Talk:Packet trade

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[edit] Merger

Packet ship overlaps this article, and will overlap it even more once it is fully devoloped. I will not formally propose a merger yet, but would support one. Kablammo 23:51, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

Suggest you look at the other articles in Category:Packet (Sea Transport) and the DAB page Packet, to see how this topic might be improved. When I have read Norway's book The History of the Post Office Packet Service (1895) , I hope to add an article "Packet Service (UK)" and use Packet ship to describe to vessels used by the UK Packet service and anything else maritime described as "Packet". Thanks for your help. Vernon White . . . Talk 13:03, 14 October 2007 (UTC)
On advice, new category changed to Category:Packet (sea transport) --Vernon White . . . Talk 10:06, 30 October 2007 (UTC)
I haven't thought about this too much recently and I claim no special expertise. I wonder if it might be better to have one article combining Packet trade and Packet (sea transport), as they seem to cover the same territory. Perhaps there is a difference which could eventually support two articles, but for now they could be combined. I believe that Captain Villiers stated that the significance of the packet trade is that ships sailed on a regular schedule, rather than when full, and therefore orginated line voyages. To the same effect is [1]; also see [2] for a definition.
There could be another more specific article on the RM packet service, which I would rename from packet ship as vessels of other nationalities were also referred to as packet ships. It could be confusing for one looking for articles on ships of the Black Ball Line to type in packet ship, hit go, and end up at a page on the UK packet trade. A packet ship is a function (how the vessel is used) rather than a specific type of vessel. (The French call SS Normandie a packet boat; fr:Normandie (paquebot); they derive the name paquebot from the English term but it apparently has come to refer to large passenger liners.)
The category looks good and will assist readers and accessing other related articles, particularly those on packet lines. Kablammo 01:08, 1 November 2007 (UTC)