Series II. Ship's Papers contains ship’s papers created by or for Bates & Co. Materials include articles of agreement, manifests, protection certificates, bills and receipts, cost memos, sales accounts, charter parties, crew and passenger lists, bills of sale of registered vessels, correspondence, surveys and records of repairs, and consular protests and documentation of accidents at sea. Folders are arranged alphabetically by vessel name, and chronologically within each folder. A complete list of vessels named in the collection is available in Appendix I: Ship Index.

Of particular note are the ship’s papers, correspondence, and accounts surrounding the ship Carrington, which documents the human trafficking that connected China and the Cuban sugar industry. In 1863, the captain of the Carrington took a charter to ship over 300 Chinese laborers from Macao and Hong Kong to Havana, with the intention that they become indentured laborers on sugar plantations in Cuba. The ship was renamed Alfonso d'Albuquerque for the voyage and flew under the Portugese flag; after arrival in Cuba, the ship was renamed again as Douglas. These materials contain language and content that may be disturbing to users.