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Free Books for Men Who Go to Sea American Ships Supplied With Books—Technical and General—Of Benefit to Personnel and Owners—An Aid in Fitness for Duty ITHOUT ships and the men who, since the earliest dawn of history, have sailed them over the oceans of the world, the civilization of today would be ut- terly impossible. Whatever the urge which through the ages have sent men down to the sea in ships, it has been and continues to be one of the greatest forces in the progress of man. Hence, it follows that every effort by governments, organizations or individuals which tends to support and improve the conditions surround- ing our merchant marine should be encouraged. Our government in re- cent years has done much to make it possible to keep the American flag on the high seas. All honor to our legislators and to the Chief Execu- tives responsible for this progressive and forward looking view in regard to the merchant marine. In any merchant marine, however, the personnel is the first and most important factor. It was the spirit of American seamen and officers that contributed so much to the prestige of the American ‘flag all over the world in the clipper ship era. The qualities that naturally come to mind are, initiative, daring, physical en- durance and intelligence. In this mechanical age, native intelligence is no less needed than in the old sailing days, but today it is essential that such intelligence be trained and sup- ported by an acquaintance with many mechanical features. The engineer of today had no counterpart in the older days and even the -deck offi- cer on a modern steamship must have a fund of information unknown to his predecessor in sail. Should Receive General Support Every agency, therefore, which makes it possible for seamen and of- ficers to add to their fund of knowl- edge about their duties and the oper- ation of their ship is doing a work which should be commended and sup- ported in every way possible. Such a work is being done by the American Merchant Marine Library association under the leadership of Mrs. Henry Howard, as president. This organiza- tion is supported in its activities by voluntary contributions. The United States shipping board, the Lake Car- riers’ association and over 115 of the leading private shipping companies are among the contributors as well as approximately 3500 seamen and 1800 public spirited citizens. It is now in its tenth year. In the first year over 48,000 books were placed in circulation and last year this figure had grown to over 340,000. The sole object of the association is to supply men of the American mer- chant marine with good reading mat- ter. Books and magazines are the Handbook for Shore Leave EPENDABLE information for sea- men about more than 370 ports of the world is contained in the re- cently published fourth edition of The Seamen’s Handbook for Shore Leave. Compiled under the direction of Mrs. Henry Howard, president of the Amer- ican Merchant Marine Library associa- tion, this latest edition has been re- vised and corrected in co-operation with the state department and its con- sular service throughout the world. A seaman going ashore in any one of the ports listed will have, by refer- ring to the handbook, information on hotels, seamen’s homes, banks, agen- cies, unions, hospitals, clinics for treat- ment of sickness, libraries, amuse- ments and points of interest. A state- ment on the regulations of the United States public health service is also included. The new edition, in addition to carrying the most complete list of hos- pitals and clinics throughout the world available in any publication also con- tains an up to date list of ships carry- ing physicians, their regular routes and call numbers. By referring to the handbook, any ship in case of illness among its personnel can radio for medical advice either from one of the ships listed as carrying doctors or through the medium of the coastal stations of the Radiomarine Corpora- tion of America and_ the Tropical Radio Telegraph Co. This service is handled free, a contribution by the companies mentioned to the greater safety of seamen of all nations. This book substitutes facts for ig- norance and the seaman who is guided by it will profit not alone by avoiding those who prey on sailors ashore, but his interest in the places he visits will be greatly increased. faa 10,000 copies of the third edition have been distributed and now can Merchant Marine Library associa- tion, 67 Wall street, New York city. Penne MARINE Review—December, 1931 material with which it works. It has become a great traveling library which circles the globe in American ships and it has been dubbed ‘“‘the public library of the high seas.’’ Thousands of books are collected, mainly by gifts from the public. Book drives are carried on in various parts of the country under the lead- ership of committees made up of men and women who are outstanding in their communities. The books so col- lected are classified and made up into individual libraries of about 70 books each packed in seagoing chests. These chests are made up at 12 widely separated dispatch of- fices situated in Baltimore, Boston, Galveston, Mobile, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Providence, San Francisco, Sault Ste. Marie, Seattle and Tampa. Each chest is numbered and this number together with the initials of the office from which it is shipped is stenciled inside the cov- er. Each morning the dispatch agent has before him the list of incoming ships and he meets as many as he can. An incoming ship which radios for an exchange of libraries receives first attention. Marine superintend- ents often assist in securing better service for their ships by keeping the association informed regarding the movements of their vessels. Requests for Technical Books It is interesting to note that spe- cial requests for technical books per- taining to the business of the ship are increasing each year and the as- sociation is making every effort to fill such requests. In this, the tenth year of its op- eration, it is proposed to increase the collection and circulation of books to the end that soon no mer- chant ship under the American flag will sail without a library, or that any isolated lighthouse or lightship. be without one. It is also proposed that an endowment fund be built up so that the future of this important work may be secured. The work of the American Mer- chant Marine Library association serves the American merchant marine in two important ways. First, it gives the officers and men on American ships an opportunity fer improve- ment and an increase in the con- tentment and satisfaction of mental development through reading good pooks. Second, it spreads through- out the land an interest on the part of men and women in the upbuilding of an able and efficient American merchant marine. 23