First published in 1848, written by George Biddlecombe (1807-1878). Although mastery of the art of rigging is no longer required on board today's ships, legions of serious model ship builders who wish to rig their ships correctly need to learn the art. This book is widely considered the best manual ever produced on rigging the sailing ship. The book is divided into five parts: The  First Part  contains an alphabetical explanation of terms and phrases used in rigging. The  Second Part  consists of directions for the performance of operations incidental to rigging and preparing it on shore, with a table of the comparative strength of chain and rope. The  Third Part  contains the progressive method of rigging ships. The  Fourth Part  contains a description of reeving the running rigging and bending the sails in addition to the rigging of brigs, yachts, and small vessels. The  Fifth Part  comprises tables of the quantities and dimensions of the standing and running rigging of ships, brigs, fore-and-aft schooners, and cutters, with the species, size, and number of blocks, hearts, dead-eyes, etc. Serious modelists, naval historians, armchair skippers — any sailing buff — will want to own a copy of  The Art of Rigging.  Complete and wonderfully clear, it belongs in every maritime library.