[Title in Japanese:] Eigo sen. [English words and sentences.] Edited by Takekazu Nakayama

Book Description

Tokyo: Shima-itokku. 1861. 2 volumes, 12mo, pp. [99] including the title-p. used as a pastedown; [44]; original blue wrappers folded and sewn in the Oriental manner, printed paper labels on upper covers; about fine throughout. With an unusual American provenance: each volume with the early ownership signature of "L. A. Waterman, U. S. N." Inside the cover of the first volume is tipped the note "1852-62. Lt. L. A. Waterman sailed from San Francisco to Honolulu & Calcutta on the Marathon." Lucius A. Waterman was an acting ensign in the US Navy from 29 Jun 1863 to 13 Aug 1865 and a second time from 11 Dec 1866 to 26 Mar 1869 ("List of Officers of the Navy of the United States and of the Marine Corps from 1775 to 1900" by Edward W. Callahan, 1969). The U. S. Navy holds a letter written by Waterman after his first three years of service in which he states he served in the Volunteer Navy from 1863-1865 and would like to be considered as an applicant for the Regular Navy. He did clearly join the Navy again in 1866, but strangely, when looking up his name in the Navy Register, we can't find him listed under the years 1863-1865, and for 1866-1869, he is listed as an acting ensign under the Volunteer Navy. Waterman was born in Massachusetts and a citizen of that state. In 1865, he was assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. When Waterman was reappointed as an acting ensign on 11 Dec 1866, he was assigned to the gunboat Aroostook [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a12/aroostook-i.htm.] He was still assigned to Aroostook in 1868, and in 1869 he was ordered home. The preface is in hiragana and kanji; the text consists of English words arranged in double column with Japanese equivalents and pronunciation in kangi and katakana, the whole arranged by topic. The last part of the second volume consists of phrases and conversation in a single column, with Japanese equivalents and pronunciation. Osaka Joshi Daigaiku Library, Selected Catalogue on Dutch and English Studies, C-8.

Not sure what some of these terms mean? Look it up in our glossary.