Maritime history Books

Book SynopsisThe Trafalgar Chronicle is the publication of choice for new, scholarly research about the Georgian Navy, sometimes called Nelson's Navy'; the journal's scope, however, includes all the sailing navies of the period 1714 to 1837.This year's volume includes three articles on highly original topics. First, an analysis of the various swords the Duke of Clarence gave as gifts to Royal Navy officers. Second, is a deeply researched piece into early nineteenth-century court records to document the many incarnations of a Royal Navy schooner, Whiting, which, after capture by a French privateer in the War of 1812, became, herself, a privateer and a pirate ship. The last of three articles in this section gives an analysis of what Nelson thought of privateers, especially after the French xebec L'Esperance took his cutter Swift as a prize.To recognise the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Swedish Navy, there are included three articles from a new compilation The Baltic Cauldron, a collection

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Book SynopsisThe first full history of the Royal Navy's longest-running commitment. Will be of particular interest to former personnel, as well as to naval historians.

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Book SynopsisThe Isle of Man is predominantly a maritime nation. For many generations its menfolk have made their living from the sea, sometimes as fishermen, but often as crewmen aboard merchant vessels or warships. Indeed, such were their skills of seamanship that they were in great demand for the latter in time of war.As smugglers, or as privateers they made their living on the waves, in the Atlantic, Caribbean or Pacific. Whether taken by a Press Gang, or enlisted voluntarily, the Manx saw action in some of the greatest naval events between 1760 and 1815. The Isle of Man had a high degree of literacy and education even among the poor at this time, and consequently a significant body of first-hand evidence has survived from those who served below decks, aboard merchant ships, privateers and warships.Some, such as Peter Heywood, were eyewitness to the most famous event in naval history, the Mutiny on the Bounty. Others, such as John Quilliam climbed the naval career ladder, served with Nelson and

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Book SynopsisThe first book to deal in detail with the development and uses of royal yachts.

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Book SynopsisJeremy Johns provides a pictorial history of smuggling in Cornwall.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the history behind everyone's favourite villain, from the golden age of piracy to the present. Pirates, those desperate men and (some notorious women) who sought fame and fortune, often led short but exciting lives laced with rum and debaucheryâTrade Review‘Helen Hollick has it all! She tells a great story, and gets her history right.’ -- Bernard Cornwell

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Book SynopsisA revelatory and wide-ranging exploration of HMS Britannic--her life at sea and on the seabed--by the owner of her wreck. Launched in 1914, two years after the ill-fated voyage of her sister ship, RMS Titanic, the Britannic was intended to be superior to her tragic twin in every way. But war intervened and in 1915 she was requisitioned as a hospital ship. Just one year later, while on her way to collect troops wounded in the Balkans campaign, she fell victim to a mine laid by a German U-boat and tragically sank in the middle of the Aegean Sea.There her wreck lay, at a depth of 400 feet, until it was discovered 59 years later by legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau. In 1996 the wreck was bought by the author of this book, Simon Mills.Exploring the Britannic tells the complete story of this enigmatic ship: her construction, launch and life, her fateful last voyage, and the historical findings resulting from the exploration of tTrade ReviewLavishly illustrated...harrowingly honest, Exploring the Britannic is a beautiful and often moving reflection on history, warfare, undersea exploration, friendship, courage and tragedy. * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisAn updated and expanded edition to celebrate the 150th anniversary of this iconic ship. The narrative spans her construction at Dumbarton in 1869; her famous tea voyages as well as those with other cargoes; her career under a Portuguese flag; her subsequent return to the Thames, Greenwich; and the dramatic fire, painstaking restoration and glorious reopening in April 2012. The book has been developed from the outset with the Cutty Sark Trust and takes the form of a chronological career narrative but also presents detailed features on crew accounts, log entries, pieces on seamanship, ports and cargoes and broader tall ship culture as well as an opportunity to focus on artifacts and the fittings of the ship. This unique opportunity allows the first publication of specially commissioned photography created as part of, and subsequent to, the clipper's restoration as well as the findings of resulting research.Trade ReviewSubstantial and beautifully illustrated. * Times Literary Supplement *A wonderfully illustrated narrative. * Britain *

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Book SynopsisNot many ships' cats have even one memorial statue, let alone six. But Trim does, including one outside Euston Station in London, proudly unveiled by Prince William on the bicentenary of Matthew Flinders's death 19 July 2014. Trim was the ship's cat who accompanied Matthew Flinders on his voyages to circumnavigate and map the coastline of Australia from 1801 to 1803. He lived quite the adventurous life. As a small kitten he fell overboard while at sea but managed to swim back to the vessel and climb back on board by scaling a rope. This cemented his position as Flinders's beloved companion, and together they survived a voyage around the world, the circumnavigation of Australia and a shipwreck. When Flinders was imprisoned by the French in Mauritius in 1803 Trim shared his captivity until one day he mysteriously disappeared which heartbreakingly Flinders attributed to his being stolen and eaten by a hungry slave.Trim, The Cartographer's Cat is an ode to this much-loved ship's cTrade ReviewFeline fans among us will utterly adore it. * RNLI magazine *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE MARITIME FOUNDATION AWARD FOR BEST BOOK 2024A fascinating and original look at how the sea has defined Britain - and decided the course of its history - for thousands of years. Being an island nation is a core part of the British identity. An estimated two thirds of the world's population have never seen the sea, but in the UK that drops to under 10 per cent. Yet most people don't appreciate the impact our position on the edge of a continental shelf has had on our history, going back thousands of years. Our coast neither starts nor ends at the beach, and this eye-opening book takes a look beneath the surface to explore the forces of nature that have made Britain what it is. We experience some of the highest tides on the planet and we are battered with waves that have travelled halfway around the globe before they get here, but most of what we understand about our unique waters has only been discovered in living memory. In this fascinating guided tour of the faTrade ReviewBowers looks beyond the beach to what lies beneath the surface of the sea and how it works. The intertwining of oceanography and history is fascinating. The sea will always holds its secrets, but Home Waters makes them a bit more accessible. * Geographical, magazine of the Royal Geographical Society *An unusual and stimulating book. * Yachting Monthly *Table of Contents1 A Boundary in the Ocean – understanding Britain’s place on the edge of a continental shelf 2 Coastal Currents – what happens when fresh water (rain) mixes with salt water (the sea) and why currents around Britain go in the direction they do 3 A Toe in the Water – exploring the different layers of the sea, and why temperature differences matter to sealife 4 Waves on a Cornish Beach – how preparations for the Normandy landings in 1944 taught us some waves travel halfway around the planet before getting here 5 A Night at The Alma – learning from devastating storm surges on the Essex coast to predict them and save lives in future 6 High Tide at Clevedon – understanding why the Bristol Channel has the second largest rise and fall of the tide in the world 7 Inspecting the Eagre – observing the tidal bore that sweeps up the River Trent to understand how these spectacular phenomena work 8 Double Tides at Port Ellen – the strange fluctuations in sea level at Southampton and Islay, and why they happen 9 Light and Colour – how measuring sunlight in the sea at Plymouth Sound led to new understandings about how the sea works 10 Layers in a Loch – why waves and currents can develop on lakes and lochs, and why this is important

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Book SynopsisFrom the very beginnings of torpedo craft, all naval powers have seen the occasional need for larger, more powerful or in other respects special designs that stand outside the contemporary norms for flotilla craft. The driving forces were often different from country to country and varied over time, but all the resulting ships may be conveniently defined as super destroyers'. This book is a history of these out-of-the-ordinary vessels, the specific conditions that produced them, and their impact on naval warfare, especially during the two world wars. Notable highlights of this story include the introduction of destroyer leaders' during the Great War, the Japanese Special type' of the late 1920s, the British Tribal' class, German Narviks', and the interwar Franco-Italian rivalry that produced some of the fastest of all super destroyers. By the end of the Second World War only the largest designs seemed adequate, so although built in quantity the US _Gearing_ class were effectively sup

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of HMS New Zealand, a battlecruiser paid for by the people of New Zealand in 1909, and when Japan was perceived as a threat in Australasia and the Pacific. Born of the collision between New Zealand's patriotic dreams and European politics, the tale of HMS New Zealand is further wrapped in the turbulent power-plays at the Admiralty in the years leading up to the World War I, not least because her design was already obsolescent when she was built. Nevertheless, she went on to have a distinguished World War I career when she was present in all three major naval battles--Heligoland, Dogger Bank, and Jutland--in the North Sea. The book outlines the politics, the engineering issues, and provides a fast-paced account of the ship's career through official documents, eyewitness accounts of her crew and other period documentation, including reports of her dockings and modifications. All this is inter-woven with the human and social context to create a 'biography' of the ship as an expression of human endeavor, engineering, and action, and it is presented in significantly more detail than the summaries available in prior accounts.Trade Review'Matthew Wright was able to mine the trove of surviving personal papers and accounts which give life to the ship. He deftly uses these sources to bring the New Zealand’s story alive. The Battlecruiser New Zealand is a very fine book about a most remarkable ship.' – Peter Jones, Australian Naval Institute

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Book SynopsisThe breakneck adventure of war, romance, politics, and betrayal, where noble gentleman privateer William Kidd becomes a scapegoat, and Crown and crew sink to unfathomable depths to brand him pirate enemy #1.

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Book Synopsis*Shortlisted for the 2019 Mountbatten Award* "We went up on deck and were looking around when the awful crash came. The ship listed so much that we all scrambled down the deck and for a moment everything was in confusion. When I came to myself again I glanced around but could find no trace of Mr Prichard. He seemed to have disappeared." - Grace French The sinking of the Lusitania is an event that has been predominantly discussed from a political or maritime perspective. For the first time, The Lusitania Sinking tells the story in the emotive framework of a family looking for information on their son's death. On 1 May 1915, the 29-year-old student Preston Prichard embarked as a Second Class passenger on the Lusitania, bound from New York for Liverpool. By 2pm on the afternoon of 7 May, the liner was approaching the coast of Ireland when she was sighted by the German submarine U-20\. A single torpedo caused a massive explosion in the Lusitania's hold, and the ship began sank rapidly. Within 20 minutes she disappeared and 1,198 men, women and children, including Preston, died. Uncertain of Preston's fate, his family leaped into action. His brother Mostyn, who lived in Ramsgate, travelled to Queenstown to search morgues but could find nothing. Preston's mother wrote hundreds of letters to survivors to find out more about what might have happened in his last moments. The Lusitania Sinking compiles the responses received. Perhaps sensing his fate, Prichard had put his papers in order before embarking and told a fellow student where to find his will if anything happened to him. During the voyage, he was often seen in the company of Grace French, quoted above. Alice Middleton, who had a crush on him but was too shy to speak to him throughout the entire voyage, remembered that he helped her in reaching the upper decks during the last moments of the sinking: "[The Lusitania] exploded and down came her funnels, so over I jumped. I had a terrible time in the water, 41/2 hours bashing about among the wreckage and dead bodies... It was 10.30 before they landed me at the hospital in an unconscious condition. In fact, they piled me with a boat full of dead and it was only when they were carrying the dead bodies to the Mortuary that they discovered there was still life in me."Trade ReviewA fascinating, excellently-written reassessment of the sinking of the iconic liner Lusitania using the letters, diaries and memoirs of those who were extremely fortunate to survive. Anthony Richards is at his best in this ground-breaking history. - Richard van Emden

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Book SynopsisI ran out on the deck and then I could see ice. It was a veritable sea of ice and the boat was rocking over it. I should say that parts of the iceberg were eighty feet high, but it had been broken into sections, probably by our ship. There fell on the ear the most appalling noise that ever human ear listened to the cries of hundreds of our fellow-beings struggling in the icy-cold water, crying for help with a cry that we knew could not be answered. First published in 1912, Jay Henry Mowbray's Sinking of the Titanic was hugely influential in the aftermath of the maritime disaster, recording the harrowing, first-hand accounts of the survivors - from sailors, to stewards, to passengers - throughout the ordeal, from when the iceberg first hit to when the Carpathia eventually arrived, and honouring those who were lost on that fateful night in 1912. Mowbray's text even follows the survivors when they make it back to land - a lesser-known, riveting aspect of the tragic saga that deals with the investigation and the hearings that took place in the US and UK in the months that followed. The swiftness of the publication of Mowbray's text, the sheer number of first-hand witness accounts therein and the intensity of the chaos and fear that their accounts convey makes for a unique compilation which, together with new notes, maps, images and expert introductory material in this new, updated edition, will fascinate, educate and deeply move contemporary readers as much today as the original publication would have back in 1912.

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Book Synopsis'Captivating, a John le Carre-esque yarn' Telegraph'A thoroughly good read' Michael Portillo, author of Portillo's Hidden History of Britain and presenter of Great British Railway Journeys'A compelling story of courage, determination and skill' Terry Waite CBE, author of Taken on TrustThe true story of a retired British army officer's private Somali-hostage rescue missionDuring the peak of the Somali piracy crisis, three ships - from Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan - were hijacked and then abandoned to their fate by their employers, who lacked the money to pay ransoms. All would still be there, were it not for Colonel John Steed, a retired British military attaché, who launched his own private mission to free them. At 65, Colonel Steed was hardly an ideal saviour. With no experience in hostage negotiations and no money behind him, he had to raise the ransom cash from scratch, running the operation from his spare room and ferrying million-dollar ransom payments around in the boot of his car. Drawing on first-hand interviews, former chief foreign correspondent of The Sunday Telegraph, Colin Freeman, who has himself spent time held hostage by Somali pirates, takes readers on an inside track into the world of hostage negotiation and one man's heroic rescue mission.Trade ReviewFreeman draws from extensive first-hand interviews with survivors to paint a vivid picture of this shadowy world with the clarity and panache of a seasoned reporter ... the story is captivating, a John le Carre-esque yarn. * Telegraph *A compelling story of courage, determination and skill. If any book shows that hostage negotiation is not for the faint hearted this is it. -- Terry Waite CBE, author of Taken on TrustA raw, gripping and profoundly moving book. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea tells the extraordinary story of Somalia's forgotten hostages, the pirates who tortured them for years, and the quietly heroic Britons who refused to give up on them. -- Andrew Harding, author of These Are Not Gentle People and The Mayor of MogadishuA thoroughly good read. -- Michael Portillo, author of Portillo's Hidden History of Britain and presenter of Great British Railway JourneyJohn Steed has led an exemplary retirement as a uniquely skilled volunteer, helping to free the seafarer hostages of Somali pirates who some governments wanted to forget. Colin Freeman's book about him is both wonderful and long overdue. -- Michael Scott Moore, author of The Desert and the Sea'A MUST READ book ... 5 stars, highly recommended!' -- Jordan Wylie, adventurer and author of Citadel: The true story of one man's war against the pirates of SomaliaTruly thrilling and fast moving ... a must read for those who seek to understand the complex history and environment in which piracy exploded in Somalia from 2008 to 2012. * Hiiraan Online *

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Book Synopsis'What a fun book! Reading Sea Fever is enticing and intriguing, like watching floating treasure bob past your nose.' Tristan Gooley, author of The Natural Navigator Can you interpret the shipping forecast? Do you know your flotsam from your jetsam? Or who owns the foreshore? Can you tie a half-hitch - or would you rather splice the mainbrace? Full of charming illustrations and surprising facts, Sea Fever provides the answers to all these and more. Mixing advice on everything from seasickness to righting a capsized boat with arcane marine lore, recipes, history, dramatic stories of daring-do and guides to the wildlife we share our shores with, even the most experienced ocean-dweller will find something in these pages to surprise and delight.Trade ReviewWhat a fun book! Reading Sea Fever is enticing and intriguing, like watching floating treasure bob past your nose. * Tristan Gooley, author of The Natural Navigator *Once you've read it, you'll never feel like a landlubber again. * Carlisle Living *

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Book SynopsisBeyond Trawlertown takes a journey through the British distant-water fishery and its port-city connections in an era of disruption. In 1976, defeat in the Anglo-Icelandic Cod Wars saw the British trawling fleet excluded from their traditional hunting grounds. Combining with wider global factors, the move brought an end to long-established trawling practices, with profound social, economic and cultural repercussions. Through a case study of the port of Hull, oral history and archival research explore the challenges, responses and legacy of rapid change. Although the emphasis is on Hull, this is far from a local history. Hull’s position among the world leading distant-water pioneers gives the story international significance. Focusing on memory, lived experience and place, the book goes beyond established narratives. Personal acts of remembering offer cultural perspectives on how global events and marine policy impact upon the seafaring communities that live with the consequences. The Cod Wars signaled an end, yet amid the disruption there were also new beginnings. And in the wake of an active fishery, the rhythms of the past continue to resonate in the negotiation of fishing heritage within the contemporary city. Through the convergence of time, place and memory, this holistic narrative of interweaving stories reveals the intricacies of our human interaction with the marine environment and the aftermath when its threads are broken.Trade Review'This is a fine piece of work, based on extensive archival and oral history research, which makes an important and original contribution.' Dr Graeme Milne, University of Liverpool‘The book’s interdisciplinary approach, drawing on historical analysis, cultural geography and critical heritage studies, is highly welcome. Most refreshing of all, though, is Byrne’s adoption of an oral history methodology to enrich the analysis. Indeed, the real heart of this book lies in the recovery of the voices of the men and women who lived through this troubled period of the city’s long history. Through incorporating their rich oral testimonies, Byrne vividly and evocatively brings to life their lived experiences, and the recollections of the likes of fishers Michael and Thomas and factory worker Margaret add real poignancy to the narrative as their life stories are captured within the book’s pages… Beyond Trawlertown is a vividly-rendered, evocative history that captures the human cost of the decline in Hull’s distant-water fishing industry.’ Robert James, Northern History'Beyond Trawlertown broadly focuses on an unforgiving, dangerous occupation, a seacoast town, technological advances in an industry, and the effect on men from several nations who competed for a rapidly dwindling resource… Jo Byrne's work is a multifaceted textbook of the history and politics of the UK fishing industry, a philosophical essay, and a warning to other prominent fishing ports around the world.' Louis Arthur NortionTable of ContentsList of MapsList of FiguresAbbreviationsGlossary of Fishing and Nautical TermsGlossary of Local TermsPreface: Starting the JourneyChapter One: IntroductionChapter Two: Trawling Lives and Culture – A Portrait up to 1976Chapter Three: A New Fishing World OrderChapter Four: Living Through the AftermathChapter Five: New HorizonsChapter Six: The Life and Death of TrawlertownChapter Seven: RemembranceChapter Eight: Beyond TrawlertownAppendicesAcknowledgementsBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating history of the Cunard Line, from 1840 to date

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Book SynopsisUnder the Banner of King Death is a tale of mutiny, bloody battle, and social revolution, bringing to life an itinerant community of outsiders behind today's legends. This graphic novel breaks new ground in our understanding of piracy and pirate culture, giving us real reasons to love the rebellious and stouthearted marauders of the seas.At the pinnacle of the Golden Age of Atlantic piracy, three unlikely companions are sold into servitude on a merchant ship and thrust into a voyage of rebellion. They are John Gwin, an African American fugitive from bondage in South Carolina; Ruben Dekker, a common seaman from Amsterdam; and Mark (a.k.a. Mary) Reed, an American woman who dresses as a man.When the crew turn to mutiny, they and the freed slaves establish democracy aboard The Night Rambler. This new dispensation provides radical social benefits, all based on the documented practices of real pirate ships of the era: democratic decision-making, a social security net, health and disability insurance, and an equal distribution of spoils taken from prize ships. But before long the London elites enlist a war-hungry captain to take down The Night Rambler in a war that pitches high society against high-seas freebooters.Adapted from the scholarship and research of celebrated historian Marcus Rediker, Under the Banner of King Death is an inspiring story of the oppressed steering a course against adversity and injustice.

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Book SynopsisJ.M.W. Turner's The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her Last Berth to be Broken Up (1838) was his masterpiece. Sam Willis tells the real-life story behind this remarkable painting. The 98-gun Temeraire warship broke through the French and Spanish line directly astern of Nelson's flagship Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), saving Nelson at a crucial moment in the battle, and, in the words of John Ruskin, fought until her sides ran 'wet with the long runlets of English blood...those pale masts that stayed themselves up against the war-ruin, shaking out their ensigns through the thunder, till sail and ensign dropped.' It is a story that unites the art of war as practised by Nelson with the art of war as depicted by Turner and, as such, it ranges across an extensive period of Britain's cultural and military history in ways that other stories do not. The result is a detailed picture of British maritime power at two of its most significant peaks in the age of sail: the climaxes of both the Seven Years' War (1756-63) and the Napoleonic Wars (1798-1815). It covers every aspect of life in the sailing navy, with particular emphasis on amphibious warfare, disease, victualling, blockade, mutiny and, of course, fleet battle, for it was at Trafalgar that the Temeraire really won her fame. An evocative and magnificent narrative history by a master historian.Trade Review'Cleverly uses the microcosm of the life story of one ship to reflect the wider narrative of the decades-long struggle between Britain and France for mastery of the seas' Sunday Times. * Sunday Times *'*****Brilliant ... Sam Willis has written a magnificent tribute to these superb ships and all who sailed in them' Mail on Sunday. * Mail on Sunday *'Willis offers an engaging biography of the Temeraire and gives a detailed picture of life in the sailing navy ... (His) book is infused with his experience and knowledge of seafaring' Times Literary Supplement. * Times Literary Supplement *'an elegant lament for the vanished warships of the world and an eloquent plea for the preservation of those still afloat' Bernard Cornwell in Wall Street Journal. * Wall Street Journal *Table of ContentsList of illustrations. Maps. Preface. The Escaping Temeraire. The Captured Temeraire. The Amphibious Temeraire. The New Temeraire. The Blockading Temeraire. The Mutinous Temeraire. The Trafalgar Temeraire. The Baltic and Iberian Temeraire. The Retired Temeraire. The Fighting Temeraire. Postscript. Epilogue: On Iconic Warships. Appendix 1: Ship Diagrams. Appendix 2: The crew of HMS Temeraire at the Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805. Appendix 3: Poems and Songs. Glossary. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe unlikely beginnings of the East India Company—from Tudor origins and rivalry with the superior Dutch—to laying the groundwork for future British expansionTrade Review“Howarth tells some hair-raising tales from the maiden voyage of the Company ship Peppercorn. . . . Packed with tales, as well as gruesome accounts of clashes between rival traders in the east.”—Dan Jones, Times (UK) “Adventurers is essential reading.”—Dan Jones, Times (UK)“[Adventurers] details the early years of what would become the world’s biggest corporation…By no means a defence of the empire, this dizzying work makes its emergence all the more remarkable.”—Daniel Brooks, Sunday Telegraph“The writer can glide from Jahangir’s memoirs and Mughal miniatures to the gossipy asides of Spanish spies, the travel tales of Richard Hakluyt and Samuel Purchas, the letters and journals of Roe.”—David Arnold, Times Literary Supplement“Howarth’s study [is] quite different from its rivals, and overflowing with surprises.”—William Dalrymple, The Spectator“This is a book [Howarth] has wanted to write for 50 years. . . . The frequent exuberance of his prose echo[es] the voices of larger-than-life venturers and seafarers who fill his pages.”—Alan Mallinson, Country Life“Adventurers is an important counterpoint to received knowledge of Anglo-Indian history, and the foundations of what was perhaps the world’s first and most controversial corporation.”—Lubaaba Al-Azami, BBC History Magazine“Howarth’s book is a joy of revelation, page by page. . . . Beautifully written.”—Robert Lyman, The Critic“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there might be a further volume. . . . Perhaps Howarth, like those first Adventurers, will have the right amount of intrepid bravery and insanity to attempt it.”—Debbie Kilroy, Get History“Drawing on an abundance of sources . . . indicative of deep research and of scholarship. . . . Howarth brings to life the Company’s way of doing business.“—Seagull: Journal of the Indian Maritime Foundation“This is a fascinating book, rich in texture, beautifully written, and covering a broad sweep of history. Strongly recommended.”—Richard Morgan, Chowkidar: The BACSA Journal“The history of the East India Company is so often read backwards. This wonderfully well-written book restores its early development to its true context—it is, like cold water in a desert, the picture for which we’ve gasped.”—James Evans, author of Merchant Adventurers“Fascinating and authoritative. David Howarth weaves a rich and rewarding tapestry of the uncertain, often chaotic development of the company, moving with style from London to Southeast Asia, and amassing a colourful cast list of princes, merchants and politicians. Adventurers will become the standard book on the subject, and deservedly so.”—Jerry Brotton, author of This Orient Isle“Howarth’s keen eye for intrigue weaves together a tale of commercial competition and imperial ambition that carries us from the Tudor court to the coasts of Japan. Adventurers is a quick-paced romp through the chaotic early history of Britain’s most infamous corporation.”—Edmond Smith, author of Merchants“Pragmatic, ruthless, and chaotic in turn, the early English East India Company is revealed in all its baroque extravagances in this superb and necessary new history.”—Nandini Das, author of Courting India

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Book SynopsisA uniquely detailed study of a Japanese aircraft carrier that took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor, before being sunk at Midway.Hiryu was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1930s. Her aircraft supported the Japanese invasion of French Indochina in mid-1940 and during the first month of the Pacific War, she took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Wake Island. She supported the conquest of the Dutch East Indies in January 1942 and her aircraft bombed Darwin, Australia, and continued to assist in the Dutch East Indies campaign. In April, Hiryu''s aircraft helped sink two British heavy cruisers and several merchant ships during the Indian Ocean raid. After a brief refit, Hiryu and three other fleet carriers of the First Air Fleet participated in the Battle of Midway in June 1942. After bombarding American forces on the atoll, the carriers were attacked by aircraft from Midway and the Trade ReviewI have seen similar books with 3D artwork before, but nothing has come close the sheer detail and quantity to be found in this one. Simply stunning book. -- Robin Buckland * Military Model Scene *Stefan Draminski has done an incredible job of creating a coherent set of ship’s plans, drawing on original documents from the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, as well as providing a potted history of Japanese carrier development and the career of Hiryu herself. -- Joe Coles * HushKit Magazine *An excellent and detailed guide -- Duncan Evans * The Armourer Magazine *Draminski has ably put together a book that is highly detailed but accessible -- James Bosbotinis * The Naval Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction Technical Description History Primary Views The Drawings: A General arrangements B Hull structure C Superstructure D Rig E Armament F Fittings G Aircraft H Boats

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Book SynopsisThe largest, most luxurious ship in the world, wrecked on her maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg mid-Atlantic, has become the stuff of legends. While everyone knows the new White Star liner was glamorous, full of millionaires when she sank, few appreciate just how luxurious she was. Even in Third Class, the accommodation was better than on First Class on many older ships. For the first time, Bruce Beveridge, Steve Hall, Scott Andrews and Daniel Klistorner look at the construction and exterior of the ship itself, and at her interior design and fittings. From cobalt blue Spode china and Elkington plate silverware in the à la carte restaurant to the design of the boilers and fixtures and fittings on board the world's most luxurious vessel, they tell the story of a liner built at the peak of the race between the British, French and Germans to build bigger and better ships.

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Book SynopsisIn the late 19th and early 20th century, a combination of coastal defence for the homeland and fleet defence for the East Indies became the established naval strategy for the Royal Dutch Navy and set the template for the world wars. Battleships were too expensive to build and maintain, so after World War I, there was significant investment in submarine development and construction. A handful of modern light cruisers and a new class of destroyers were also constructed during the interwar years to serve as a small Fleet-in-Being in the East Indies, as well as to support the actions of the navy's submarines. The light cruiser HNLMS De Ruyter and the Java-class light cruisers were the most powerful units of the new fleet whilst the backbone of the destroyer fleet was the Admiralen-class and the Tromp-class of destroyer leaders. Beginning in December 1941, the Dutch Navy played a very active role in the defence of the East Indies against the Japanese during World War II. The Battle oTable of ContentsIntroduction Major Surface Vessels of the Koninklijke Marine Submarines of the Koninklijke Marine Risk Theory and its Impact on the Operations of Koninklijke Marine Warships, 1941-42 Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe destruction of the HMS Hood by the Bismarck in 1941 was one of the most shocking episodes in the history of the Royal Navy. Built during World War I, the Hood was the largest, fastest and one of the most handsome capital ships in the world. For the first time, this volume in the renowned Anatomy of a Ship series is available in paperback, and features a detailed description of every aspect of the beloved battlecruiser. In addition to analysing the genesis of its design and contemporary significance, this exceptional study provides the finest documentation of the Hood, with a complete set of superb line drawings, supported by technical details and a record of the ship''s service history.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION Design Construction Service history The loss of Hood General arrangements and hull structure Machinery Armament Control systems Ground tackle Aircraft Modifications The PHOTOGRAPHS The DRAWINGS General arrangements Hull construction Machinery Accommodation Superstructure Rig Armament Fire-control Fittings Ground tackle Ship’s boats Aircraft arrangements

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Book SynopsisHere is a survivor''s vivid account of the greatest maritime disaster in history. The information contained in Gracie''s account is available from no other source. He provides details of those final moments, including names of passengers pulled from the ocean and of those men who, in a panic, jumped into lifeboats as they were being lowered, causing injury and further danger to life. Walter Lord, author of ''A Night to Remember'', comments that Gracie''s book - written shortly before he died from the exposure he suffered on the night - is invaluable for chasing down who went in what boat, and calls Gracie an indefatigable detective.

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Book SynopsisThe 2025 edition of Warship, the celebrated annual publication featuring original research on the history, development, and service of the world''s warships.For over 45 years, Warship has been the leading annual resource on the design, development, and deployment of the world''s combat ships. Featuring a broad range of articles from a select panel of distinguished international contributors, Warship combines original research, new book reviews, warship notes, an image gallery, and much more, maintaining the impressive standards of scholarship and research with which the annual has become synonymous. Detailed and accurate information is the hallmark of all the articles, which are fully supported by plans, data tables, and stunning photographs. This year''s Warship includes features on France''s first destroyers, the turn-of-the-century 300-tonne type; Denmark''s H-class submarines of World War II; Italy''s proposed battlecruiser desi

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Book SynopsisA new framework contextualizes crucial international security issues at sea in the Indo-Pacific Competition at sea is once again a central issue of international security. Nowhere is the urgency to address state-on-state competition at sea more strongly felt than in the Indo-Pacific region, where freedom of navigation is challenged by regional states’ continuous investments in naval power, and the renewed political will to use it to undermine its principles. The New Age of Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific provides an original framework in which five “factors of influence” explain how and why naval power matters in this pivotal part of the world. An international group of contributors make the case that these five factors draw upon a longstanding influence of naval power on regional dynamics and impact the extent to which different states in the region use naval power: the capacity to exert control over sea-lanes, the capacity to deploy a nuclear deterrent at sea, the capacity to implement the law of the sea in an advantageous way, the ability to control marine resources, and the capacity for technological innovation. The New Age of Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific offers a fresh approach for academics and policy makers seeking to navigate the complexity of maritime security and regional affairs.Trade ReviewAn impressively timely contribution to our military strategy debates with respect to dealing with Chinese naval aggression in the Indo-Pacific, a new framework contextualizes crucial international security issues at sea. * Midwest Book Review *The New Age of Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific is a most incisive and valuable study, defining maritime power as a control feature of regional security. The book's contributors provide a comprehensive macro-overview with interlinked sub-regional analyses. * Australian Naval Institute *Table of ContentsList of IllustrationsForeword: Vice Adm. Anne Rondeau, (USN, Ret.)AcknowledgmentsList of Acronyms1. Naval Power and a Framework for Regional Security in the Indo-PacificAlessio Patalano, James A. Russell, and Catherine L. Grant Part I: The Factors of Influence in Indo-Pacific Security2. Geopolitics and Strategic Geography in Sino-US CompetitionChristopher Twomey3. Law, Order, and Maritime (In)StabilityPeter Dutton4. Maritime Resources and Regional CompetitionClive Schofield5. Nuclear Order at SeaNicola Leveringhaus6. Technology, Escalation, and War in the Indo-PacificJames A. Russell Part II: Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific as History7. Asian States and Early Imperial Competition in the Indian OceanRyan Gingeras8. The “Problem of Asia” and Imperial Competition before WWIRichard Dunley9. The Far East Between the World WarsDaniel Moran 10. Superpower Rivalry and the Strategic Balance in the Cold WarKevin Rowlands Part III: Naval Power and Contemporary Security in the Indo-Pacific 11. Northeast AsiaIan Bowers12. East and South China SeasAlessio Patalano and Julie Marionneau13. The Taiwan StraitSheryn Lee14. South PacificJames Goldrick15. Indian OceanJames Wirtz and Abhijit SinghConclusions: Strategy, Order, and Regional Security in the Indo-PacificAlessio Patalano, James A. Russell, and Catherine L. GrantIndexList of Contributors

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Book SynopsisDressed to Kill is a unique and detailed analysis of naval uniform and its historical, social and economic contexts in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This fully updated and expanded second edition examines the significance of male fashion and uniform in the forging of a national, hierarchical and gendered identity. By drawing upon extensive archival research, Amy Miller provides a greater explanation of the political and social changes that impacted not only what the Royal Navy wore, but why. Parliamentary records, newspapers and museum archives give a greater contextualisation of the relationship that naval uniform represented - that of a confluence of politics and economics, fashion and popular culture. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this second edition of Dressed to Kill includes an extensive catalogue of uniforms from the rich collection of the National Maritime Museum and a selection of patterns that examine the construction of the garments.

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Book Synopsis When the Titanic sank, so did the Edwardian age that created it. In this brilliantly original history, Gareth Russell recasts a tragedy we think we know to explore an era of seismic change. Trade Review‘A fascinating look at life during a doomed era … Like spending time with an amusing conversationalist aboard what the Edwardians called ‘a ship of dreams’ … Russell’s social observations are sharp and witty … the wider history he presents is packed with interesting details.’ Times, Book of the Week ‘Gripping …. the attention to detail is astonishing.’ Sunday Times ‘Engrossing … This masterly reconstruction renders the Titanic story vital again’ Mail on Sunday ‘Russell sets out to look at the night through the experiences of six first-class passengers … Russell reminds us no one thought the Titanic could sink … The belief in the infallibility of bigness is the most striking feature of Russell’s darksome failing world’ Daily Telegraph ‘It is a wonderful, multi-angled view of history and grips the reader as compellingly as a pacey historical or epic movie … Russell has written a wonderful book, full of personalities, history but most of all suspense.’ Independent ‘Gareth Russell invites us into the first-class staterooms aboard the RMS Titanic and brings to life the Edwardian era and its elite—the exclusive circle of Europeans and Americans who wielded unimaginable wealth and influence on both sides of the Atlantic. Deeply researched and lushly detailed, the book shines new light on both the bygone Golden Age and the iconic tragedy that marked the beginning of its end.’ Lynn Vincent, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Indianapolis ‘This absorbing account proves that there are many levels to the endless fascination of the Titanic story … Gareth Russell skilfully constructs an eloquent and gripping narrative that is essentially a microcosm of the moribund Edwardian class system that would go down with the Titanic and finally be obliterated by war in 1914.’ Helen Rappaport, author of Four Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Romanov Grand Duchesses

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth examination of the law and geopolitics of China’s maritime disputes and their implications for the rules of the international law of the seaTrade Review“Kardon seeks to correct a common misconception about China’s expansive maritime claims. Rather than simply flouting laws, the PRC has sought to minimize the weight of existing laws and shape new ones through its activities. The volume is a carefully argued and brilliant contribution to scholarship on the evolution of ‘global order.’”—Margaret M. Pearson, University of Maryland, College Park“Now that China has the world’s largest navy, is it really a threat to the rules-based maritime order? Those who share this concern will find China’s Law of the Sea an essential analysis of Beijing’s practice as well as theory.”—Jerome A. Cohen, Council on Foreign Relations“China’s maritime reach and activity will continue to be components of its ambition and power. Isaac Kardon’s perspectives and keen insight into China’s view of maritime order are unmatched. China’s Law of the Sea is an essential read for everyone who depends on the maritime domain and for all who ponder China’s approach to regional and global order.”—Gary Roughead, Admiral, U.S. Navy (retired), and former U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations“China’s contested maritime claims are a potential flashpoint for Asian conflict. Isaac Kardon systematically explains how China, in pursuing those claims, manipulates, disregards, or violates international legal norms in ways that could have global implications.”—Thomas J. Christensen, Columbia University and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State “China’s rise as a maritime power is a defining element of its ascent. In this carefully researched and insightful book, Kardon documents China’s distinctive approach to the law of the sea that combines legal interpretations, bureaucratic mobilization, and maritime forces on the water. China’s Law of the Sea is a terrific contribution to the literature that illuminates China’s challenge to the international maritime order in East Asia and beyond.”—M. Taylor Fravel, director of the Security Studies Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Book SynopsisNaming a boat is as personal as naming a baby (even if few male skippers would risk telling the wife that). The culmination of many years of dreaming and penny pinching, the purchase of a boat of any size is a huge event for any sailor, and with that comes serious naming pressure. Many boatowners have a secret fear that someone else got their brilliantly original name first or ruined it for ever by reducing its reputation to snigger-worthy opprobrium. Sometimes it's so difficult to name a boat that skippers are desperate enough to ask the sorts of people who think Boaty McBoatface would be a good choice The perfect gift for any skipper or would-be skipper, and featuring hundreds of common and uncommon names, this entertaining little book will answer perhaps the most important question new owners should ask themselves: what will this name say about me? And as everyone knows, once you've named a boat, you never ever change it, so it also answers the question: what is myTrade ReviewBOOK OF THE MONTH: Underpinned by history, psychology and a large dash of humour, his latest book is a witty guide to boat naming. * Coast magazine *Offers an A-Z of boat names both good and bad, common and uncommon, and answers the all-important question of what the name of your vessel says about you. * Welsh Coastal Life *An essential guide including an interesting history, a fair bit of psychology and a lot of humour. * All at Sea *

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Book SynopsisNelson's history has been written from every possible angle, but this is not so with his ships. Such information as there is about the ships is buried in contemporary books on naval architecture; only the expert can sift it and present it in a usable form. In doing this, Dr. Longridge's 1955 work quickly became a veritable treasure trove for the naval historian and ship modeler. H.M.S. Victory is the supreme example of the ships of the period, and fortunately she is still in existence. The original draughts of 1765 have been preserved, as have also the drawings used in the restoration of the ship in 1922. The author was thus able to compile from authentic sources and his model of the Victory now occupies a prominent position in the Science Museum at South Kensington. The illustrations are a unique feature. They include a set of photographs showing the interior construction of H.M.S. Victory and H.M.S. Implacable, the latter being taken only a few days before she was scuttled. The book features over 180 line drawings, designed by E. Bowness, A.R.I.N.A., and executed by G.F. Campbell, Assoc. M.R.I.N.A., ranging from elaborate perspective drawings of the complex gear at the fore top and crosstrees to the simplest detail. The folding plates by G.F. Campbell (which measure 560 x 400 mm and 235 x 450 mm) include lines, inboard and outboard profile, deck plans of the hull, standing and running rigging plans, and a complete belaying pin plan. Such an analysis of the ship of this period had never before been attempted.Table of ContentsPreface. Part One - The Hull: Construction of Ships of the Period. Framing of the Model. Planking and Coppering. Decks and Other Details. Head and Stern. Upper Deck. Guns and Deck Details. Quarter Deck. Other Hull Details. Assembly. Part Two - The Rigging: Masts and Spars. Rigging. Standing Rigging. Running Rigging.

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Book SynopsisThe Mary Rose was one of King Henry VIII''s favourite warships until she sank during an engagement with the French fleet on 19 July 1545. Her rediscovery and raising were seminal events in the history of nautical archaeology. Apart from the Captain and the Vice Admiral, nothing is known about the crew of the Mary Rose - the only evidence about her complement of 415 men rests with their skeletal remains. In The Men of the Mary Rose A.J. Stirland uses archaeological and skeletal evidence to give the reader a welcome insight into the soldiers of the Mary Rose, from their ages and height to their health, diet and physical condition.This book examines the building, sinking and raising of the Mary Rose and her historical context, before moving on to the examination of what the remain of the crew can reveal to us about the fighting men of that period. Many new findings have been made through analysis of their bones, including the effects of some activities and occup

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Book SynopsisVolume Two covers the interior design and fitting out of the ship and presents detailed deck-by-deck information, from the palatial rooms of First Class to areas of the ship seen only by the crew.

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Book SynopsisWorld War II was only a few hours old when the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest campaign of the Second World War and the most complex submarine war in history, began with the sinking of the unarmed passenger liner Athenia by the German submarine U30. Based on the mastery of the latest research and written from a mid-Atlantic rather than the traditional Anglo-centric perspective, Marc Milner focuses on the confrontation between opposing forces and the attacks on Allied shipping that lay at the heart of the six-year struggle. Against the backdrop of the battle for the Atlantic lifeline he charts the fascinating development of U-boats and the techniques used by the Allies to suppress and destroy these stealth weapons.

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Book SynopsisBeginning in 1912 with the four-funnel France, the nostalgic voyage continues with the great and grand transatlantic liners of the French Line, the CGT.

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Book SynopsisShipwrecks have captured our imagination for centuries. Here acclaimed historian Sam Willis traces the astonishing tales of ships that have met with disastrous ends, along with the ensuing acts of courage, moments of sacrifice and episodes of villainy that inevitably occurred in the extreme conditions. Many were freak accidents, and their circumstances so extraordinary that they inspired literature: the ramming of the Essex by a sperm whale was immortalized in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Some symbolize colossal human tragedy: including the legendary Titanic whose maiden voyage famously went from pleasure cruise to epic catastrophe. From the Kyrenia ship of 300 BC to the Mary Rose, through to the Kursk submarine tragedy of 2000, this is a thrilling work of narrative history from one of our most talented young historians.Trade Review'The stories of these wrecks are fascinating and well told - even poetic. But it is what each tells us of the maritime world, naval history and the nature of warfare at sea that gives this selection its great interest and shows the erudition and intelligence of the author' Dr Oliver Walton, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. * Dr Oliver Walton *

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Book SynopsisA monumental, wholly accessible work of scholarship that retells human history through the story of mankind's relationship with the sea.An accomplishment of both great sweep and illuminating detail, The Sea and Civilization is a stunning work of history that reveals in breathtaking depth how people first came into contact with one another by ocean and river, and how goods, languages, religions, and entire cultures spread across and along the world's waterways.Lincoln Paine takes us back to the origins of long-distance migration by sea with our ancestors' first forays from Africa and Eurasia to Australia and the Americas. He demonstrates the critical role of maritime trade to the civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley. He reacquaints us with the great seafaring cultures of antiquity like those of the Phoenicians and Greeks, as well as those of India, Southeast and East Asia who parlayed their navigational skills, shipbuilding techniques, and commercial acumen to establish vibrant overseas colonies and trade routes in the centuries leading up to the age of European overseas expansion. His narrative traces subsequent developments in commercial and naval shipping through the post-Cold War era. Above all, Paine makes clear how the rise and fall of civilizations can be traced to the sea.Trade ReviewA magnificently sweeping world history that takes us from the people of Oceania and concludes with the container. In contrast to most books on maritime history, the majority of The Sea and Civilization covers the history of the world before Columbus sailed the ocean blue and at least as much of the narrative focuses on Asia as it does on Europe. -- Ben Wilson * Daily Telegraph *The Sea and Civilization is, without doubt, the most comprehensive maritime history ever produced... Some of the most exciting history published today is by freelancers like Paine who can ignore the rules of academia * The Times *A brilliantly researched and ambitious affirmation of the sea and civilisation -- Philip Hoare * New Statesman *A true expert, Paine offers up treats... and drenches his pages with diverse, immersive detail -- Bettany Hughes * Prospect *The most enjoyable, the most refreshing, the most stimulating, the most comprehensive, the most discerning, the most insightful, the most up-to-date - in short, the best maritime history of the world. -- Felipe Fernández-ArmestoElegantly written and encyclopedic in scope, with an expert grasp of the demands of seamanship in every age, The Sea and Civilization deserves a wide readership. * Wall Street Journal *Fascinating and beautifully written . . . Paine steps back from [an] Eurocentric view to tell the story of maritime travel through the entire sweep of human history. . . With its richness of detail, [The Sea and Civilization offers] an eloquent vision of how the sea served as a path to the modern world. * Foreign Affairs *

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Book SynopsisIt was an age of evolution, when size and speed were almost the ultimate considerations. Bigger was said to be better' and ship owners were not exempted from the prevailing mood. While the German four-stackers of 1897-06 and then Cunard''s brilliant Mauretania & Lusitania of 1907 led the way to larger and grander liners. White Star Line countered by 1911 with the Olympic, her sister Titanic and a near-sister, the Britannic. The French added the France while Cunard took delivery of the beloved Aquitania. But the Germans won out -- they produced the 52,000-ton Imperator and a near-sister, the Vaterland, the last word in shipbuilding and engineering prior to the First World War. They and their sister, the Bismarck, remained the biggest ships in the world until 1935. But other passenger ships appear in this decade - other Atlantic liners, but also ships serving on more diverse routes: Union Castle to Africa, P&O to India and beyond, the Empress liners on the trans-Pacific run. We look at a grand age of maritime creation, ocean-going superlative, but also sad destruction in the dark days of the First War. It was, in all ways, a fascinating period.

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Book SynopsisVolume Two covers the interior design and fitting out of the ship and presents detailed deck-by-deck information, from the palatial rooms of First Class to areas of the ship seen only by the crew.

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Book SynopsisConstructed on the Clyde in 1869 for the Jock Willis Shipping Line, Cutty Sark was one of the last tea clippers to be built and one of the fastest.Cutty Sark spent just a few years on the tea routes before the opening of the Suez Canal and the increasing use of steamships made clippers unprofitable on shorter routes. She was turned to the trade in wool from Australia, where for ten years she held the record time for a journey to Britain. As steamships also came to dominate the longer sailing route to Australia, the ship was sold to the Portuguese company Ferreira and Co. in 1895, and renamed Ferreira. She continued as a cargo ship until she was sold as a training and cadet ship, a role in which she continued until 1954 when she was transferred to permanent dry dock at Greenwich, London, for public display.The handy pocket manual collates original documents to tell the fascinating story of how the legendary Cutty Sark was com

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