[SJB]

Thanks a lot. No I am not searching for the history of a particular ship, I just found myself wondering how it was done. something you have answered very satisfactorily. Of course the shipowners also had to get freights for their ships, and before telegraphs and telephones the captain was endowed with power to do this when far from home, ad so it would be natural for him to inform the owner if he heard of a good buy among ships offered for sale The situation may be different for the British, whose trade were largely domestic, even on the other side of the world. And whose ships were quite often first owned. But as soon as was possible, the Norwegian shipowners probably got hold of the publications you mention. Vwery interesting that Turnbulls Register, I had never heard of it before now.