebra muscles are slowly covering the wrecks. (Thank you foreign tankers dumping your Asian-water-ballast.) For that reason, they should be raised and preserved a la Vasa. Can you image the clothing, possessions and paperwork still preserved in the officers sea-chests? 

 

Thank you for the review.