Captain James Nourse took delivery of his first ship, the GANGES, in 1861 and went on to build up one of the last great fleets of sailing ships. It was not until 1904, long after the founder’s death, that the Nourse Line took delivery of its first ocean-going steamer. The coolie trade from Calcutta to the West Indies was the basis of the company’s success, and the abolition of this trade in 1914 was a factor in the company selling out to P&O in 1917. Even so, the Nourse Line retained its identity until its owner’s rationalisations in the 1960s. In 56 pages, Nourse Line outlines the company’s history, provides full details of its 38 sailing and 31 powered ships, and includes 59 illustrations including a drawing of the tug HUGHLI. Appendices explain the origin and termination of the coolie trade, examine the extraordinary casualty rate which Nourse ships suffered, give full details of the ships’ livery and explain the origins of their names.
