Description
Book SynopsisA 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 (185456) 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 s
Trade ReviewThese engaging illustrated texts provide an overview of ships and activities that have come to define late 19th century imperialism. -- Andrew Lambert * The Naval Review *
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTION -The Crimean gunboats -The gunvessels -From wood to iron -Changing roles -From gunvessel to sloop -The last Victorian gunboats GUNBOATS IN ACTION FURTHER READING INDEX
