The microfilms in this series were obtained during two projects organised in 1970 and 1976 by the PMB. Each project was known as the PMB New England Microfilming Project and was under the direction of Dr John Cumpston, a specialist in early Australian maritime history. The purpose of the projects was to obtain microfilm copies of significant American records having a bearing on the history of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and the Pacific basin generally. More than 40 libraries, museums and private individuals in New England made their records available to Dr Cumpston for microfilming or provided him with copies of their records on film where microfilming projects had already been carried out. The first project was sponsored by 12 libraries and the second by ten. The ten libraries which sponsored both projects are: the National Library of Australia, Canberra; the Library, Australian National University, Canberra; the State Library of New South Wales, Sydney; the Library, University of Sydney; the State Library of South Australia, Adelaide (in association with the libraries of the University of Adelaide and the Flinders University of South Australia); the State Library of Tasmania, Hobart; the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne; the Library Board of Western Australia, Perth; the National Library of New Zealand, Wellington; and the Library, University of Hawaii, Honolulu. The two libraries which sponsored only the first project are: the Library, University of Newcastle, New South Wales; and the State Library of Queensland, Brisbane. Reels numbered PMB 200-412 were obtained under the first project and reels numbered PMB 540-545; PMB 571-580; 671-699; 720-900 (includes American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions); 910-911; 914-915; and 953-958 under the second project. For indexes see American Whalers and Traders in the Pacific, Robert Langdon, ed., Canberra 1978 and Where the Whalers Went, Robert Langdon, ed., Canberra 1984.

Information is provided in the following format: Name of ship (in upper case); Name of Captain/Logkeeper; Date of voyage; Area of voyage BARWELL; Carr; 1785-6; East Indies, Far East ANN; ?Wise; 1776; Far East THREE SISTERS; ?Hibbs; 1788; East Indies ASTREA; Silsbee; 1790?; Far East, East Indies WILLIAM AND HENRY; ?Hodges; 1789-90; Far East GRAND TURK; ?Hodges; 1792-3; India HOPE; ?Ingraham; 1791-2; Far East UNITED STATES; Redman; 1784-5; India PERSEVERANCE; ?Wheatland; 1796-8; East Indies, Far East ?; ?Waters; 1796; India, Mauritius MARGARET; ?Magee; 1792; NW coast ASTREA; Bowditch; ?; Far East CONCORD; Appleton; 1799-1802; Chile, Far East