CONSTRUCTION PRATIQUE DES VAISSEAUX -Duranti -1771

ELEMENTARY AND PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION ON SHIPBUILDING is of primary importance for knowledge of naval shipbuilding at the end of the 18th century. Written and published in 1771 on the orders of the Secretary of State, de BOYNES, for the education of the Naval Guards, it was economically edited without illustrations and sparsely printed. Its goal was to familiarize future officers with the praxis of naval architecture. The author presents the work as the practical continuation of Duhamel du Monceau's theoretical studies (1752) to which he refers explicitly. A highly rare and important volume, this manual is the first work to describe routine building activities in the yards realistically in the 18th century. The absence of illustrations is perforce compensated by the clear and precise nature of the text. Duranti informs us that in their schools, his students "have small models of ships that may easily be assembled and disassembled," and that it is useful for them "to go, with their manual in hand, into the shipbuilding yards."
This book vividly recreates everyday life in the shipyards and was highly appreciated by its contemporaries, notably Vial du Clairbois, who often cited it as a source in his ENCYCLOPEDIE METHODIQUE MARINE. In a nutshell this reference speaks eloquently to the degree of interest this work holds for us.
Until we undertook the reedition of this work, it was only to be found in a few of the large French naval libraries. We wish to thank our friend Jean Polak for bringing it to our attention and making its publication possible.