Description
Inscribed to the captain of the S.S. Leviathan, the first edition of Percy Davis’ Requisite Tables for Seamen, published in London in 1905.
Octavo, vi, 178pp. Blue cloth, rigid hardcover, title stamped in white on front cover. Includes hundreds of logarithmic tables. Inscribed by the author: “Capt. Moore / SS Leviathan / with the author’s compliments / 1931 / Percy L. Davis / Please compare Haversines within with Table 45 – Where did they get it?”
The SS Leviathan, originally built as the SS Vaterland, was a prominent ocean liner in the early 20th century. Launched in 1913 by the Hamburg America Line, the Vaterland was the largest passenger ship in the world at the time of her completion. She began her maiden voyage in 1914, but her career as a German liner was short-lived due to the outbreak of World War I. Seized by the United States in 1917, she was renamed the SS Leviathan and served as a troopship during the war. After the war, the Leviathan was refitted for passenger service and became a flagship for the United States Lines, symbolizing American maritime prowess. She served the transatlantic route, offering luxurious accommodations and epitomizing the grandeur of ocean travel in the Roaring Twenties. The SS Leviathan remained in service until 1934, marking an era of significant transitions in maritime history and technological advancements in shipbuilding. The recipient of this copy, Captain Alfred M. Moore (1887-1967), served in both World Wars as a captain on several U.S. ships. He died in 1967 in Ellsworth, Maine.
