This stunning collection of over 170 large-format colour illustrations
Includes:: paintings of ships at sea in action in convoy & in siege; architectural drawings; battle diagrams; sea charts & signals; portraits of leading figures in naval history; & details of guns sails & life below deck. Taken from contemporary sources they range from the Seven Years War to the American Civil War. The book focuses on the navies of all the major Atlantic sea powers of the time including Britain America France Holland Sweden & Russia. Arranged in chronological order each illustration is accompanied by an extended caption that adds to this visual feast a compelling history of naval warfare in the last great age of sail. This volume is divided into eight chapters: The Seven Years War 1755-62 The Napoleonic Wars 1803-15 The War of American Independence 1775-1783 The War of 1812 The Years of Exploration c.1770-1794 The Last Days of Sail The French Revolutionary Wars 1792-1802 Steam & Iron