[Printed volume.] Heather's Marine Journal; or Complete Seaman's Pocket-Book; for the Year 1796. [Containing a manuscript list of 988 British vessels (for insurance purposes?), with letter key.]

200pp., 12mo, paginated xii + [108] + 57 + [3]. Publisher's advertisements on both sides of last leaf. In original calf binding. Internally sound and in good condition, on aged paper; the binding heavily worn, with only the traces of the marbled endpapers remaining, and the leather flap to the front wallet detached and loosely inserted. Modern pencil inscription on fly-leaf - '132-1939 (131) | Presented by Mrs Mary Greene Bray' - otherwise no indication of provenance. Eleven pages of the section of 'Memorandums, Observations, &c.' have been adapted by an anonymous owner to an alphabetical manuscript list of 988 vessels, from 'Abercromby' to 'Zephyr', compiled with great care and numbered by the author. The purpose of the list is unclear: the ships would appear to be British, and it may be connected with maritime insurance, although some Royal Navy vessels appear to be included. Some entries are preceded by a letter key the meaning of which is obscure, for example: 'BA Trinculo', 'E2 Wellington', 'EA Windsor Castle'. The list is followed by a further five manuscript pages (making a total of sixteen) with additional entries on ships, also employing the key. Entries include: 'Skylark Sandy +NA', 'Hardwicke c Guper S 68 18', 'Rutland c Dove Hornet S Sch', 'Castlecoate dandy R', 'Lynx Cheerfull N', 'Pr Ernest Augustus AR+', 'Royal Sovereign Bath R', 'Royal George SA+'. The volume itself is excessively scarce, with no copy at the British Library, on COPAC, or WorldCat. The full title reads: 'Heather's Marine Journal; or Complete Seaman's Pocket-Book; for the Year 1796. Containing | Fifty-four double pages, rul'd on fine writing paper, for receipts and payments of monies, memorandums, observations, &c. for every day in the year. | Correct lists of the Royal Navy, with their Commanders and Stations, Admirals, Captains, Masters and Commanders, Lieutenants, Masters, Surgeons, Pursers and Navy Agents. | Statement of the British Navy, and ordinary at each port. | A List of the Marine Officers. | The Russian, Dutch and Swedish Squadrons. | Lists of Lords of the Admiralty, Commissioners of the Navy, Victualling, Agent-Victuallers, Pay-Office, Sick and Hurt Office, Excise-Office and Custom-House. | Pay of the Royal Navy. | Number of Officers in each Rate. | List of the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House. | Commissioners for managing East-India Affairs. | Directors of the East-India Company, Officers in the Honourable Company's Service. | List of Ships in the East-India Company's Service, with their Commanders, Husbands, Mates and Pursers names, when sailed and where bound, with their number of voyages, when built, &c. | List of Public-Officers and particular Coffee-Houses in London. | Table of discount. | Table of the Moon's Age. | Large Tide Table. | Holidays kept at the Public-Offices. | List of Bankers. | List of Mail Coaches. | Rates of Watermen, &c. &.' At foot of title-page: 'To be continued annually - price 1s. 8d. bound in red leather.' P.3 carries an 'Address to the Public in General, and Mariners in Particular', in which Heather states it has been 'suggested to him, by numerous Friends, attached to the commercial interests of the nation', that the production of a maritime pocket-book would be 'attended with a degree of Success equal to his most sanguine expectation'. Loosely inserted are three items which may provide a clue to the volumes origins: the calling cards of 'Mr. Charles A. W. Stewart' and 'Mrs. John Thomson. | Low Wood', and a strip of card carrying a manuscript table giving the date of 'Easter day' from 1827 to 1837, on the reverse of which is written 'Dinner on Tuesday next at half past 6 o'clock | Temple Street Tuesday'.