The Ship of the Line, Vol. 2: Design, Construction, and Fittings

The Ship of the Line #2

by Brian Lavery

This definitive work is a major step forward in the study of the sailing warship. For the first time, the development of the line-of-battle ship is described precisely, in terms of individual ships and classes, highlighting the factors influencing specific changes in design. This sophisticated approach allows the author to tackle a great many myths-such as the static nature of eighteenth century design, or the pre-eminence of French naval architecture-and his conclusions challenge the accepted view in many areas of naval history. For the enthusiast and academic historian alike, The Ship of the Line is essential reading for a better understanding of the navy in the age of sail.Volume II is devoted to technical developments in hull design, construction, rigging, armament and fittings.The definitive work on the subject, a major step forward in the understanding of the sailing warship in the Royal NavyProvides a detailed account of changes in approaches to design over two hundred yearsA complete description of how ships of the line were constructed in the dockyard and what different types of fittings were applied to the shipso100 line drawings, plus 94 black-and-white illustrationsBrian Lavery is a leading authority on the sailing fighting ship, and is the author of a series of critically acclaimed works, each of which was a major step forward in the understanding of the subject. These include The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War, Nelson's Navy and Building the Wooden Walls. He is currently Curator of Ship Technology at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

Genres: Nautical

191 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Brian Lavery is a British naval historian, author, and Curator Emeritus at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this two-volume work, maritime historian Brian Lavery traces the history of sailing line-of-battle ships from the end of the medieval era to the Industrial Revolution.

Volume I, subtitled The development of the battlefleet, 1650-1850, explores the historical events and context that drove changes in naval warfare, and how those changes brought about new approaches to ship design and employment.

Volume II, Design, construction and fittings, examines technological developments over the same time period, including drafting methods, building techniques, rigging, and armament.

As a curator at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, Lavery’s expertise lies primarily with British sources; consequently, these books focus almost exclusively on British warships, while foreign progress is only mentioned to provide context to British developments. Within this limited scope, Lavery is able to present a concise yet highly detailed work.

By drawing extensively from archival sources and historic texts, Lavery has produced one of the definitive works describing the Royal Navy’s historical background. Both volumes are richly illustrated in black and white, and include numerous reproductions of period drawings and art works supported by modern photographs and sketches. Appendices, including transcribed copies of several primary source documents, provide additional contextual support.

While the first volume is a comprehensive history, the second volume is more of a summary than a definitive study, and may be inadequate for serious scholars. In particular, readers requiring more detailed technical information should consider more in-depth books, such as Lavery’s Arming and fitting of English ships of war, 1600-1815, Peter Goodwin’s The construction and fitting of the sailing man-of-war, 1650-1850, and James Lees’ The masting and rigging of English ships of war, 1625-1860.

More than thirty years after their original publication, these books remain essential reading for both historians and maritime enthusiasts.

[Xio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't read Nelson bio with any confidence til I finish this one. Great illustration, clear writing.