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This CD runs on Windows and Macintosh OS 9 operating
systems
(Some users have found that Mac OS X.x will not run the CD)
What is contained in the CD?
The CD is designed to provide an interactive and user-friendly interface
that is powerful, informative, educational, and entertaining. The presentation
contains a short video sequence that introduces the user to the idea
of sailing ship travel. At the main introductory page, the user is given
the choice to work with the database by selecting information from a
variaty of "point and click" options Basic Search or
by entering data directly into a selection of fields Advanced Search.
Upon choosing to use the database in the Basic Search mode, the user
is presented with search criteria. Once a search is initiated the researcher
may now view descriptions of the ships and their histories, images of
the ships (where available), and other related information. The search
results contain, the microfilm reel number where the voyage manifest
may be found, the ship name, port(s)/date(s) of departure, port(s)/date(s)
of arrival, shipping line, special groups and remarks. The CD contains
multi-media elements which include sound, music, ships' pictures, ships'
histories and a short movie of a period sailing ship (to set the mood).
In order to view the movie, the QuickTime® player is required. This
is available as a free download from Apple at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/
.
Complete instructions are contained on the CD.
Who would be interested in TheShipsList® CD ROM?
The ships are important to genealogical researchers and historians
because they provide written evidence as to who traveled to which port,
when they departed, and when they arrived. The Master of the ship was
required to file a list of passengers upon arrival at a port, for various
authorities. At the beginning of this practice, the purpose was usually
to determine the amount of "tax" to be applied for landing passengers
and to check whether the Master was complying with the "Passenger Act"
which limited the number of souls (equal to X number of adults) the
ship was entitled to carry. The practice of archiving these lists for
immigration purposes did not begin until 1820 in the United States and
1865 in Canada. There are some extant lists for periods prior to those
dates, usually related to a high profile settlement or sponsored emigration
scheme. The passenger manifests (lists) vary greatly over the years
in the amount of information they contain, but regardless, the delight
of finding ones ancestor on a contemporary document gives great pleasure
and confirmation to all family researchers.
What Information is in the Data Base?
Until 1970, almost all immigrants who came to North America arrived
by ship regardless of where they eventually settled. TheShipsList database
on CD-1, contains information of arrivals of immigration ships from
1865 to 1899. Tens of thousands of immigrants destined for the United
States also arrived through Canadian Ports. There are over 6900 records
of ship arrivals in the database. The CD does not contain passenger
lists, however, some passengers are named in "special groups"
and in the "remarks" fields. "Remarks" also contains
the name of the Captain, and births and deaths at sea, if such information
is included on the manifest.
Sources for the data include authorities such as:
- The National Archives of Canada - RG76 - Immigration, Series
C-1-a and series C-1-b
- Sessional Papers, Canada: (multiple publications-selected
annual Immigration reports)
- Montreal Gazette (1865-1899)
- Selected editions of other contemporary Canadian and Norwegian
newspapers.
- Montreal Port Authority, "The Gold Headed Cane"
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For those exploring genealogy, the database is an essential research
tool.
Contact TheShipsList for
more information
CD ROM Production
Research:
Sue Swiggum: Sue,
is the webmaster of TheShipsList website and administrator of TheShipsList
email discussion list, has researched and compiled all of the records
contained in the database. Each record has been carefully scrutinized
for its content and accuracy.
Programing and Graphics:
Chris Campbell : Chris
has mentored this project from start to finish and has provided technical
support, programming expertise, and encouragement. For more about Chris
visit his site by clicking on his name.
Rick
Stroud: Rick has produced the many lines of code that make it
all work in the background.
Gery Swiggum:
Gery guided the project from concept to fruition. He also produced the
graphics and edited the code to make it all fit together.
Scott
Prudence: Scott wrote, performed and produced the music
on the CD, Check out his web site.
Order
Now
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