Series I. Hale Family Business Papers contains materials relating to the Hales' shipping and business interests and has been divided into three subseries. Subseries A. Ships' Papers contains papers relating to individual ships. The ships' papers include: bills, insurance policies, adjustments, accounts, freight lists, correspondence and instructions, protests, reports of surveyors, accounts current, charter party agreements, disbursements, consular certificates, inventories, labor lists, sales, and building contracts. Subseries B. Correspondence contains correspondence regarding Hale family business interests. Subseries C. Other contains miscellaneous business papers such as surveys of vessels, advertising circulars, shipbuilding contracts, and accounts.