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BOOKREVIEWS75 and does not, therefore, live up to its title. Students of American sectionalism and the Civil War will also find in this work, begun under David Potter's direction, valuable insights for understanding die shifting sectional pattern of die antebellum decades. _, , . _, „ Robert Swterenga Calvin College SoctaZ Reform in the United States Navy, 1798-1862. By Harold D. Langley. (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1967. Pp. x, 309. $8.50.) Mercifully, during the past ten years, historians have started to deemphasize die drum-and-broadside approach to the writing of naval history and to stress the significance of die more unromantic aspects of die United States Navy, including technology and administration. The men who worked ashore in wartime and in peace have at long last begun to receive historical notice of their contributions to the service and the nation. Harold D. Langley has added still anodier focus to diis ever growing list of books devoted to non-operational history. Social Reform in the United States Navy, 1798-1862, is the story of die impact of die nineteenthcentury reform spirit upon the United States naval forces and, more particularly , upon the enlisted man. Professor Langley stresses that die American Navy was patterned after diat of Great Britain and diis togetiier with its early emphasis on the training of officers and on improving die size and efficiency of die Navy tended to create in die minds of many an image of a sea arm which operated on principles tiiat were in direct conflict to the nation's growing sense of democracy and equalitarianism. After several early chapters relating to the development of the Navy, Langley settles down to new and fresh material. To illustrate die influence of reformers in improving the lot of die seaman, he explores four major diemes: the origins and activities of various societies dedicated to helping the sailor, especially die American Seaman's Friend Society; die Navy's manpower shortage and die abuses in enlistments; die agitation against flogging; and die temperance crusade for the abolition of die grog ration. National concern was first concentrated on the plight of die American sailors by die harassment and captivity that they endured at die hands of the North African pirates and from the navies of England and France. The United States government resorted to diplomacy and warfare to eliminate diese abuses. By die time the condition of the bluejacket had ceased to be a matter of diplomatic concern, it became important to Americans caught in the religious fervor that swept die country after the War of 1812 to improve the status of the able bodied seaman within die naval establishment. Langley shows that tivroughout die period it was customary for congressmen and secretaries to depend upon the judgment of naval officers. Even when abuses were commonly known, tradition continued to outweigh a memorial. It was only when officers of proven ability joined die reform movement that measures received a serious consideration. 76CIVIL WAR HISTORY While memorials, experiments, and appeals from well-recognized reformers all contributed, in the last analysis, real progress hinged upon convincing the Senate Committee on Naval Affairs that the proposed revision was necessary. Committee members tended to follow the course of the least resistance and to let petitions and proposals die in committee. Where agitation was strong enough to force debates, distinguished naval officers often prevented legislation by arguing that the proposals would injure the service. Eventually reform orientated officers helped dislodge measures from the committee so that they could be acted upon. Between 1828 and 1862 the practices of the United States Navy regarding the enlisted man were dramatically changed and the foundations were erected for a career enlisted service. Opportunities were also held out for die skilled and ambitious to gain the commissioned ranks. These changes, says Langley, were the naval equivalent of the rise of the common man. Based upon a remarkable amount of manuscript and documentary research , Social Reform in the United States Navy has all the other hallmarks of critical scholarship—clear cut organization and sound judgment My only criticism is one of style, especially the labored transitions. But tiiis does not dim die fact that Langley has made a...

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