Perils of the Atlantic: Steamship Disasters, 1850 to the Present
A distinguished maritime historian offers readers a carefully researched sampling of notable steamship "challenges and disasters" in the North Atlantic. Flayhart (The American Line) begins with the loss of the Collins Line's Arctic in 1854 and ends in 2000 with the loss of the Seabreeze, an obsolete cruise liner on her way to be scrapped. In between, he offers clearly written accounts of some of most famous disasters-Titanic, Lusitania and Andrea Doria-and some of the lesser known ones, such as the Atlantic (grounded off Nova Scotia, with a loss of 585 lives) and the Empress of Ireland (sunk in a collision in the mouth of the St. Lawrence). Flayhart also describes less grisly episodes, such as the rescue of the liner City of Paris after an engine-room explosion; his consideration thereof provides a capsule history of 19th-century steam-engine technology. The grounding of the St. Paul was almost ludicrous (she was racing a rival in fog), while the tale of the sinking liner Veendam marks one of the book's most moving episodes-thanks to superb seamanship, not a soul perished. Flayhart also offers background on the business and financial dealings that created certain ships (such as the burned Morro Castle), as well as salvaged cargo lists ("1,720 boxes of bacon, 595 pails of lard") that show the less glamorous side of the liner business. Written in a matter of fact, respectful tone with balanced judgments on controversial questions, this volume is an absolute feast for lovers of maritime history. 48 illustrations.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.