Abstract: This paper examines the reasons why England resorted to hiring privateers to defend its coast, as opposed to using the Royal Navy, in the early stages of its colonization of Jamaica. It seeks to understand the effect that these privateers had on diplomatic relations between England and other European countries.

Abstract: Savannah, Georgia has a rich colonial maritime history, but this history has been grossly under-researched. This paper argues that the construction and use of small craft was a vital aspect of early Georgia’s history. It also analyzes how colonial-era boatbuilding in Savannah was connected to and shaped by cultural and economic patterns from across the Atlantic world.