The British Navy Book

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THE BRITISH NAVY BOOK

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Uniform with this volume

THE BRITISH ARMY BOOK

BY PAUL DANBY AND LIEUT.-COL. CYRIL FIELD, R.M.L.I.

"It is full of great deeds sure to fire the imagination of any boy."--Times.

"Gives a better and more readable account of our army than any book we can think of."--Graphic.

"A most stirring, as well as informative book."--Scotsman.

"A glorious story, told in fine racy style."--Sheffield Daily Telegraph.

LONDON: BLACKIE & SON. LTD., 50 OLD BAILEY, E.C.

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[Illustration: "BRITAIN'S SURE SHIELD"]

THE BRITISH NAVY BOOK

by

LIEUT.-COL. AND BREVET COL. CYRIL FIELD, R.M.L.I.

With Full-page Illustrations in Colour and in Black-and-White and Numerous Illustrations in the Text

Blackie and Son Limited London Glasgow and Bombay

Contents

CHAP. Page PROLOGUE: THE COMMAND OF THE SEA (A.D. 1915) 9

I. A LESSON FROM CÆSAR 19

II. ANCIENT WAR-SHIPS 28

III. FIGHTING-SHIPS OF THE MIDDLE AGES 38

IV. MARINERS OF OTHER DAYS 54

V. SOME MEDIÆVAL SEA-FIGHTS 60

VI. THE NAVY IN TUDOR TIMES 67

VII. FROM ELIZABETH TO VICTORIA 81

VIII. THE "TURKS" IN THE CHANNEL 99

IX. THE HONOUR OF THE FLAG 115

X. THE EVOLUTION OF NAVAL GUNNERY 125

XI. EVOLUTION OF THE IRONCLAD BATTLESHIP 146

XII. THE EVOLUTION OF THE SUBMARINE AND SUBMARINE MINE 167

XIII. NAVAL BRIGADES 187

XIV. WAR-SHIPS OF ALL SORTS 204

XV. THE MANNING OF A SHIP 223

XVI. BEGINNING OF THE WAR AFLOAT 242

XVII. OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH SEA AND CHANNEL 254

XVIII. IN THE OUTER SEAS 261

XIX. A REVERSE AND A VICTORY 272

XX. GERMAN RAIDS AND THEIR SIGNAL PUNISHMENT 285

XXI. THE ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE 292

CONCLUSION 307

Illustrations

IN COLOUR Page

"BRITAIN'S SURE SHIELD" Frontispiece

UNIFORMS OF THE BRITISH NAVY: Midshipman, Admiral, Flag-Lieutenant, Secretary (Fleet Paymaster) 96

UNIFORMS OF THE BRITISH NAVY: A.B. (Marching Order), 1st Class Petty Officer, Stoker 188

UNIFORMS OF THE ROYAL MARINES: Gunner, R.M.A.; Colour-Sergeant, R.M.L.I.; Major, R.M.A 236

IN BLACK-AND-WHITE

H.M.S. "DREADNOUGHT" FIRING A BROADSIDE OF 12-INCH GUNS 10

LEARNING TO FIGHT ZEPPELINS 16

A WAR-GALLEY IN THE DAYS OF KING ALFRED 36

THE "GREAT HARRY", THE FIRST BIG BATTLESHIP OF THE BRITISH NAVY 70

A SEA-FIGHT IN TUDOR TIMES 78

DESTROYING A STRAGGLER FROM THE ARMADA 82

LORD HOWARD ATTACKING A SHIP OF THE SPANISH ARMADA 84

THE "ROYAL GEORGE" ENGAGING THE "SOLEIL ROYAL" IN QUIBERON BAY, 1759 90

THE "VICTORY" IN GALA DRESS 92

"THE GLORIOUS 1ST OF JUNE", 1794 94

THE RELEASE OF CHRISTIAN PRISONERS AT ALGIERS 108

THE FIGHT BETWEEN A MERCHANTMAN AND A TURKISH PIRATE 112

TEACHING THE SPANIARD "THE HONOUR OF THE FLAG" 118

THE BATTLE OF THE NORE, JUNE, 1653, BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND DUTCH 122

THE "DULLE GRIETE" AT GHENT 130

THE MAIN GUN DECK ON H.M.S. "VICTORY" 140

NAVAL GUNNERY IN THE OLD DAYS 142

13.5-INCH GUNS ON H.M.S. "CONQUEROR" 144

H.M.S. "WARRIOR", OUR FIRST SEA-GOING IRONCLAD BATTLESHIP 154

A MONSTER GUN WHICH IS NOW OBSOLETE 162

A FLEET OF SUBMARINES IN PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR 176

ENGLISH BLUEJACKETS AT THE DEFENCE OF ACRE 192

THE NAVAL BRIGADE IN THE BATTLE OF EL-TEB 200

OUR SEAMEN GUNNERS WITH A MAXIM 202