the first volume contains technical details of the ship, including a large folding plan laid down to the front end-papers.

It also contains a schedule of eighteen voyages between 1910 and 1916, with details of cargos carried, cost and profit, and other information. the book concludes with a few pages headed ‘liquidation accounts, December 1916 – June 1917.

the second volume contains the manuscript log for voyages between September 1915 and November 1916, with the Engineer’s log from September 1915 to January 1916. There is also a survey report dated Karachi, 19th May 1916 plus a small plan.

the s.s. ‘Rachel’ was a cargo steamship of 3580 tons, built by W.Gray & Co. in West Hartlepool and first registered in 1910. the ship undertook long distance trading voyages to India, South America, the United States, the middle east and elsewhere between 1910 and 1916 and was sometimes used on Admiralty service during the war years.