Diary kept by James Ford during submarine cable laying voyages from London, 1866-1868, kept in a printed almanac for 1863.

The diary covers the voyage of the GREAT EASTERN for the laying of the Atlantic telegraph between Valentia, Ireland, and Newfoundland, between July 1866 and October 1866. The volume also contains a record of the voyage of the CHILTERN, carrying the Gulf of Lawrence cable, and to repair the Atlantic cable, between August 1866 and October 1866; and the voyage of the CHILTERN for the laying of the cable between Malta and Alexandria (and a voyage home on the SCANDERIA), between September 1868 and October 1868.

Also included is a carte-de-visite photograph of a painting entitled 'Ship TWEED commander Captain Stewart' and a volume of poems by Connie M. Ford, granddaughter of James Ford, entitled 'Boat Crazy', published in 1975.