?Here is the struggle of the David and Goliath of southern New England shipping at the opening of the twentieth century. Unlike corporate business histories, this is not a financial study, but rather an explanation of the overall strategy of operating a fleet of coastal steamers in an extremely competitive market. . . . The focus upon operating problems and procedures reveal the details involved in providing these services to southern New England, while presenting as a bonus a clear understanding of the workings of an industry superceded by a modern overland transportation system with its network of highways and interstate trucking lines.?-Business History Review