This book looks at the transition of wooden sailing fleets to the modern steel navy. It details the technological breakthroughs that brought about this change - steampower, armour, artillery and torpedoes, and looks at their affect on naval strategy and tactics.
Part of the ever-growing and prestigious Warfare and History series, this book is a must for enthusiasts of military history.

Lawrence Sondhaus is Associate Professor of History at the University of Indianapolis. He is author of five books including Preparing for Weltpolitik: German Sea Power before the Tirpitz Era (Naval Institute Press, 1997) and two volumes on the Austrian navy.

Chapter 1 The twilight of sail, 1815-30; Chapter 2 Continuity and change, 1830-50; Chapter 3 The 1850s; Chapter 4 The ironclad revolution; Chapter 5 The 1870s; Chapter 6 The Jeune École; Chapter 7 The rebirth of the battleship; Chapter 8 The dreadnought and the origins of the First World War; Chapter 9 Reflections on deterrence;