The Edwin Fox

How an Ordinary Sailing Ship Connected the World in the Age of Globalization, 1850–1914

By Adrian Shubert, Boyd Cothran | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

It began as a small, slow, and unadorned sailing vessel—in a word, ordinary. Later, it was a weary workhorse in the age of steam. But the story of the Edwin Fox reveals how an everyday merchant ship drew together a changing world and its people in an extraordinary age of rising empires, sweeping economic transformation, and social change. This fascinating work of global history offers a vividly detailed and engaging narrative of globalization writ small, viewed from the decks and holds of a single vessel. The Edwin Fox connected the lives and histories of millions, though most never even saw it.

Built in Calcutta in 1853, the Edwin Fox was chartered by the British navy as a troop transport during the Crimean War. In the following decades, it was sold, recommissioned, and refitted by an increasingly far-flung constellation of militaries and merchants. It sailed to exotic ports carrying luxury goods, mundane wares, and all kinds of people: not just soldiers and officials but indentured laborers brought from China to Cuba, convicts and settlers being transported from the British Empire to western Australia and New Zealand—with dire consequences for local Indigenous peoples—and others. But the power of this story rests in the everyday ways people, nations, economies, and ideas were knitted together in this foundational era of our modern world.

Editions of The Edwin Fox

Hardcover
ISBN 9781469676555
EBook
ISBN 9781469676579
EBook
ISBN 9798890862457
EBook
ISBN 9781469676562
PDF
ISBN 9798890862440

Read an Excerpt

It began as a small, slow, and unadorned sailing vessel—in a word, ordinary. Later, it was a weary workhorse in the age of steam. But the story of the Edwin Fox reveals how an everyday merchant ship drew together a changing world and its people in an extraordinary age of rising empires, sweeping economic transformation, and social change. This fascinating work of global history offers a vividly detailed and engaging narrative of globalization writ small, viewed from the decks and holds of a single vessel. The Edwin Fox connected the lives and histories of millions, though most never even saw it.

Built in Calcutta in 1853, the Edwin Fox was chartered by the British navy as a troop transport during the Crimean War. In the following decades, it was sold, recommissioned, and refitted by an increasingly far-flung constellation of militaries and merchants. It sailed to exotic ports carrying luxury goods, mundane wares, and all kinds of people: not just soldiers and officials but indentured laborers brought from China to Cuba, convicts and settlers being transported from the British Empire to western Australia and New Zealand—with dire consequences for local Indigenous peoples—and others. But the power of this story rests in the everyday ways people, nations, economies, and ideas were knitted together in this foundational era of our modern world.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Edwin Fox about?

It began as a small, slow, and unadorned sailing vessel—in a word, ordinary. Later, it was a weary workhorse in the age of steam. But the story of the Edwin Fox reveals how an everyday merchant ship drew together a changing world and its people in an extraordinary age of rising empires, sweeping economic transformation, and social change. This fascinating work of global history offers a vividly detailed and engaging narrative of globalization writ small, viewed from the decks and holds of a single vessel. The Edwin Fox connected the lives and histories of millions, though most never even saw it.

Built in Calcutta in 1853, the Edwin Fox was chartered by the British navy as a troop transport during the Crimean War. In the following decades, it was sold, recommissioned, and refitted by an increasingly far-flung constellation of militaries and merchants. It sailed to exotic ports carrying luxury goods, mundane wares, and all kinds of people: not just soldiers and officials but indentured laborers brought from China to Cuba, convicts and settlers being transported from the British Empire to western Australia and New Zealand—with dire consequences for local Indigenous peoples—and others. But the power of this story rests in the everyday ways people, nations, economies, and ideas were knitted together in this foundational era of our modern world.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Edwin Fox?

History and Archaeology > History > General and world history

Where can I read a sample of The Edwin Fox?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469676555

How long is The Edwin Fox and how many pages does it have?

The Edwin Fox has 312 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Edwin Fox?

Adrian Shubert, Boyd Cothran

Who is the Publisher of the book The Edwin Fox?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

The Edwin Fox is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469676555) and ebook(ISBN 9781469676579) and ebook(ISBN 9798890862457) and ebook(ISBN 9781469676562) and pdf(ISBN 9798890862440)

Where can I buy The Edwin Fox online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy The Edwin Fox from below

Where can I buy The Edwin Fox?