The ocean liner SS Leviathan, originally built as the Vaterland. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

The Great Tea Race of 1866 between the clipper ships Taeping and the Ariel. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

The Santa Maria, flagship of the squadron of three vessels commanded by Christopher Columbus in 1492. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

Reconstruction of The Gokstad ship, a Viking ship found in a burial mound at Gokstad farm in Sandar, Sandefjord, Vestfold, Norway. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

Infante Henry, Duke of Viseu, 1394 – 1460, aka Henry the Navigator. Portuguese explorer. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

The Lancing, which started life in 1866 as a steamship called La Pereire and finished as a full rigged four masted sailing ship. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

The Paddle Steamer SS Sirius leaving Cork harbour on April 4 1838, with ninety four passengers, she arrived at New York on April 23 1838. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

SS Great Western, an oak-hulled paddle-wheel steamship, the first to be purpose-built for crossing the Atlantic. She left Bristol on April 7 1838 and arrived in New York Harbour on April 23. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.

A Roman galley. From The Romance of the Merchant Ship, published 1931.