by Bennet Woodcroft
London, Taylor, Walton & Maberly, 1848.
ppiv 140. tinted lithograph extra title and 16 tinted and plain lithograph plates. good condition hardback in the original ribbed brown cloth, lightly faded around the spine, with gilt design to the front cover. foxing to a few of the plate surrounds. stitching weakening a little in places and tinted title-page loose. heraldic book-plate to front paste-down.
quite an important book in the history of steamship literature, being the first attempt to outline both a chronological history together with an appraisal of the merit of each inventor's work.