The First Submarines

by Richard Compton-Hall

This witty and perceptive account of the early years of submarine development contains much new material and the lives of the forgotten pioneers of submarines. It includes many wonderful inventions and even more colourful inventors, but focuses primarily on John Philip Holland, the Irish-American genius who took submarine development out of the hands of lunatics and visionaries and turned it into a deadly weapon of war.

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent overview of late 19th and early 20th century submarines with excellent diagrams, drawings, and photographs. THe focus is primarily Royal Navy, but submarine developments are traced for a number of countries. A good read for historians and naval history buffs.