Sir Geoffrey Callender (1875-1946) was a British naval historian who was the first director of the National Maritime Museum. Originally published in 1943, and edited by Callender, this book was developed to provide individuals in naval service with a guide to understanding and writing effective formal English. The text is comprised of a series of small sections, each of which contains a piece of writing by a prominent author relating to life at sea, tasks relating to the piece and explanatory notes. An editorial introduction, guide to further reading and detailed glossary are also included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in British naval history or linguistics.