LIDDEL, Robert.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

The Seaman's New Vade Mecum; Containing a Practical Essay on Naval Book-Keeping The fourth edition, the first in the nineteenth-century, of this successful nautical handbook, originally published 1787. A concise guide to the administrative maintenance of a ship's internal economy intended for the instruction of young officers. Uncommon, just five locations world wide for this edition - NMM, Rice, the Ingenium, Canada, Smithsonian and Newberry. This copy from the library of Rolling Stones' drummer Charlie Watts, who was fascinated by the Nelsonian navy.Contains all that would be required for a captain's clerk to keep the ship's records in order, including an explanation of the correct method of book keeping, examples of all the official forms that would be encountered, together with a summary of the duties of the various officers, a glossary of "sea terms", and an to naval signals with attractive illustrative plates. Liddel is described on the title page as a "purser in the Royal Navy"; he joined the service in 1780, and can be traced to the Culloden at Plymouth in 1802, and the prison ship San Nicolas in 1804.No markings of Charlie's ownership, but sold at the sale of the effects of Charlie and Shirley Watts from Halsdon House, Devon, in May 2026; with his posthumous bookplate on the rear pastedown.

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