You are about to enjoy the most comprehensive visual record of the history of ships ever assembled in one single volume. Edited by an acknowledged authority, it takes you from the very beginnings up to the late 1950s when presumably we all became aware of the subject from personal observation and experience. Here are those rich, formative years before our own age of awareness, displayed pictorially (over 400 photos) and accompanied by a knowledgeable and pertinent commentary so that we might enjoy its reading over and over again. The Biritish editor may have tended to emphasixe the European contribution, but since his expertise in the field is unassailable and since the wealth of detail he has provided is as impressive as in any other published document within our memory, we hope you agree that a small bias is more than compensated for by such a massive compendium of information and entertainment. - Publisher's note.