The Voyages of Sir James Lancaster to the East Indies

In the present volume are described the voyages of James Lancaster followed by a calendar of all the manuscript journals of voyages during the seventeenth century present in the India Office during the 1870s. Abstracts of few of the most interesting voyages are given in considerable detail. The narratives on the voyages of James Lancaster are based on the collections of Hakluyt and Purchas. Lancaster was one of the leading seamen of his times, and he commanded the first two voyages to the East Indies (1591, 1594). He was the founder of English trade with the East Indies which let to the foundation of the British Empire of India. He afterwards served as a Director of the East India Company in London, where his great experience was invaluable in preparing subsequent ventures, and in the general conduct of the Company’s affairs.