WARSHIPS AT WORK
By Commander J. Hunt and Allan Baddeley
For every British warship that leaves the slips a new book on warships seems to leave the press. In this latest work (John Miles, 7s. 6d.), which aims at explaining how the modern Navy goes about its business, the authors use the simple but graphic method of taking a specimen day in the life of a speci- men warship and showing- how each human unit -fits-into the complex naval routine. They also select a typical cruiser and trace her career from the moment when her contract is placed to her arrival on a foreign station. The book contains some' clearly-written chapters on weapons and on the various types of ships in the Navy, though more should have been made of the work of destroyers and small craft. The Navy's usual peace-time, function -of "showing the flag" on foreign stations is scarcely mentioned, and the reader who is led by the pub- lishers' ,blurb toexpect a careful study of the all-important Fleet Air. Arm will be disappointed. Omissions of this kind are important, but by no means spoil a book which is designed for readers. with very little previous knowledge. For them, this work; with its forty excellent photographs,. will be a most useful introduction to the sailor's life today.
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