Part 1 deals with the history of the Blackwall Yard, one of the oldest shipbuilding yards. Part 2 details a voyage out East in the good old days. Part 3 deals with the beautiful frigate-built passenger ships of “Green”, “Wigram”, “Smith”, “Somes”, “Devitt & Moore” and “Duncan Dunbar”.

The illustrations are of value, in the first place, because the old litographs which, many years ago, could be seen in every office and picture seller’s window are fast becoming harder and harder to find; secondly, because the photographs are taken from prints, the negatives of which, in most instances, have long been lost.