The story begins in 1607 with the Virginia, a thirty-ton pinnace built at the mouth of the Kennebec. John Spears follows American shipping through colonial trade, smuggling and piracy, merchantmen armed for war, French spoliations, the rise of steam lines and the great age of sail, arguing all the while for the importance of a national merchant fleet.
An engaging maritime history for anyone curious how ships and sailors built American commerce. Download the free EPUB.