In the days before airplanes and typewriters, shipping documents were hand written certified copies; next was the wax covered blue-backed paper that the Gestetner used to make multipul copies of Ships Manifests, Waybills and GD's, which had to be "cut" to allow the "Meths" based agent produce a sweet smelling, blue-washed out copies that became the standard multi-part document before carbon paper was invented. The typewriter & carbon paper took over less than 12 page forms, then the almighty photocopier was born & once an economical office machine, did away with most except where the old fashioned manual AWB's are cut today.
Can still remeber the multi-port Pax/Cargo manifests being cranked out in the shed by the tarmac, six copies per port (C.I.Q., plus agent, HO & the ship's copy), GD's, etc.; 4 ports in a days run; a sh!t load of paper for the ships bag in clearances alone. No paperless office in those days.