This collection of essays on the theme of 'Scotland and the Sea' ranges far and wide in the maritime history of Scotland. Colin Martin explores the Roman use of harbours and seapower in the conquest of Scotland; David Ditchburn deals with the pirates of the late medieval seas; David Aldridge investigates the problems that the Jacobites faced with naval power up to 1719; Thomas Riis analyses the Baltic trade of the seventeenth century.

Alexander Fenton writes on the uses of shellfish as a way of examining the relationship between small-scale and large-scale fishing, and Ian Morrison investigates boat types in Shetland and in the Scandinavian islands. Shetland is explored again by Brian Smith's exposition of local fishing tenures. Gordon Jackson investigates the DPL shipping line before 1840 and Anthony Slaven writes about the business leaders in the great ship building firms of the Clyde. Robert Prescott breaks new ground by describing the Lascar seamen who were the origin of the Asian community in Glasgow, and Christopher Harvie and Stephen Maxwell write jointly on the political impact of North Sea oil.

This volume is a pot pourri of maritime history with something for all shades of interest.