The Royal Navy entered World War II with a large but eclectic fleet of destroyers. Some of these were veterans of World War I, fit only for escort duties. Most though, had been built during the inter-war period, and were regarded as b...

From the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, from the Balkans to Mesopotamia, gunboats played an influential part in the story of World War I. This detailed technical guide to the gunboats of all the major navies of the war means that, fo...

'A thorough, exciting examination of 18th-century pirate life,with wonderful details.' —Publishers Weekly 'Interesting and exciting . . . a thoroughly enjoyable chronicle of an interesting life and interesting era.' —...

As the possibility of war loomed in the 1930s, the British Admiralty looked to update their fleet of destroyers to compete with the new ships being built by Germany and Japan, resulting in the commissioning of the powerful Tribal-clas...

In November 1859, the French warship La Gloire was launched. She was the world's first seagoing ironclad--a warship built from wood, but whose hull was clad in a protective layer of iron plate. Britain, not to be outdone, launched her...

In the early 20th century Britain's largest colonies established their own small naval presence, and their ships fought alongside the Royal Navy during World War I. These fleets were expanded slightly during the inter-war years, and i...