Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men and Organization, 1793-1815

First published in 1990, this encyclopedic yet highly readable work gives an indepth description of the Royal Navy in Lord Nelson's time. Filled with over four hundred illustrations, the book is divided into fourteen sections that deal with the design and construction of ships, the navy's administration, and life at sea. Other topics include shiphandling and navigation, gunnery techniques and fighting tactics, and a discussion of foreign navies of the day. Nelson's Navy is an important source book for the naval historian, a valuable reference for the enthusiast, and a revelation to the general reader.