ON THE STOWAGE OF SHIPS AND THEIR CARGOES, Freights, Charter - Parties, &c. SECOND EDITION. BY ROBERT WHITE STEVENS. 1859. LONGMANS, LONDON; STEVENS, PLYMOUTH. 232. a. 146. SCOTTISH PRESS. THIS little work is written professedly for the use of shipmasters, and gives minute directions for the loading, stowing, conveying, and discharging the principal articles of merchandise, British and Foreign, compressible and incompressible, alphabetically arranged. A number of recorded decisions are also given regarding the liability of masters and owners when carrying goods, and also the Government regulations for conveying emigrants, passengers, and troops, horses, cattle, &c. We believe this is the first attempt made to compile, in a systematic form, directions upon the various points treated of; and to render the book as complete as possible the author appears to have consulted the works of the best known authorities, and has appended a carefully prepared index, so that reference can be at once made to the article regarding which information may be required. We have no doubt that this work will soon find a place in the counting-house of every shipowner, and that it will be highly prized by the shipmaster, whose transactions in a foreign country will be materially assisted thereby. PLYMOUTH MAIL. THE subject on which this little work treats may appear of minor importance to the uninitiated, but when they are told that upon it alone depend not only the mere sailing of a vessel and the amount of freight obtained by her owner, but also the safe conveyance of the cargo from damage or waste, the health of the crew, and the ultimate safety of the ship from destruction either by fire or foundering at sea-those two fearful visitations, which principally fill that melancholy list "missing ships"they cannot help recognising its immense importance. To the merchant, shipper, or consignee-to the shipowner, to sea officers, and all persons directly connected with commerce, the importance of proper stowage must long since have been apparent; and yet, strange to say, in the midst of the great entrepot for shipping, in the capital country of the world for mercantile and literary adventures, this is the first attempt that has been made to compile, in a systematic form, instructions on the subject. And, notwithstanding we are told that the citizens of some of our sister seaports are in advance of us for enterprise, they have all, in this instance, left this progressive step for a respected fellow-townsman to carry into practical effect. The subject is treated in a clear, business-like manner, and to all connected with commerce the treatise should be an indispensable adjunct to the desk, while to the young sea officer it must be one of his text books. In it all the varied substances that are used as merchandise are noticed in alphabetical order-a description is given of each, and the best method of dunnaging and stowing is pointed out. A numerous and excellent selection of tables for calculating the proportion of goods in stowage; freights; measures and weights of different substances; foreign monies, weights, and measures, compared with English, &c. &c. are given, and thus much valuable information is furnished that otherwise could not be attained except by great research or experience. ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE. A VERY useful book "On the stowage of ships and their cargoes" has just been compiled and published by one in every way qualified for the work-Mr. R.WHITE STEVENS, of Plymouth. The compilation was origi nally intended to assist young sea officers in the stowage of a variety of goods in a ship's hold: but other subjects, such as freightage, &c. were found to be so intimately connected with stowage, that it became necessary to append remarks on them. The book, however, is still of handy form and size; and its contents are admirably stowed; the numerous paragraphs, relating apparently to all possible sorts of cargoes, being numbered and indexed, so that the instruction relating to each and all of them is rendered most readily accessible. The directions with reference to stowage occupy by far the greater portion of the volume; but these are preceded by useful tables of goods proportioned in stowage, Admiralty table of tonnage for victualling and other stores, Naval provisions and stores, Marine necessaries, books, and tanks, rates of freight in various parts of the world, &c, &c; and the work concludes with tables of foreign monies, weights, and measures, in their relations to English. In its design and arrangement, the work is evidently one of essential importance to those whom it concerns; and, from the position, abilities, and experience of the compiler, we can have no doubt as to the accuracy of its details. DEVONPORT TELEGRAPH. THIS work, the author informs us in the preface, was originally designed to assist young sea officers in the Stowage of a variety of goods in a ship's hold. In carrying out this idea, however, it was found necessary to extend the design and to include Freightage and other subjects intimately connected with the former. It is, we believe, the first attempt to compile, in a systematic form, instructions on the subject of stowage, and to bring together in a concise view, the various opinions and authorities on those important matters. Mr. STEVENS has performed a very useful and laudable task, in thus endeavouring to reconcile theory with practice, and to remove doubts on many points, hitherto involved in considerable obscurity. The various tables, and the many valuable facts which the author has collated, evince great industry and research, and those who may seek information on the subjects herein treated, will find "Stevens on Stowage" a complete vade mecum, which may be consulted to advantage. STOCKTON AND HARTLEPOOL MERCURY. AMONG the many useful manuals which have of late been issued from the press, STEVENS on Stowage is one which will probably find its way to the shelves of every well-regulated merchant's office in the kingdom. The compiler, in a preface, commendable alike for its point, its modesty, and its brevity, states " that this is the first attempt to compile, in a systematic form, instructions on the subject of stowage; that those best acquainted with the art do not agree in many particulars; and that, in stowing some cargoes, there is a confliction of interest between the merchant and the ship-master." These dicta Mr. STEVENS urges, as forming collectively, his apology for any shortcomings of which the work may be possessed. They are more. They form the very best reason why the work should have been undertaken. Every difficulty of commerce which is of an anomalous character ought to be removed; and the best way to effect the removal of such anomalies as do creep in, in the practice of commercial transactions, is to systematise those practices-to study them as a science, that their common principles may be evolved and excepted. Whether those anomalies are found to partake of physical or of purely commercial difficulty, they will then be corrected, by the guages which ascertained principles of physical science or of moral equity supply; and the disciple of commerce will be still more benefitted, by having, reduced to obvious |