Birth of the Battleship : British Capital Ship Design, 1870-1881

by Beeler, John

• ISBN13: 9781840675344
• ISBN10: 1840675349
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Book Sales

Summary

The 1870s and 1880s have traditionally been seen as the 'Dark Ages' of British warship design, where technological conservatism and a lack of any definite design policy produced a confusing mix of ship types, with armament and machinery which were outmoded before the ships were even completed. This new book, however, is a powerful refutation of that view, expanding the scope of its study of the ships of this period beyond the narrowly technological to reveal the full range of strategic, logistical and administrative factors which influenced warship development, arguing that it is here that the origins of the modern battleship can be found.

Author Biography

John F Beeler is Associate Professor of History at the University of Alabama

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. 7
Introduction	p. 9
International Relations, Naval Rivals, Domestic Politics and Government Finance: The Context	p. 13
Materials and Construction	p. 30
Sails and Steam	p. 47
Armament	p. 65
Strategy, Economics, Politics and Design Policy	p. 87
Design by Committee	p. 108
The Inflexible and Mr Reed	p. 122
From Inflexible to Colossus	p. 138
The Coast Assault Paradigm Shaken: Collingwood and the 'Admiral' Class, 1879-81	p. 157
The Cruiser Quandary	p. 182
Conclusion	p. 204
Bibliography	p. 215
Index	p. 221
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