Navires de guerre (18e siècle) - Grande Bretagne : livres

British Napoleonic Ship-of-the-line

The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars encompassed a period when rival European fleets vied for naval supremacy, and naval tactics were evolving. The British Royal Navy emerged triumphant as the leading world sea power, and the epitome of Britannic naval strength was the Ship-of-the-Line. These 'wooden walls' were more than merely floating gun batteries: they contained a crew of up to 800 men, and often had to remain at sea for extended periods.

This book offers detailed coverage of the complex vessels that were the largest man-made structures produced in the pre-Industrial era.

Contents: Introduction - Design - Operation - The Fleet 1792-1815 - Bibliography - Glossary - Colour Plate Commentary - Index.

HMS Victory - First-Rate 1765

HMS Victory is one of the best-known historic ship in the world. A symbol of the Royal Navy's achievements during the great age of sail, she is based in Portsmouth and seen by tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Written by experts and containing more than 200 specially commissioned photographs, this title takes the reader on a superbly illustrated tour of the ship, from bow to stern and deck by deck. Significant parts of the vessel - for example, the capstan, steering gear, armament, brody stove, cockpit, stern cabins - are given detailed coverage both in words and pictures, so that the reader has at hand the most complete visual record and explanation of the ship that exists.
In addition, the importance of the ship, both in her own time and now as a museum vessel, is explained, while her design and build, her fighting career and her life prior to restoration and exhibition are all described.

Victory vs Redoutable - Ships of the line at Trafalgar 1805

Late in the morning on 21 October 1805, warships from the British and combined French and Spanish fleets clashed off Cape Trafalgar on the Spanish coast. After a six month game of cat and mouse across the Atlantic, 27 British ships of the line engaged the Allied force of 33 ships of the line. This was a duel of skill, tenacity and bravery as captains and crews battled for mastery of the seas.

This book is an opportunity to relive the action at Trafalgar - read the accounts of sailors who were there, and who experienced the sound of scraping cutlasses and bombarding cannons at one of the most important naval engagements of history.
Understand how the guns were operated, learn about the training of crews and study the design and development of the incredible ships which dominated naval warfare of the period, as Gregory Fremont-Barnes reveals the revolutionary tactics used by Nelson to secure a victory that saved Britain from the threat of invasion and ensured British naval dominance for over a century.

Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Design and Development - Technical Specifications - Strategic Situation - The Combatants - Combat - Statistical Analysis - Aftermath - Bibliography - Index.

HMS Bellerophon

The story of HMS Bellerophon is a record of the many and varied duties which the Royal Navy had to carry out in the period 1793-1815. It was involved in the first great fleet action of the War and was involved in the last moments of the struggle with the surrender of Napoleon.

The 74-gun ship was the standard unit in the line of battle, Bellerophon was one of the most distinguished with a fine fighting record. Having fought at 'The Glorious First of June'; the battle of the Nile and at Trafalgar the ship saw more than her share of fierce ship-to-ship encounters.
In between there were the varying duties of blockade and escort carried out with service in the Channel, the Mediterranean, the North Sea, the Baltic and the West Indies. The ship saw every type of service which fell to the Navy in that period.

All the many and various aspects of the ship's life are covered from construction through maintenance and refits to final disposal. Sadly the ship could not be been saved like Victory and the ship and her fine record were confined to the history books.

HMS Pickle : The Swiftest Ship in Nelson's Trafalgar Fleet

The smallest ship in Nelson's fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar was the curiously-named HMS Pickle. The ship was a topsail schooner and, though deemed too small to take park in the fighting it distinguished itself as the ship to bring Captain John Lapenotiere with the news of Nelson's victory at Trafalgar and his death.

The schooner set off on October 26th and took 9 days to reach Britain after facing a gale off Cape Finisterre. After the Pickle anchored in Flamouth Bay on November 4th Lapenotiere starte his journey to London (a trip that usually took a week was covered in 37 hours with 19 horse changes).

Captain Peter Hore describes the ship's beginnings as a civilian vessel called Sting, through conversion with 10 guns and its role with Admiral Cornwall's Inshore Squadron for French reconnaissance in 1803. HMS Pickle was also involved in the rescue for the crew of HMS Magnificent in 1804 and further reconnaissance missions.

This full history details other colourful episodes including a single-ship action against the French privateer Favorite in 1807. Pickle was wrecked in July 1808 when she was grounded as she entered Cadiz harbour but without loss of life. The Pickle's journey is commemorated by Royal Navy Warrant Officers on November 5th.