The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-04-19
BOOK Of THE DAY." "

bUUk Ut IHE UNI.
Hon. w. C. Benet, reviewing
"Young Heroes of the American
Navy" by Commander Thomas D.
Parker, in The Columbia State of
March 25th, has the following to say,
which will interest the people of Alb
lbeville, from which City Commander
Parker went to the United States
Navy:
NAVAL HANDBOOK, as Bearing on
National Defense and the Euro
pean War. By Thomas Parker,
commander, U. S., NJ, (retired).
Cloth, pp. 80, illustrated. San
Francisco, John Newbegin, 1916.
| To the Editor of The State:
A friend in San Francisco sent me
recently a very interesting little vol
ume with the following title page:
"Naval Handbook, as bearing on
national defense and the European
war, by Thomas Drayton Parker,
commander, u. S. N. (retired,) au-
thor of young Heroes of the Ameri-
can Nevy,' etc. San Francisco, John
j. Newbegin, 1916"
Having known Tom Parker from
his infancy, I was very glad to see
the little book. He is the youngest of
the four sons of the late William
Henry Parker, member of the Able
i
the State. I knew that Commander
Parker, after 20 years service, had
retired from the navy, but it was
news to me that he was an author.
How many South .Carolinians, I won
der, were aware. of that fact. Are
we not too much in the habit of over
looking our own authors? Do we
not 20 to the North for our litera-
ture very much as we send to the
West for our corn?
For example, about ten years ago
young Columbian, the missionary
explorer, Werner, published an ac-
count of his travels in the very heart
of heather Africa among the pyg-
mics, where no white man had ever
ventured. AS a book of travels it
ranked among the best. Stanley's
darkest Africa" was not more inter-
esting. How many Columbians
bought it? How many Carolinians
read it? Are there 20 copies Of it
in our State today?
Another example: Two or three
wears ago there was published by one
of the big Northern houses a book
entitled ga Woman Rice Planter"
by Patience Pennington a nom de
plmue), with very complimentary,
|if somewhat patronizing, introduc-
ton by Owen Wister. 1t was mani,
festly written by a thoroughbred
Southern gentlewoman. 1t paints
wonderfully vivid and faithful pic
ture of country life in our low coun-
try near Georgetown after the war.
II know of no publication in this State
or in the South that better describes
Southern life at that time. 1t did
not need Owen Wister's sponsorship,
for 1t is better book than his Lady
Baltimore" I wonder how many
copies were sold in South Carolina.
I should like to know how many mem
bers of our numerous book clubs
have enjoyed perusal of that book.
But I must come back to Com
mander Parker's "Naval Handbook"
1t is without doubt an admirable
note book. Most handbooks are of
the dry-as-dust sort, but this small
volume is pleasant to read. Although
it is as full of information as an egg
is full of meat, it is written in SIM
pie, free and easy style, not with
out occasional blinks of quiet humor
quite characteristic of the au-
thor.
In the preface, after telling what
the handbook is, the author tells
"what this book is not"-that it "is
not scientific or technical treatise.
1t has no professional significance. 1t
is for the man on the street." And
"the man on the street" will find it
very handy and enlightening. 1t con-
tains "a hundred questions asked and
answered" The veriest land lubber
by it's help will be able to understand
what is meant by the various types
of warships, dreadnoughts, cruisers,
destroyers, etc. He will learn all that
the laymen need know about SUBJ
marines, torpedoes, mines, aircraft,
guns and ammunition.
The handbook is we'll printed and
has several good illustrations. and it
is made complete by an excellent in
dex. 1t is a neat little volume of 80
pages, the very book for "the man
of the street," who will get so we'll
informed by short half hours read
ing that-to quote from the preface
he twill astonish his sons and COM
mand respectful attention from old
boys at the club"
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