The Merchant fleets in profile presents in a unique way the history of some of the world's most famous, as well as some not so famous shipping lines. Each section will contain a chronology of the main events in the company's history, an index of the ships, together with the actual fleet list, also in date order, which includes every vessel above 100 gross tons owned by the line. The fleet list alone is of immense value to maritime historians and shipping enthusiasts, containing detailed information on the ships, including tonnage, dimensions. engines, hull, accommodation and service, plus a brief history of each vessel. The illustrations in this section, over 300 in this particular volume, are in themselves a major feature in the series, years of careful and methodical research have enabled Duncan Haws to illustrate with constant 1:1.800 scale drawings (all to 150 feet to the inch) almost all the ships listed - the illustrations themselves being a major feature of the series. This volume, the third in the series, cavers the AlIan, Canadian Pacific and Union-Castle lines, companies that were inextricably linked with the early development of Canada and South Africa, to which they transported emigrants from crowded 19th century Europe. Today, Canadian Pacific and Union-Castle vividly reflect the changes of the 20th century; the elegant Iiners and their traffic of countless passengers are gone, and in their place are specialised cargo vessels carrying fruit, oil and bulk products. All are covered here - liners, salvage ships, oil tankers and cargo carriers, in total some 600 vessels - from the inception of each individual company to the present day.