First published in the mid-19th century, this historical work traces the development of merchant shipping and trade from ancient times up through the early modern period. Written by a prominent British shipowner and politician, this book is an essential reference for anyone interested in maritime history.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the ＂public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

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