19th Century Merchant Sail and Steam Ship Resources

Broken down into various chapters and sections, this volume covers the construction, design, composition, jargon, and history of the packets and freighters of the 1850s. It makes use of illustrated diagrams and tables to breakdown the ships for the reader.

Published in the first decade of the 20th century, this rare book tells the history of America’s merchant fleet and its sailors. Chapter II deals specifically with the conversion from sail to steam ships. The other chapters discuss major ports, the slave trade, whaling, and much more.

This book covers the evolution of watercraft in the Americas from canoes to submarines. The latter part of the book covers the era of sail using photographs, diagrams and case studies.

This book looks at clipper ships from both the United States and Great Britian during the height of the Golden Age of Sail. It includes descriptions of the various types of clippers as well as illustrations.

This book documents the history of ships from the Vikings and Normans to the major ports of the United States such as New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. In the telling of this history, Anthony discusses the various types of ships used including 19th century merchant ships.

This multi-volume work offers profiles of all the steamships of the late 19th century and early 20th century. Each ship’s page offers information such as principle owners, dates of operation, stats, and a drawing of the ship.

A few sections of this book are dedicated to the sail and steamships of the 19th century. The author describes specific examples of famous ships from countries around the world in that time period.

Considered one of the definitive studies of America’s Clipper ships, Greyhounds of the Sea documents the entire history of the clipper ship, specific ships, their many uses, where they sailed, who manned them and much more. It is the omnibus for information on the clipper ship.

The third and final volume of MacGregor’s series on merchant sailing vessels; this book details the role sail ships played in the merchant sailing industry in the final days of sail.

Using the historical example of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, this book details the spread of the British Empire into Oceania. The book covers the role of merchant seamen, steamships, and regional maritime enterprise.

Sawyer’s work describes wooden sail ships: their construction, architecture, locations of construction, and famous ships and masters. Also discussed are sailor songs, superstitions, whaling vessels, and slaver ships.

This book offers information on the formation of the American merchant marine, the sail ships used, the development of ocean sailing as well as a history of sail itself. Included are pictures, diagrams, and case studies.

This book offers brief descriptions of various models of sail ships including schooners and clippers alongside images.

Steamboat Days details the history and development of steamboats in the United States. Chapter topics include steamboats on the Connecticut river, in New York, on the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, and various other locations in the US.

The Advent of Steam coves the development of steam throughout the 19th century. It discusses the early setbacks, and disadvantages of steam compared to sail, the gradual advancement of technology, and the ultimate success of steam over sail in the final years of the century.

The first of two volumes that together cover all the aspects of maritime and naval history regarding the age of sail. Topics covered include tactics, shipping, finance, shipbuilding and more.

The second of two volumes that together cover all the aspects of maritime and naval history regarding the age of sail. Topics covered include tactics, shipping, finance, shipbuilding and more.

This book details the history of the clipper ship from its conception in the 19th century until the end of the clipper ship era in the early 20th. It gives explanations of design, operations, and the role it played in maritime trade as well as histories of specific clippers and their crews.

This book tells of the Baltimore Clipper ship, its development, deployment, construction, rise to fame and eventual decline. It details the ship’s use by merchants, slavers, smugglers, and the navy during the 19th century and also includes diagrams, charts, and case studies.

First published in 1931 and designed for children, this book breaks down into simple terms the various aspects of sailing ships as well as some naval architecture, and operational procedures.

Focused mainly on steam, Jackson’s book dedicates only one chapter to the age of sail. The remainder of the book details different steamboats/steamboat companies, their duties, specializations, as well as salvage, shipwrecks, and more.

This book is a seafarer’s guide to the clipper ships that were used in trade with China in the 19th century. Inside are some accounts of famous ships and masters as well as descriptions of the voyages and nature of trade with China.

This book details the role of clipper ships in the spread of British influence in Australia. It discusses the use of clipper ships in gold rushes, famous masters and ships, and the different types of trade they partook in.

One of the most detailed books on clipper ships, it tells the story of the clipper ship in respect to famed shipbuilder Donald McKay. It offers background on other famous clipper ship builders, how and where the ship was developed and used, the reasons for its popularity, as well as accounts of famous clipper ships.

This book covers the era between 1780 and 1870 in regards to sail. Bowen details the activities of the Dutch East India Company, China trade, clippers ships, emigration, and much more.

This book covers in great detail the clipper ships of the 19th century via examples of famous clippers, clipper ships companies, and more. It also includes description of the personnel of these ships, trade around the Horn, and smaller wooden ships like fruit schooners.

Bullen’s work tells of the duties of every type of sailor from Master to cook, mate to apprentice, on different types of sail and steam ships. These descriptions offer insight into the daily lives of mariners of that time.

This collection of photographs of sail ships from the 19th century provides a glance at the different kinds of sail ships used by different parts of the maritime industry such as fishing, merchant marine, transoceanic and riverine. It includes photos of schooners, clippers, barges, rigs, pleasure sailboats, barques etc.

These two volumes cover the history of the British schooner and its period of use from 1870-1940. The book details their various uses and trade routes ranging from Northern Europe and the Mediterranean to the Levant. Volume 1 deals with general history of the schooners and their trade as well as how they were designed and built while Volume 2 covers conditions aboard deep-water schooners in the Atlantic trade using primary sources as evidence and finishes with an analysis of the economics that eventually led to the decline of the ship.

These two volumes cover the history of the British schooner and its period of use from 1870-1940. The book details their various uses and trade routes ranging from Northern Europe and the Mediterranean to the Levant. Volume 1 deals with general history of the schooners and their trade as well as how they were designed and built while Volume 2 covers conditions aboard deep-water schooners in the Atlantic trade using primary sources as evidence and finishes with an analysis of the economics that eventually led to the decline of the ship.

This book tells the history of steamboats on America’s rivers. Eskew writes about the development of steam in the US, the role it played in Western expansion, the high points of its era, and steamboat operations until 1929 when the work was published.

The fourth and final volume of Bowen’s collection, this book covers the bulk of 19th century merchant history. It discusses different sail ships, famous examples of ships, and the beginning of the transition from sail to steam.

This book covers the predominance of the Clyde steamboat in the United Kingdom during the period after the American Civil War and before the railroad. The steamboats were used for both river commerce and passenger transportation as demonstrated in the book by records and other primary sources.

Covering four centuries worth of American maritime history, this book includes a great deal of information on the maritime industry from 1800-1900.

This book covers the role of Thomas F. McManus in the modification of the shipping schooner and his subsequent naval architecture career. The book includes photography, historical summaries, and stories of specific fishing schooners.

Delgado’s book tells of the maritime aspect of the California Gold Rush and role ships played in taking pioneers and forty-niners from coast to coast.

This book details the history and construction of the sail ships used by the early pioneers and settlers of the West Coast of the United States. It covers sail ships such as schooners, barkentines, and others as well as their crews. Inside are pictures, diagrams and case studies of famous West Coast sail ships.

This book discusses sail ships throughout the 19th century. The chapters are broken down by decade and geographic location starting mainly in the 1850’s.