Sub-titled 'The Design and Careers of Capital Ships of the World's Navies 1880-1990' this magnificent, heavyweight tome is exceptionally well illustrated with archive photographs and other illustrations throughout and has no less than 24 academic contributions from specialist historians. This highly original work for the first time captures the entire historical, technical, social and cultural panorama of the age of the battleship through the careers of 21 emblematic vessels from navies of the world. Ships from the Royal Navy, the US Navy, the Kriegsmarine, the Imperial Japanese Navy, the Marine Nationale and Regia Navale are given significant coverage. So too are those of smaller navies, for example Austria-Hungary, Russia, Turkey and the Scandinavian countries. Each chapter explains the origins of a particular ship, her importance as a national symbol and place in the fleet, the genesis of her design, particulars of her protection, armament and propulsion, construction process and launching. So too is the daily routine and watch-keeping, and how this varied between war and peace, life on board, eating and sleeping from officers and ratings, discipline, pay, morale, pets and mascots are all covered as well as a full account of the ship's career. This astonishing collection begins with the Turret Ship Chen Yuen (1882), the largest vessel in China and also the greatest capital ship in Asia which served a 30 year career and promoted the military and political development of both states. Rare archive photographs include one of her Admiral and Commander of the Peiyang Fleet and descriptions of dark-skinned men with queues tightly coiled around their heads, standing with guns, waiting impatiently to kill and be killed. This is in the description of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894. On the following page is a fact box on Philo McGiffin from Pennsylvania commissioned in the US Navy, and then a Lieutenant in the Ch'ing Imperial Navy in the spring of 1885 as an instructor who was grievously wounded at the Battle of Yalu River. On the next page is an extraordinary photograph of splinter damage to the super structure of the vessel. For each of the 22 entries there is a superb summary and conclusion. More than 400 carefully selected illustrations, many never previously published, in this magnificent Seaforth publication. Colour, 24.5 x 26.5cm, 440pp.
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