NavList:

I was initially instructed using Dutton's Navigation and Nautiacl
Astronomy, 5th Edition, published in 1934. The original and 1st Edition,
according to the various prefaces in my volume, appears to have been
issued in 1926, with subsequent editions appearing quite rapidly in 1928,
1929, and 1932. The rapidity of these subsequent editions was
necessitated, according to Dutton, by a number of factors, principal
amongst which were the unexpected popularity of the publication outside
of the US Naval Academy, the changes being made in the Nautical Almanac
at the time, the advent of a number of short tabular methods principally
Dreisenstok which is presented in the 3rd Edition, the development of
Ariel Navigation, and a desire to bring the text more into conformity
with Bowditch, the official navigation publication of the United States.
Revisions through the 3rd Edition seem to have been by then Captain
Dutton, and thereafter under the supervision of the Navigation Department
head at the Naval Academy. The years in question saw many changes in the
way navigation was practiced at sea, and the many editions published so
close together were both necessary and appropriate to keep the text up to
date.

I also have a copy of Dutton's Navigation and Piloting, 14th Edition, by
one Elbert S. Maloney, apparently published in 1985. Although, I have no
adverse comments to make regarding this book, it does appear to bear the
same relationship to the original Dutton as the current Bowditch bears to
Mr. Bowditch's original work. In my view, at least, the original Dutton
was a textbook intended for the instruction of students, whereas the
current editions are more in the form of reference books.

On Tue, 12 Sep 2006 16:49:11 -0400 Smith_Peter@emc.com writes:
>
> On Mon 9/11/2006 2:27 PM, in Navlist [1268],
> George Huxtable [george@huxtable.u-net.com] asked:
> > I would be interested to find out more about Dutton's "Navigation
> > and Nautical Astronomy" (1942) and to what extent it differs fron
> > Dutton's "Navigation and Piloting" (1985). Chuck has both of
> these.
> > I have the 1969 edition of "Navigation and Piloting".
>
> "Dutton", like "Bowditch", has gone from being an author to a
> franchise.
> There have been 15 editions since it was originally published in
> 1926.
> The original title was _Navigation and Nautical Astronomy, prepared
> for
> the instruction of midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy_,
> by
> Cdr. Benjamin Dutton, jr., USN, (1883-1937).
>
> The US Naval Academy's on-line card catalog (dating myself there)
> shows
> Dutton as the sole author through the 5th edition in 1934.
>
> The 6th (1939) through 10th (1951) editions add the qualification
> "revised by <various> under the direction of the head of Dept. of
> Seamanship and Navigation, United States Naval Academy".
>
> The 11th through 14th editions are titled _Dutton's Navigation and
> Piloting_ by <various>:
>
>    11th ed. 1958 by John C. Hill, II, Thomas F. Utegaard, and Gerard
> Riordan
>    12th ed. 1969 by G.D. Dunlap and H.H. Shufeldt
>    13th ed. 1978 by Elbert S. Maloney
>    14th ed. 1985 by Elbert S. Maloney
>
> The latest (15th) edition (2004) goes by: _Dutton's Nautical
> Navigation_, by Thomas J. Cutler.
>
> * * * * *
>
> I have my father's 1939 edition and my own 1969 and I doubt they
> have
> much text in common. I'd guess the 11th edition was a keel-up
> overhaul.
>
> While much of Dutton is applicable to larger vessels than I will
> ever
> control (managing a team of plotters, recorders, & lookouts; station
> keeping in fleet maneuvers; allowing for offset and transfer when
> turning; etc.) it's well written and solid. After getting my start
> on
> both piloting and celestial from Mixter, this was the text that made
> me
> feel like I really understood the subjects.
>
>  -- Peter Smith
>
> >
>


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