Book RevIeW
There Go The Ships
Review by Ian Buxton
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Review by Nigel Warren
The other concerns the debate in the
There Go The Ships
1980s about the ‘short fat warship’, where
by Marshall Meek
government ministers refused to accept
The Memoir Club
the advice of the ministry of defence
Stanhope Old Hall
naval architects that the concept was
Stanhope
flawed for fast blue-water fighting ships,
Weardale
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whatever its potential for coastal patrol-
County Durham
type vessels. The MoD advisory commit-
DL13 2PF
tee, chaired by Marshall, invited the ‘short
UK
fat’ protagonists to put their case.
ISBN 978-1-84104-144-5
Despite sometimes lacking techni-
£9.95
cal detail, it was clear that what was
proposed as a frigate replacement was
underpowered, poorly laid out, deficient
T
here can be few RINA members in damage stability, with costs greatly
who have not heard of Marshall underestimated. But the minister was
Meek – not only because of the convinced that the claim of ‘more bangs
Scottish custom of using surnames as for the buck’ was valid.
Christian names – but as a past president Eventually, Lloyd’s Register was
of both RINA and the former North brought in to evaluate the concept,
East Coast Institution of Engineers and and came to the same conclusion
Shipbuilders. This autobiography is
“Older naval
as the two previous groups of naval
described as a reprint but is also a second architects, that the sums did not add
edition, offering the opportunity to amend architects will up. Marshall’s frustrations with people
some of what appeared in the first edition
in 2003. The book is well paced, well
resonate with the
who could not or would not understand
is understated.
written, and full of interest.
events described,
Marshall was recognised as a ‘safe pair
Marshall comes from a Scottish tradition of hands’, serving on various bodies,
of God-fearing industrious all-rounders, a and recognise professional institutions, inquiries, and
sort of jack-of all-trades, having worked
in shipbuilding (Caledon and British
many of names
committees. He regrets the largely self-
inflicted decline of UK shipbuilding and
Shipbuilders), ship operation (Ocean
and companies,
shipowning, the former having reached
Fleets), R&D (BSRA, NMI, and BMT), a point of no return as far as merchant
defence, and as an honorary academic.
some alas no longer
ships are concerned, the latter having
Indeed despite the modern tendency to
with us, and relish
lost almost all the famous companies of
stay in a job only a few years, such a wide- yesteryear, hence the book’s title.
ranging career seems unlikely today, at
the pithy comments
Family life looms large, with his wife
least in the UK. Older naval architects will
resonate with the events described, and
and good advice.”
Elfrida of fifty years, three daughters,
and siblings all with M names, as indeed
recognise many of names and companies, does his Christian faith, remaining
some alas no longer with us, and relish the strong despite the intolerance shown to
pithy comments and good advice. concerns his then chief who would not many of that faith today.
You can pick out almost any chapter and increase the breadth of cargo liners despite The book is not only a good read, it also
read it on its own, for example, ‘The First increasing concern over stability (for fear poses the question as to what any other
Containerships’, where Marshall is rightly of increased resistance, yet when fuel was naval architect would have done in similar
proud of the pioneering outlook of his very cheap), adhering to the tenet of ‘copy circumstances. While today’s young naval
then employer, Ocean Fleets. Almost total the last ship’ – a guide, but no more. When architect is unlikely to have the same
recall of events long ago make for a good Marshall eventually succeeded him his breadth of opportunity as Marshall had,
story. relief is almost palpable, with the opportu- they can still learn from his experience
Perhaps two episodes underline the nity to embrace the booming new technol- and have challenging and worthwhile
core of naval architectural values. The first ogies becoming available in the 1960s. careers. NA
84 The Naval Architect March 2008
NA Mar 08 - p84.indd 84 11/03/2008 14:59:08
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