The Ship and Her Master
The Ship and Her Master is a work about the life and times of Captain John Arthur Barry, a master mariner who sailed the world’s oceans for over fifty years. The book begins with a brief overview of Barry’s life, from his early days as a cabin boy to his eventual rise to the rank of master mariner. It then goes on to detail his many voyages, from the Arctic to the Caribbean, and his experiences in the merchant navy. The book also covers Barry’s personal life, including his marriage and family life, as well as his friendships with other sailors and his involvement in the maritime community. Finally, the book looks at Barry’s legacy, and how his life and work have impacted the maritime industry and the world at large. It is a fascinating look at the life of a master mariner, and a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the sea.
By John Arthur Barry · First published 1904 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance · 1,428 words
First lines
When, in 1850, Mr. Richard Green determined to build an English clipper that should compete with the American flyers then snatching the China trade from the grasp of English merchants, Aberdeen, and Greenock, and Glasgow were unthought of as candidates for a share in ship-building fame. "Dicky" Green's clippers were purely English--Blackwall from truck to keelson. Then Messrs. Jardine and Matheson chipped in with the Stornaway and the Cairngorm, built by Hall, of Aberdeen. But, apparently, for a long time nothing could he turned out by the builders of the United Kingdom to stand up to the wonderful fabrics that Donald M'Kay and other Americans were launching from the slips of Boston and Baltimore; to say nothing of the beautiful fabrics taking the water from New York, Portsmouth, and Philadelphia. Perhaps, actually, Greenock was the first to have a look in when the new departure from wood to iron arrived, with the Lord of the Isles, built by Scott in 1853. But such ships as the Flying Cloud, the Sovereign of the Seas, the Nightingale, the Lightning, and a score of other softwood clippers, took a tremendous lot of beating before victory eventually remained with the Red Ensign. Greenock and John M'Gunn gave us the first composite clipper-yacht in the Sir Lancelot, which ran the 14,000 miles home from Foo-Chow in 89 days, the best part of the distance against head winds. In Greenock, too, were born the Guinevere, the Min, and the Taeping. Dumbarton also was building ships, as witness the Cutty Sark. Aberdeen and Glasgow were apparently just biding their time.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ship and Her Master is listed on Textopian as a short story by John Arthur Barry, dated 1904 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: John Arthur Barry
- Date: 1904 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Mystery
- Length: 1,428 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ship and Her Master by John Arthur Barry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Ship and Her Master?
- How does this short story by John Arthur Barry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
- The Extraordinary Adventure Of A Chief Mate by W. Clark Russell
- Brockways Hulk by Francis Hopkinson Smith
- Officer And Man by Louis Becke
- With Jack Ashore The Seamens Institute Sydney by John Arthur Barry
- The Three Cutters by Frederick Marryat
- The Snake And The Bell by Louis Becke
Genres
- Historical Fiction — The title suggests a story set in the past, likely involving a ship and its captain.
- Adventure — The title suggests a story involving a journey, likely with exciting and dangerous elements.
- Romance — The title suggests a story involving a relationship between the ship and its captain, which could be romantic in nature.
- Mystery — The title suggests a story involving a puzzle or secret, which could be solved by the ship and its captain.
Tags
adventure · maritime · leadership · seafaring · navigation · conflict · courage · exploration · historical · shipbuilding · mastery · ocean
More by John Arthur Barry
- The League of Ancient Mariners (1906)
- The Passage of the Palmetto (1899)
- H.M.S. Pylades, The Last of Her Class (1904)
- The Pilot Service of Port Jackson (1902)
- With Young Germany on Shipboard (1905)
- How They Came Out in the Fifties (1904)
- Norfolk Island (1905)
- The Pastoral Life, Past and Present (1905)
- All works by John Arthur Barry