Volume 1: Introductory; 1. Maritime commerce of antiquity; 2. Earliest caravan trade; 3. Egypt; 4. Route via the Cape to India, discovered by the Phoenicians; 5. Ancient India; 6. Rome; 7. Roman empire; 8. Constantinople, AD 718–1453; 9. Ancient galleys; 10. Britain: its maritime position; 11. The early Scandinavian Vikings settle on the coast of Scotland and elsewhere; 12. Increase of the English fleet, AD 1066; 13. Treaties with Spain and the merchants of Portugal; 14. Early efforts of France to restore the civilization of Europe, Venice; 15. Prohibition to trade with infidels, commercial policy of the Italian republics; 16. Spain and Portugal - importance of their commerce in ancient times and its decline during the middle ages; 17. The state of the West India islands when discovered; Appendices; Index. Volume 2: 1. Dom John of Portugal prosecutes his researches for India; 2. Progress of maritime discovery - Henry VII; 3. Henry VIII resolves to establish a permanent Royal Navy; 4. Certainty of war with Spain; 5. English Navigation Laws; 6. English voyages of discovery 1690–1779; 7. Great Britain, AD 1792, war with France, 1793; 8. Mr Fox tries to make peace with France, 1806; 9. Effect of the Orders in Council on American trade, AD 1810; 10. United States of America; 11. A special mission sent to England; 12. Earliest formation of wet docks and bonded warehouses; 13. East India Company; 14. Progress of shipping; Appendices; Index. Volume 3: 1. Progress of the United States of America; 2. Necessity of proper education for merchant seamen; 3. High estimate abroad of English Navigation Laws; 4. Lord John Russell's first steps as Prime Minister: the equalization of the Sugar Duties; 5. Progress of the changes in the Navigation Laws; 6. Witnesses examined by Mr Ricardo's committee; 7. New Parliament, November 18, 1847; 8. Motion of Mr Herries, 1848; 9. The debate, March 1849; 10. Debate in the Lords, May 7, 1849, on second reading; 11. Despondency of many shipowners after the repeal of the Navigation Laws; 12. Parliamentary inquiry, 1854–5, on passenger ships; 13. Scarcity of shipping at the commencement of the Crimean War; 14. Further returns of the Board of Trade, and address of the Shipowners' Society to the electors, 13th April, 1859; 15. First Navigation Law in France, AD 1560; 16. Recent legislation relating to the loss of life and property at sea in British vessels; 17. Loose statements with regard to the loss of life at sea; Appendices; Index. Volume 4: 1. Earliest modes of propulsion; 2. Progress of steam navigation in Europe; 3. Steam-ships of the United States; 4. Struggle between Great Britain and United States for the Atlantic carrying trade; 5. Dangers of Atlantic navigation; 6. Liverpool, New York, and Philadelphia Steamship Company; 7. Royal West India Mail Steam Packet Company, 1841; 8. Pacific Steam Navigation Company; 9. Steam to India and overland routes; 10. Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company; 11. Changes produced by the opening of the Suez Canal; 12. First application of steam-vessels on the rivers and coasts of India, 1825; 13. Eastern Steam Navigation Company; 14. Commencement of launch of the Great Eastern, November 3rd, 1857; 15. River and coast trade of Great Britain; Appendices; Index.
