British Cruisers: of the Victorian Era - Hardcover

Norman Friedman

4.13

30 ratings by Goodreads

9781848320994: British Cruisers: of the Victorian Era

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 184832099X ISBN 13: 9781848320994

Publisher: Seaforth Publishing, 2012

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Gradually evolving from sailing frigates, the first modern cruiser is not easy to define, but this book starts with the earliest steam paddle warships, covers the evolution of screw-driven frigates, corvettes and sloops, and then the succeeding iron, composite and steel-hulled cruising ships. The story ends with the last armoured cruisers, which were succeeded by the first battlecruisers (originally called armoured cruisers), and with the last Third Class Cruisers (Topaze class), all conceived before 1906. Coverage, therefore, dovetails precisely with Friedman's previous book on British cruisers, although this one also includes the wartime experience of the earlier ships. The two central themes that emerge are cruisers for the fleet and cruisers for overseas operations, including (but not limited to) trade protection. The distant-waters aspect covers the belted cruisers, which were nearly capital ships, intended to deal with foreign second-class battleships in the Far East. The main enemies contemplated during this period were France and Russia, and the book includes British assessments of their strength and intentions, with judgements as to how accurate those assessments were. As would be expected of Friedman, the book is deeply researched, original in its analysis, and full of striking insights - another major contribution to the history of British warships.

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Review:

Following his magnificent book 'British Cruisers - Two World Wars and after' (and his two books on British destroyers from the earliest days to after the Second World War) this latest publication covers an era which is often forgotten. As usual, the book has many magnificent photographs and drawings (by A D Baker III) and is written in a manner that's makes the passage of the complicated technical changes simple to follow - It is very interesting and entertaining read which should not be missed. Norman Friendman

About the Author:

NORMAN FRIEDMAN is arguably America's most prominent naval analyst, and the author of more than thirty books covering a range of naval subjects, from warship histories to contemporary defence issues. Seaforth has recently published his first volume on British cruisers and his encyclopaedic Naval Weapons of World War One.

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