Third in the series covering merchant sailing ships, by the world's acknowledged expert on the topic, this volume once again concentrates on the less glamorous but nevertheless essential ships that formed the bulk of the merchant marine. The whole range of ship-types is looked at in detail - from sloops and ketches to the giant steel-built ocean carriers - and local variations pin-point the economic and financial peculiarities of each shipbuilding region. The quarter century after 1850 saw the traditional building techniques largely superseded by iron and steel construction. Here David MacGregor examines the difficulties and differences that had to be overcome as the shipyards adjusted to the new processes and materials which were to revolutionize their industry The increasing need for yards to keep accurate plans and data means that an exact picture can be 'prawn of the methods and progress of these builders. Following his previous practice the author has provided a wealth of photographs, drawings and plans culled from his intensive research, to complement the text.