This classic, first-of-its-kind study of merchant shipping sheds light on the manner in which the rapid development of shipbuilding in Prince Edward Island played a significant part in Canada's early history. James Yeo, once a village labourer in his native Cornwall, came to the colony and quickly amassed a fortune from shipbuilding and the shipping trade. His rough-and-ready business deals spawned his mercurial rise to prominence in the colony. (His home, Port Hill, is now a shipbuilding museum.)
First published in 1967, this book originated from an idea by Ann Giffard and was jointly executed by this husband-and-wife team. It connects the burgeoning expansion of shipbuilding in the colonies with the settlers' hometown in Devon, and explains why, when Britain was cut off from supplies of wood in Europe, shipbuilding suddenly took hold in Canada. It is a unique study that shows local history is an important window into the interconnected world of economic development.