The rise of the English shipping industry in the 17th and 18th centuries

by Ralph Davis

This volume is a reprint of Ralph Davis' seminal 1962 book, The Rise of the English Shipping Industry in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries. The aim was to examine the economic reasons for the growth of British shipping before the arrival of modern technology, with a particular attention on overseas trade. The study can roughly be divided into two halves. The first is an in-depth exploration the roles within the shipping industry, from shipbuilders and shipowners to seamen and masters, from an economic perspective. The second is a chapter-by-chapter review of British overseas trade with Northern Europe, Southern Europe, the Mediterranean, East India, and America and the West Indies. The final two chapters diverge from the main sections, and focus on the interplay between government, war, and shipping. Davis attaches no extra significance to any particular nation or role, and offers an even-handed approach to maritime history still considered rare in the present day. Costs,profits, voyage estimates, ship-prices, and earnings all come under close and equal scrutiny as Davis seeks to understand the trades and developments in shipping during the period. To conclude, he places the study into a broader historical context and discovers that shipping played a measured but crucial role in the development of industrialisation and English economic development. This edition includes an introduction by the series editor; Davis' introduction and preface; seventeen analytical chapters; a concluding chapter; two appendices concerning shipping statistics and sources; and a comprehensive index.

440 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly lively and well-written account of a subject I expected to be interminably dull. Davis looks at every aspect of merchant shipping in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, including the rise of companies and sea routes, the life of masters and sailors, and shipbuilding and its costs, as well as using extended examples of individual ships to explore questions of safety and profitability. Although now old - this is a reprint of a book originally written in 1962 - it remains essential reading for anyone studying the rise of English commercial seapower.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. I’m interested in 18th century shipping. It provides a good context for how and why things were done. I liked that it touched on different roles - sailors, masters, investors, etc.

[EvaLovesYA · Rating 3 out of 5]

En rigtig god kilde ifb. med et semesterfag på engelskstudiet.

- Brugt på universitetet (engelsk)