6 x 9 in.  208 pages + 8 pages with b/w plates.  20 drawings.  4 maps.

During the Napoleonic Wars of 1793-1815, no other naval force was of equal stature to Britain's fighting ships. These ships of the line maintained England's vital trade routes all over the world, and served as the eventual downfall of Napoleon's expansionism. With the emergence of Admiral Nelson, the British Royal Navy reigned supreme.

These great fighting ships were magnificent—both deadly machines of war and beautiful sailing vessels. In Nelson's Navy, the author describes the ships themselves: their construction, their armament, the daily life of the men who served, as well as the titanic battles in which they were engaged. The maneuvers, tactics, and problems the commanders initially faced in the beginnings of what has been called the "original world war" are highlighted in this comprehensive chronicle.

British commanders knew that the ship of the line was the primary factor in securing control of the sea. In general, the Royal Navy outmanned and outsailed its French counterpart, which was staffed mostly with untrained revolutionaries. French command often took experienced gunners from the ships to serve in the land artillery, leaving behind unseasoned sailors who barely knew how to maneuver such large combat vehicles. Nevertheless, in spite of their lack of naval prowess, the French Navy fought with vigor and patriotism, forcing the English to upgrade their already massive force into the now-legendary fleet.

The author takes the reader through all the main battles, including the Glorious First of June, the Battle of the Nile, and Trafalgar. Placed solidly within its historical context, Nelson's Navy is an invaluable reference guide as well as an excellent narrative of the Napoleonic Wars from the perspective of those who fought on the high seas.

"In wartime it is right and proper that a country should keep up its spirits by putting the best possible light on the actions of its own forces and not dwelling unduly on successes of the enemy. It is, therefore, entirely understandable that the events of the First of June 1794 should have been celebrated by the British as a great victory and dubbed 'Glorious'. After all, in the first major naval battle of the war, seven French ships of the line were taken or sunk and no British ship was lost. Nevertheless, on any realistic basis, it was the French who had, in spite of its losses, achieved a major victory."

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