Published in 1813, this comprehensive dictionary of maritime terminology was a revised version of Falconer's classic Universal Marine Dictionary (1769). It covers topics including shipbuilding, navigation and the operation of ships, weaponry and supplies, legal and medical matters, and even lists the clothes and books needed by a new midshipman.
First published in 1813, this comprehensive dictionary of maritime terminology in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was designed as a reference work for shipbuilders and navigators. Compiled by the naval historian William Burney, it is a revised and expanded version of the classic Universal Marine Dictionary originally published in 1769 by the poet and lexicographer William Falconer (1732-89). It provides over 800 pages of technical data on shipbuilding, navigation, the operation of ships, weaponry and provisions, as well as historical, legal and medical information, and even French vocabulary lists. It contains extensive tables and illustrations, and longer articles including, for instance, lists of clothing, books and equipment required by a young midshipman. Both Burney and Falconer were leaders in their field, and the book remains a key historical source on seafaring during the age of Nelson and the French wars, for scholars and enthusiasts alike.