Hydrographical Surveying A Description of Means and Methods Employed in Constructing Marine Charts

London: John Murray, 1920 Fourth Edition. xii, 570,(2) pp. Octavo. Green boards. Gilt lettering on the spine in a black label. Trimmed edges, lightly dust soiled. A previous owner's signature on the front free end paper. Light foxing throughout out, particularly at the extremities of the volume. Illustrated with charts and maps throughout, including four fold out maps. Pages 1 - 8 uncut. Two pages of publisher's advertising at the rear. Black ink writing and notations from a previous owner at some places in the book. Otherwise, a clean and tight copy. Instruments and fittings, plotting, sounding and coastlining, and using the stars to find one's latitude are all covered in this fourth edition. Now that the role of hydrography has now been largely ended by the simple acronym GPS, it is perhaps impossible to appreciate what a significant part it played in human transportation until only a short time ago. This edition of this volume was revised by Admiral Mostyn Field, whose signature is on another of the front free end papers. Field was was appointed Hydrographer of the Navy in 1904. It was during this significant period that the selection and survey of several critical fleet anchorages were made, including the Scapa Flow. In 1906, Field was promoted to Rear-Admiral, and in 1910, a month before his retirement, Vice-Admiral. Field ultimately reached the rank of Admiral in 1913. This book had a previous owner who certainly understood hydrography's importance; Lieutenant Commander Andrew David, a prominent hydrographic specialist of the Royal Navy. David's bookplate is on the front free end paper. 1920