Mercedes of Castile; or, the Voyage to Cathay. by J. Fenimore Cooper.

A ‘MAGNIFICENT AND TIMELY’ WORK CONCERNING PLACES OF REFUGE FOR SHIPS IN DISTRESS An appreciation by Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green ChambersIf you’re professionally involved in the world of shipping, transport and maritime law, whether practitioner, student or academic, you need this invaluable work of reference from Lloyd’s List. It addresses one of the thorniest and most topical issues pertaining to worldwide shipping: the problem of what to do about – and where to put – a vessel foundering in distress off a coastline. Certainly this is a matter that has confounded national and city states since the early days of sail. Significantly in the opening pages, the author quotes Pliny the Younger (who [we believe] chronicled the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 71!) who applauds the construction of a port on the Italian coast (now Citta Vechia) as a safe haven that would save countless lives. Just goes to show how long -- and longer -- the problem has been with us and which, almost two millennia later has acquired new and often horrifying dimensions, due to security issues and the risk of environmental pollution. It is the reluctance of many coastal states to agree to -- and adhere to -- specific legal arrangements for governing ships in distress which persists as a vexed issue worldwide and which the CMI (Comite Maritime International) has sought to address in the form of the CMI draft Instrument.It’s the author, Professor Eric Van Hooydonk, who presented a paper at the 2004 Vancouver Conference entitled ‘The obligation to offer a place of refuge to a ship in distress. A plea for granting a salvage reward to ports and an international convention on ports of refuge.’ This paper has provided the legal underpinning for the work which the CMI continued to do.So, in just under 500 pages, the book presents a detailed analysis of the CMI draft Instrument in all its aspects. At the same time it examines developments within the IMO and European States, together with a review of current international law and a summary of leading papers and commentaries on this topic written over the last twenty years. The scholarship involved is precise and formidable and in this copiously footnoted work, you’ll find the expected and useful research tools, including extensive tables of international instruments, EU legislation and general legislation, as well as Tables of Cases and an extensive bibliography. As is pointed out in the Foreword, this is an invaluable source of information and knowledge, not only about the CMI draft Instrument, but about the ‘enormous international legal source material that exists, but which so far has been very difficult to access’ – as compelling a reason as any to rush out and purchase this book.

Fictitious hot-headed, adventure-loving, gallant young Count Luis de Bobadilla is the only Spanish grandee to accompany Christopher Columbus on his first (1492 - 1493) voyage to the New World and back to Spain. Luis undertakes this incognito role in order to convince Queen Isabella of Castile that he is worthy to marry the rich, beautiful Castilian heiress Mercedes de Valverde. ***** While on Haiti, Luis becomes friend of a local sub-king, or cacique, and leads a fight against raiding Caribs intent on stealing the cacique's beautiful sister, Princess Ozema and forcing them to marry their leader. All parties agree that for her safety, the princess will return to Spain with Columbus, among the natives selected for presentation to Queen Isabella. Ozema reminds Luis powerfully of his absent love, Mercedes, and he treats her with love and respect. As she rapidly learns Castilian Spanish, the Haitian princess falls in love with Luis. When, thinking they are about to die at sea in a storm, Luis gives Ozema a diamond-studded cross (next best thing to baptizing the pure souled heathen), the princess at once believes that they are now man and wife. *****Neither Mercedes nor Queen Isabella is the least amused when they find that Ozema thinks she is Luis's wife. Saintly Isabella does her best to explain things to Ozema. Ozema agrees to be baptized but only if Luis and Mercedes are married first. She then asks to become Luis's second, subordinate wife. The archbishop on hand is incensed. And Queen Isabella wonders about the wisdom of her plan to bring the religion of Jesus to the New World. -OOO-