The British Navy - Volume 1

Sir Thomas Brassey (1836–1918) later Earl Brassey was a politician with a particular interest in maritime affairs. He was a keen sailor and his wifes accounts of their many voyages (also reissued in this series) were bestsellers. He subsequently became a Lord of the Admiralty and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Brasseys Naval Annual was for many years the authoritative survey of worldwide navies. This five-volume survey of the state of the British Navy was published between 1882 and 1883. Brassey was much involved with questions of the modernisation and reform of the Navy at a time when international relations were marked by a maritime arms race. The books provide much technical detail about the different types of ship and weapons available to the Navy. Volume 1 surveys the development of armoured ships and mastless ships.