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]
Deck of a "Dreadnought" Cleared for Action[206]
The British Submarine "E2"[216]
The 13.5-inch Gun: Some Idea of its Length[238]
6-inch Gun Drill: The Breech Open[240]
The Sinking of the German Cruiser "Mainz"[248]
"Missed!"; the Helm the Best Weapon against Torpedoes[258]
The British Air Raid on Cuxhaven: Drawing by John de G. Bryan[302]
The British Air Raid on Cuxhaven: Sea-plane flown by Flight-Commander R. Ross[304]