There can be no doubt that to Asiatic ingenuity we owe the beginnings of the world's principal types of Water Transport. Early man in Asia invented means of extraordinary diversity to enable him to cross rivers, coast along the sea-shore, transport the produce of his little fields and the spoils of the chase to the tribal barter centre, carry his family and his scanty belongings to a new settlement, go afloat for fishing or waging war or to escape from hostile raids.