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The Black Ball and the White Star shipping lines owned some of the world's largest and fastest clipper ships. From 1852 to 1869 their 146 ships dominated the run between Liverpool and Australasia. They carried a great number of immigrants from Europe to Australia at the height of the goldrushes, greatly contributing to Australia's and New Zealand's rapid development.

Within the pages of this book are remarkable sea stories based on reliable testimony and evidence. Some are about notorious captains of the time: `Bully' Forties, who wrecked the Schomberg; `Bully' Bragg and the burning of the Empress of the Seas; `Brave Charlie' McDonnell and the mighty James Baines; Samuel Reed and the mutiny on the beautiful Red Jacket. Strangest of all is the evidence just uncovered of how the Fiery Star met her end, and the hero of the hour basked in undeserved glory.

Because these ships were British-owned, we have long accepted what British authors have written about them. Racers of the Deep has however been written by an Australian from an Australian viewpoint, and it goes a long way towards completing our maritime history of this period.