"Yes, dear, I'll be back in ten years or less, be good," was heard across the country. From the moment the merchant fleet became the heart of the British Empire, giving back all that Tea from China, spices from the Orient, the fruits of Morocco and the gold around the world. Sailing ships became the center of the spider web that connected Britain to its colonies and outlying islands. The heroic men set out to bring back to the British news people and exotic goods has become much in demand. Sailing of the last century became steamboats and steam ships became fuel tanker on fire.
Britain became the center of the last century, the largest shipbuilder in the world with over 70% of ships are built in places like Newcastle, on the Clyde, in London and other famous ports and ports in the United Kingdom. Britain also had the largest maritime fleet in the world and dominated Trade everywhere with its range of powerful house built ships and seafarers rufty Tufty. Yes, not long ago the UK depends on a fleet of import and export of goods and maintain the rule together. At this time all the families knew what was in the Merchant Navy either by having family members at sea or through work in supporting shipbuilding industries, insurance, import / export, shipbuilding, stevedoring, among many other occupations in the world sea! Times change, however! Thirty-odd years ago, the size of the British merchant fleet began to drop and the shipbuilding industry began to die.