Although purpose-built fighting ships had existed earlier, the principal characteristics of the classic sailing warship were only defined in the mid-seventeenth century, when the emergence of strong central governments, as in Cromwell's Commonwealth or the France of Louis XIV, combined with the novel line-ahead tactics to produce, for the first time, national fleets of reasonably similar line-of-battle ships.
As the battleship became more distinct, the need for a specialized cruising ship became apparent - particularly as warfare became more global - and from this the frigate was born. Gradually during this period, myriad types of crafts were adapted for naval use. The central emphasis of this volume is the increasing specialization of the fleet and the evolution of each ship type, down to the period when the installation of the steam engine sparked another revolution in tactics and technology.
While some naval historians have imparted little relative importance to this era, it will be clear from the chapters that follow that between 1650-1840 the wooden warship became not only larger, better constructed and more powerfully armed, but the very nature of its capabilities was changed dramatically. From being little better than a coastal, summer-only force, the battlefleet and its consorts developed into a powerful and flexible weapon that could be employed in virtually any seas, in all but the heaviest weather, all year round. The worldwide campaigns of the late eighteenth century, or the ceaseless drudgery of blockade duty, were only made possible by enhanced seaworthiness and more rugged contstruction, so with this instrument, sea power became a far more powerful and influential factor in world history.
Lavishly illustrated, this informative reference guide includes over 175 drawings, 35 black-and-white photos and over 25 tables. It is a must for anyone interested in a detailed account of a technology that has shaped human history.
Book Description
The Line of Battle: The Sailing Warship 1650-1840
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
The ship is probably the most influential tool in human history and it continues to exert a widespread and persistent fascination. Conway's HISTORY OF THE SHIP is the first comprehensive and authoritative account of this technological and cultural phenomenon.
An unpreedented line-up of over one hundred leading maritime historians and specialists from around the world has been assembled to ensure that the work is informative, authoritative and fully international in outlook.
Every significant ship type from the dawn of seafaring to the present day is analyzed in detailed and coherent essays. A strict chronological sequence has also been maintained throughout the series. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
An unpreedented line-up of over one hundred leading maritime historians and specialists from around the world has been assembled to ensure that the work is informative, authoritative and fully international in outlook.
Every significant ship type from the dawn of seafaring to the present day is analyzed in detailed and coherent essays. A strict chronological sequence has also been maintained throughout the series. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Brian Lavery is probably the world's leading authority on the sailing fighting ship and is the author of a series of critically acclaimed works, each of which was a major step forward in the understanding of the subject. These include THE SHIP OF THE LINE, THE ARMING AND FITTING OF ENGLISH SHIPS OF WAR, NELSON'S NAVY and BUILDING THE WOODEN WALLS. He is currently Curator of Ship Technology at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb brief account of sailing war ships,
By
This review is from: The Line of Battle: The Sailing Warship 1650-1840 (Conway's History of the Ship) (Hardcover)
I was delighted by this book. Each chapter is an artcile on a aspect of the sailing warship. The book restricts itself to the years 1650-1840, this being the time period where sail, not oars nor steam, was the predominant motive force for ships. It is also limited in scope to ships used in war. This ranges from the large 100+ gun ships down to ship tenders and hulks.The first several chapters focus on the size, rigging, and use of different classes of ships. Later chapters give a pleasantly simple account of how sailing works, the tactics used in a battle where the guns are slow to load and the wind and tide have a pronounced effect on the combatants, the decoration on the ships, details of the fittings, and more. This was a more scholarly work than the cover would imply. There is a wealth of good figures, with numerous photographs of period models. Aside from a few typrographic errors, the text is well written and clear.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Overview,
By
This review is from: LINE OF BATTLE: The Sailing Warship 1650-1840 (Conway's History of the Ship Series) (Paperback)
When I first bought this book almost 15 years ago, I little realised what a valuable companion it would turn out to be. While each of the subjects dealt with (rigging, ship types, etc) is necessarily brief, nevertheless, it is learned and to the point. More importantly, it allows the reader to determine specifically what kinds of information is of the most interest, which can then be used with the splendid bibliography to get more detailed information about that particular subject. While some may complain that it is TOO brief, it is important to remember that to discuss these subjects in FULL detail would require a truly monumental volume costing thousands (Jean Boudriot's magnificent four-volume work just on the 74-gun ship is a good example!). In sum, the wide range of information provided (and not just 'from a British point of view' either, as there is a fair bit on French and Dutch ship-building as well), the detailed artwork used for illustration, and the quality index and bibliography, not to mention the extremely reasonable price, make this a fine addition to any library.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An exhaustive history book about the age of sail.,
By Pato Sentado (Spain) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: LINE OF BATTLE: The Sailing Warship 1650-1840 (Conway's History of the Ship Series) (Paperback)
I am a Patrick O'Brian fan and I have searched for more information about the world he describess in his novels.
This book is the first one with exhaustive plans and technical data, and also a good history of the sail balttleships themselves. A real technical book, heavy to read but a good reference books for modellers. I only miss more plans and data of spanish ships, even the captured ones like the HMS San Juan...
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
