▁ ▁These ▁two ▁lists , ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁are ▁acknowled ged ▁by ▁the ▁W SS ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁ed itions ▁of ▁the ▁Marine ▁News . ▁ ▁From ▁ 5 0 ▁Cor respond ents ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Sh ip ▁News ▁Club ▁number ed ▁ 2 0 0 ▁and ▁ 3 3 0 ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁ ▁Notable ▁amongst ▁its ▁early ▁members ▁were ▁the ▁then ▁editor ▁of ▁Jane ' s ▁Fight ing ▁Sh ips , ▁Francis ▁Mc M ur tr ie , ▁and ▁former ▁editor ▁and ▁noted ▁naval ▁historian ▁Oscar ▁Park es . ▁ ▁By ▁February , ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁there ▁were ▁members ▁across ▁Europe ▁and ▁as ▁far ▁away ▁as ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁ ▁The ▁club ' s ▁first ▁annual ▁general ▁meeting ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁ab o ard ▁ ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁There ▁it ▁was ▁resolved ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁club ▁to ▁World ▁Sh ip ▁Society . ▁ ▁Pres ent ▁ ▁The ▁society ▁now ▁has ▁ 5 0 ▁branches ▁throughout ▁the ▁world ▁which ▁act ively ▁promote ▁historical ▁research . ▁ ▁Staff ed ▁by ▁volunte ers ▁the ▁society ▁maintain s ▁a ▁Central ▁Record ▁and ▁Ph oto ▁L ibr aries , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁library ▁and ▁reading ▁room ▁in ▁Ch ath am , ▁Kent . ▁ ▁As ▁well ▁as ▁its ▁magazine ▁publications , ▁"