British Ironclads 1860–75

Author: Angus Konstam
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472826884
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 87

Book Description
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 own ironclad the following year - HMS Warrior - which, when she entered service, became the most powerful warship in the world. Just like the Dreadnought half a century later, this ship changed the nature of naval warfare forever, and sparked a frantic arms race. The elegant but powerful Warrior embodied the technological advances of the early Victorian era, and the spirit of this new age of steam, iron and firepower. Fully illustrated with detailed cutaway artwork, this book covers the British ironclad from its inception and emergence in 1860, to 1875, a watershed year, which saw the building of a new generation of recognisably modern turreted battleships.

European Ironclads 1860–75

Author: Angus Konstam
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472826752
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 49

Book Description
From Spain to Russia, and from Ottoman Turkey to Bismarck's Prussia, this book explores 15 years that transformed European naval warfare. When the Gloire slid down the Toulon slipway in 1859, it changed sea power forever. With this ship, the world's first oceangoing ironclad, France had a warship that could sink any other, and which was proof against the guns of any wooden ship afloat. Instantly, an arms race began between the great navies of Europe – first to build their own ironclads, and then to surpass each other's technology and designs. As both armour and gun technology rapidly improved, naval architects found new ways to mount and protect guns. The ram briefly came back into fashion, and Italian and Austro-Hungarian fleets fought the ironclad era's great battle at Lissa. By the end of this revolutionary period, the modern battleship was becoming recognizable, and new naval powers were emerging to dominate Europe's waters.

European Ironclads 1860–75

Author: Angus Konstam
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472826744
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 49

HMS Warrior

Author: Wyn Davies
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 1848322836
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 267

Book Description
“A well-illustrated tour of the ship as she is today, deck by deck . . . includes a historical introduction looking at the ship and her significance.”—Ships Monthly HMS Warrior, launched in 1860, was the first iron-hulled, sea-going armored ship, and for many years was the most powerful warship in the world. Rescued a century later from her role as a refueling hulk, she became the object of the most ambitious ship restoration project ever mounted and is now afloat and open to visitors at Portsmouth. As is the case for many historic ships, however, there is a surprising shortage of informative and well-illustrated guides, for reference during a visit or for research by enthusiasts, ship modelers, naval buffs, technical historians or students. This book—second in the Seaforth Historic Ship Series—redresses the gap. Written by experts and containing more than 200 specially commissioned photographs, each title in the series takes the reader on a superbly illustrated tour of the ship, deck by deck. Significant parts of the vessel for example, the steering gear, armament and armor, engine-room and gundeck are given detailed coverage so that the reader has at hand the most complete visual record and explanation of the ship that is at present available. In addition, the importance of the ship, both in her own time and now as a museum vessel, is explained, while her design and build, her service career and her life prior to restoration and exhibition are all described. The Seaforth Historic Ship Series is a truly groundbreaking concept, bringing the ships of our past vividly to life. “A beautiful publication.”—Ships in Scale

War at Sea in the Ironclad Age (Smithsonian History of Warfare)

Author: Richard Hill
Publisher: Harper Perennial
ISBN: 9780060891671
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 240

Book Description
The nineteenth century saw several major innovations in naval warfare. Reliable steam engines made it so that ships no longer depended on the wind and could maneuver more freely. At the same time, new explosive shells were developed, replacing cannonballs, and no wooden ship could withstand them. In response to these shells, a new class of self-propelled, armored "ironclads" was invented and quickly revolutionized naval warfare. A comprehensive look at the makeup of these "ironclad" warships. A technical view of the powerful weaponry that compelled these radical innovations. A look at the historic battles that proved the necessity of engines and armor. A discussion of the new tactics employed by nineteenth-century navies and the revival of an old classic -- the "ram."

Warships in the War of the Pacific 1879–83

Author: Angus Konstam
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 147286123X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 107

Book Description
Superbly illustrated with original artwork throughout, this book explores the ironclad warships that fought the little-known battles of South America's War of the Pacific. In the late 19th century, a war erupted between Chile and Peru, the catalyst for which was control of guano-rich Chincha islands. Given the geography of the two countries, with a narrow, arid land border and long exposed coastlines, it was inevitable that the War of the Pacific would predominantly be a naval war. It was a unique episode of military history, fought by two newly emergent South American states, using the latest technology – ironclad, steam-powered warships – and involving more naval battles than in the American Civil War, including a blockade, the capture of key warships, and bombardments of ports. Chile's navy was larger and more modern, while Peru's trump card was the small but powerful ironclad Huáscar. In this book, naval expert Angus Konstam offers readers an essential guide to this little-known naval war, illustrated with detailed profiles of the key ironclads, spectacular original artwork of the battles and a cutaway of Huáscar. He briefly covers the strategies of the warring powers as well as exploring all the key points of the naval campaign and the details of the warships involved, as a handful of ironclads fought for naval supremacy in South America.

British Gunboats of Victoria's Empire

Author: Angus Konstam
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472851595
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 83

Book Description
A beautifully illustrated history of the iconic ocean-going gunboats of British 'gunboat diplomacy', the hundreds of little warships that for 50 years demonstrated the power of the Royal Navy worldwide, and which maintained and enforced the rule of the British Empire at its peak. In recent years the phrase 'gunboat diplomacy' has been used to describe the crude use of naval power to bully or coerce a weaker nation. During the reign of Queen Victoria, 'gunboat diplomacy' was viewed very differently. It was the use of a very limited naval force to encourage global stability and to protect British overseas trade. This very subtle use of naval power was a vital cornerstone of the Pax Britannica. Between the Crimean War (1854–56) and 1904, when the gunboat era came to an abrupt end, the Royal Navy's ocean-going gunboats underpinned Britain's position as a global power and fulfilled the country's role as a 'global policeman'. Created during the Crimean War, these gunboats first saw action in China. However, they were also used to hunt down pirates in the coasts and rivers of Borneo and Malaya, to quell insurrections and revolts in the Caribbean or hunt slavers off the African coast. The first gunboats were designed for service in the Crimean War, but during the 1860s a new generation of ships began entering service – vessels designed specifically to fulfill this global policing role. Better-designed gunboats followed, but by the 1880s, the need for them was waning . The axe finally fell in 1904 when Admiral 'Jackie' Fisher brought the gunboat era to an end in order to help fund the new age of the dreadnought. This exciting New Vanguard title describes the rise and fall of the gunboat, the appearance and capability of these vital warships, and what life was like on board. It also examines key actions they were involved in.

Cornwall and Devon

Author: Everett Sharp
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1728375541
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 227

Book Description
The main theme of this book is an examination of part-time voluntary military service culture as it contrasts the counties of Cornwall and Devon with the rest of the UK from 1846 to 1916. There is an explanation of pre-war volunteers in the Militia and Yeomanry, the growth of civilian controlled ‘Rifle’ units plus reaction to the Boer War and the popularity of the then new Territorial Force. It finally enquires about any possible enthusiasm for full time service from 1914 up to the introduction of conscription in 1916.

US Navy Protected Cruisers 1883–1918

Author: Brian Lane Herder
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 147285702X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 113

Book Description
Explores the history of the US Navy's 11 new steel warships, built during the late 19th century to advance American naval supremacy. After the American Civil War, the powerful US Navy was allowed to decay into utter decrepitude, and was becoming a security liability. In 1883, Congress approved four new steel-constructed vessels called the “ABCD” ships. The three protected cruisers Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago were the first steel warships built for the US Navy, whose 1880s–1890s technological and cultural transformation was so total it is now remembered as the “New Navy”. This small fleet was joined by a succession of new and distinctive protected cruisers, culminating in the famous and powerful Olympia. These 11 protected cruisers formed the backbone of the early US steel navy, and were in the frontline of the US victory in the 1898 Spanish-American War. It was these warships that fought and won the decisive Battle of Manila Bay. These cruisers also served faithfully as escorts and auxiliaries in World War I before the last were retired in the 1920s. Written by experienced US naval researcher Brian Lane Herder, and including rare photographs, this book explores the development, qualities, and service of these important warships, and highlights the almost-forgotten Columbia-class, designed as high-speed commerce raiders, and to mimic specific passenger liners. All 11 protected cruisers are depicted in meticulously researched color illustrations with one depicting the Olympia deploying her full sail rig.

Warrior to Dreadnought

Author: David K. Brown
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
ISBN: 9781848320864
Category : Warships
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Originally published: London: Chatham Pub., 1997.