The Republic Afloat

In the years before the Civil War, many Americans saw the sea as a world apart, an often violent and insular culture governed by its own definitions of honor and ruled by its own authorities. The truth, however, is that legal cases that originated at sea had a tendency to come ashore and force the national government to address questions about personal honor, dignity, the rights of labor, and the meaning and privileges of citizenship, often for the first time. By examining how and why merchant seamen and their officers came into contact with the law, Matthew Taylor Raffety exposes the complex relationship between brutal crimes committed at sea and the development of a legal consciousness within both the judiciary and among seafarers in this period. The Republic Afloat tracks how seamen conceived of themselves as individuals and how they defined their place within the United States. Of interest to historians of labor, law, maritime culture, and national identity in the early republic, Raffety’s work reveals much about the ways that merchant seamen sought to articulate the ideals of freedom and citizenship before the courts of the land—and how they helped to shape the laws of the young republic.

The idea of the centralized State has played a powerful role in shaping French republicanism. But for two hundred years, many have tried to find other ways of being French and Republican. These essays challenge the traditional account, bringing together new insights from leading scholars.

Vol. 83 contains final report of the finances from 1949 to the closing of the organization in 1956.

This book is a comprehensive 2002 analysis of the Spanish left during the civil war of 1936-9.

A comprehensive account of the origins, design, and history of the A-10A Warthog: “Highly recommended.” —AMPS Indianapolis Includes photos The Fairchild-Republic A-10A Close Support aircraft has become a legend over its long front line life. Known as the Warthog due to her unusual appearance, this little aircraft has built up an awesome reputation in the specialized ground-attack role, where her accuracy and deadliness are widely recognized as the best of their kind. Hard lessons from World War II, which were reinforced by the bitter experience of the Vietnam War two decades later, showed it was both impracticable and cost-inefficient to use supersonic fighter jets in the close air support mission. A requirement was therefore drawn up for a plane capable of carrying a heavy and varied load of ordnance, which had good endurance and unprecedented maneuverability and could survive heavy ground fire—thus the A-10 was born. But by the time it came into service its role had changed to that of a tank-buster in the defense of Western Europe in the face of the overwhelming numbers of Soviet battle armor. With her straight wing, twin tails, and turbine engines mounted high on her rear fuselage, this single-seat aircraft certainly presented a unique appearance. But all these features served a vital role, as Peter C. Smith explains in this highly detailed study. Although the Warthog’s expected missions on the plains of Germany did not materialize, she did destroy hundreds of Soviet-built tanks during the Gulf wars. The A-10 has also flown almost continuous missions over the Balkans, against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and ISIS in Iraq and Syria. This beautifully illustrated and comprehensive volume brings the A-10’s incredible story right up to date.

The committee supports the principle of devolving to the Northern Ireland Executive the decision over whether or not to amend the rate of corporation tax, and believes this would assist the indigenous private sector to expand, innovate and employ more staff. The report uses 12.5% as a benchmark for the lower rate of corporation tax, but suggests that on the basis that the decision is devolved to the Northern Ireland executive it may, in due course, choose a lower rate. To maximise the benefits of a lower rate, though, continued progress needs to be made on other economic development policy mechanisms, including planning, education, and incentives for research and development and exporting. Low corporation tax is not a panacea for all Northern Ireland's economic ills, warns the committee, and there are considerable implementation issues: direct comparisons with the Republic of Ireland and its experience with 12.5% are difficult because the UK and Irish tax systems are different; and the UK Government would have to satisfy the criteria laid down in the Azores judgment for the tax reduction to satisfy EU rules on state aids. The committee was surprised to discover HM Treasury do not know how much corporation tax is raised in Northern Ireland. It is important that the Northern Ireland Executive has as much information as possible before deciding if, and how, it wishes to lower the rate, and at least a better idea of the amount of financial risk they are taking on. Furthermore, the benefits of lowering corporation tax must not be outweighed by the costs to businesses and HMRC.