Birth of the Battleship: British Capital Ship Design 1870-1881 - Hardcover

Beeler, John F.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1840675349 ISBN 13: 9781840675344

Publisher: Caxton Editions, 2003

Synopsis

Many books have covered the technological revolution that saw wooden hulls replaced by iron and steel, sail superseded by steam, and smooth-bore muzzle-loading gun giving way to rifled breech-loaders and entirely new weapons like torpedoes. But previous works have tended to concentrate on the technology itself, largely to the exclusion of external but crucial factors, like politics, finance, administrative problems, foreign threats and strategic situations. The years 1870-1885 have also been neglected because they were seen as the 'dark ages of the Admiralty', but this book argues strongly that, although the problems faced were greater than in previous decades, it is actually a pivotal period in the emergence of the modern warship. In so doing, it counters the general perception that that those responsible for British design policy at the time were retrogressive, incompetent, or both. What emerges is a more complete picture of the problems - often insoluble - faced by the Admiralty during the era, and the sensible steps it took to meet them. A major new work based largely on primary sources, it tackles a misunderstood aspect of warship history with sufficient rigour to satisfy professional historians while providing enough new detail to please the enthusiast. Because the ships are none too familiar, considerable effort has gone into the illustrations, including reproducing many of the original plans for the first time.

About this title

Synopsis:

This book sets out to delineate the general framework - political, economical, strategic, tactical and technological - in which the design of the battleship evolved. The book also focuses on aspects of the design process which are overlooked by other studies, in particular the administrative structure of the Admiralty and how it contributed to design policy. It seeks to present the battleships of the era on their own terms, rather than comparing them with later ships.

About the Author:

John Beeler is Associate Professor of History at the University of Alabama, where he specialises in British and military history. He is the author of British Naval Policy in the Gladstone-Disraeli Era.

About this edition

• Publisher: Caxton Editions
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1840675349
• ISBN 13: 9781840675344
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224