THE STORY of United States shipping is the story of the country from its inception. No facet of the national scene minors the nation more clearly; none reflects, quite as brilliantly, the history of the land as does the merchant marine. It is a complex tale replete with devious men and unsung worthies. Seymour Dunbar, in the preface to his monumental History of Travel in America, succinctly states: “A story of national growth does not simply recite the results of human endeavor; it is more deeply concerned with the character of the people discussed and with the ideals, motives, and methods underlying their acts."
That which follows is an attempt, primarily with pictures in the photographic medium so far as is feasible, to establish a cohesive image of the character of the merchant marine—or at least to provide some clues to that character—although the scope of the subject is truly encyclopedic. To understand the present there exists no recourse but to consult the past.
Editor’s note: This is the first of three pictorials by Mr. Marx, tracing the history of the U. S. Merchant Marine.