The British Isles have a long, rich and celebrated seafaring history stretching from the earliest times through the victories of Drake and Nelson, the voyages of discovery of Cabot and Cook and the defence of the realm by vessels of all types in the present century. Much of this history is recorded in literature and in museums but reaches its most tangible form in the large number of historical ships that have been preserved and are continually restored as monuments to a proud past. This lavish book explores 20 of the most celebrated and accessible ships and offers a comprehensive history of each vessel's design, construction, active service and subsequent restoration and preservation. Presented in order of each ship's launch date, each entry is written by the acknowledged expert on a particular vessel, gives full specification details and is sumptuously illustrated with contemporary photographs, historical illustrations and a full set of scale plans. In addition to the featured entries, an appendix presents all of the necessary contact details and opening times where applicable. The appendix also lists (and provides details for) other vessels of historical importance including a small number of working replicas such as the Matthew and the recently commissioned eighteenth-century frigate The Grand Turk, featured in the recent Hornblower television series. Principal vessels include: Mary Rose, HMS Victory, HMS Trincomalee, SS Great Britain, Cutty Sark, RRS Discovery, HMS Warrior, HMS Belfast, HMY Britannia, HMS Alliance, HMS Cavalier, Gypsy Moth IV and HMS Plymouth.

Based on the latest research in original sources, this is an in-depth text covering the complete history of the 50-gun ship. Numerous tables of technical data covering dimensions, construction, armament and details are included.

The Lloyd's Register of Ships records the details of merchant vessels over 100 gross tonnes, which are self propelled and sea-going, regardless of classification. Before the time, only those vessels classed by Lloyd's Register were listed. Vessels are listed alphabetically by their current name.

The largest ship ever built for the transatlantic route to Canada was the 'Empress of Britain'. But it wasn't just size that made the 'Empress' Britain's greatest liner - her interiors were the finest ever seen on the Canadian route. Designers from W. Heath Robinson to Edmund Dulac created sumptuous interiors while the naval architects of John Brown's at Clydebank designed the exterior. In winter, the 'Empress of Britain' became the most luxurious cruise ship, undertaking world cruises to such exotic locations as Hong Kong, Cuba, Singapore, and South America. In 1941, her career was to be cut short by a lone German bomber that straddled her with bombs. She caught fire and was left to burn, being finished off by a U-boat. It was a tragic end for Britain's greatest liner.

The coasts of Britain and Ireland are surrounded by some of the most tempestuous waters in the world and are among the most diverse too. As a result of the diverse nature of the coast, each area has developed its own unique fishing craft suited to its own local environment. This book examines the roots of each native design.

For nearly two hundred years huge wooden warships called ships of the line dominated war at sea and were thus instrumental in the European struggle for power and the spread of imperialism. Foremost among the great naval powers were Great Britain and France, whose advanced economies could support large numbers of these expensive ships. This book, the first joint history of these great navies, offers a uniquely impartial and comprehensive picture of the two forces their shipbuilding programs, naval campaigns, and battles, and their wartime strategies and diplomacy. Jonathan R. Dull is the author of two award-winning histories of the French navy. Bringing to bear years of study of war and diplomacy, his book conveys the fine details and the high drama of the age of grand and decisive naval conflict. Dull delves into the seven wars that Great Britain and France, often in alliance with lesser naval powers such as Spain and the Netherlands, fought between 1688 and 1815. Viewing war as most statesmen of the time saw it as a contest of endurance he also treats the tragic side of the Franco-British wars, which shattered the greater security and prosperity the two powers enjoyed during their brief period as allies.