British Napoleonic Ship-Of-The-Line

by KONSTAM, ANGUSBRYAN, TONY

• ISBN13: 9781841763088
• ISBN10: 184176308X
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2001-11-25
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Summary

The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars encompassed a period when rival European fleets vied for naval supremacy, and naval tactics were evolving. The British Royal Navy emerged triumphant as the leading world sea power, and the epitome of Britannic naval strength was the Ship-of-the-Line. These 'wooden walls' were more than merely floating gun batteries: they contained a crew of up to 800 men, and often had to remain at sea for extended periods. This book offers detailed coverage of the complex vessels that were the largest man-made structures produced in the pre-Industrial era.

Author Biography

Angus Konstam is an experienced Osprey author with over 10 titles in print. He has long been associated with the sea, having served in the Royal Navy, practised underwater archaeology and curated a maritime museum. His understanding of the subject is based on years of study of maritime history, and intimate knowledge of the leading maritime museums on both sides of the Atlantic.

Table of Contents

Introduction	3	(1)
Design	4	(15)
The Rating System
The design of a ship-of-the-line
Building a battle fleet
Fleet strength
Ship types
Operation	19	(18)
Shipboard organisation
Sailing a ship-of-the-line
The ship-of-the-line in action
Fighting the ship
The Fleet 1792--1815	37	(5)
Bibliography	42	(1)
Glossary	42	(3)
Colour Plate Commentary	45	(3)
Index	48