Britain achieved unparalleled global pre-eminence through one critical advantage ï ½ her naval power. While other nations looked to armies for their security, Britain looked to the sea & for more than three hundred years the Royal Navy dominated the ocean. Eminent naval historian Andrew Lambert celebrates the rare talents of the men who shaped the most successful fighting force in world history, from the Armada to the Napoleonic Wars to the Second World War. Through their lives & battles, Admirals charts the evolution of naval command across four centuries, while proving that maritime power is still a vital & living element of modern Britain.