"Before the Ironclad" Topic

"In the massive revolution that affected warship design between Waterloo and the Warrior, the Royal Navy was traditionally depicted as fiercely resisting every change until it was almost too late, but these old assumptions were first challenged in this authoritative history of the transition from sail to steam. Originally published in 1990, it began a process of revaluation which has produced a more positive assessment of the British contribution to the naval developments of the period. This classic work is here reprinted in an entirely new edition, with more extensive illustration. Beginning with the structural innovations of Robert Seppings, the book traces the gradual introduction of more scientific methods and the advent of steam and the paddle fighting ship, iron hulls and screw propulsion. It analyses the performance of the fleet in the war with Russia (1853 1856), and concludes with the design of the Warrior, the first iron-hulled, seagoing capital ship in the world. The author presents a picture of an organisation that was well aware of new technology, carefully evaluating its practical advantage, and occasionally (as with its enthusiastic espousal of iron hulls) moving too quickly for the good of the service. Written by an eminent naval architect, Before the Ironclad is both a balanced account of general developments, and an in-depth study of the ships themselves."

See here
link

Anyone have read this book?
If the answer is yes, comments please?

Thanks in advance for your guidance.

Amicalement
Armand

I have it, and it is interesting but not the end all to end all.

It is focused almost exclusively on the British navy, with others getting casual mention. Very little tabular data on the ships themselves or navy compositions. Instead it has lots of rich data on detailed non-wargame concerns like the number of dockyard workers over a 20 year period broken out by type (permanent, temporarly, convict, etc), righting lever curves for frigates, and stowage for paddle frigate conversions. There are a few plans and some pictures. The data and pictures useful to me as a wargamer and scratchbuilder boil down to about 20 pages total out of the 200ish total. If you want to read about the technical history of compound engines or the rejection of early iron ships because they were too brittle in cold weather, it is a better read.

The book looks at development of ships of all ratings from the Napoleonic wars up to the Warrior.

I found it thick going because of the writing style. The author is well respected, but writes very comma-heavy.

I got mine for under $20 USD and I would not have paid more for it.

Armand,
I own the book and it is exactly what it says on the tin. It is a study of the design and development of wooden warships between the end of the Napoleonic War and the appearance of the first ironclad, written from the British point of view by an eminent naval architect whose career was spent working for the RN.

If you are interested in obtaining a better understanding of this subject, you won't do better than picking up this book. DK Brown presents more useful information in fewer words in a manner understandable by the layperson than any other technical author I know of.

FWIW.

B

I have DK Brown's later (chronologically) books (Warrior to Dreadnought and The Grand Fleet) and I find them both to be extremely well written and useful sources on the technical matters of design. I expect the book you posted is the same and I will have to find myself a copy.

-Will

Thanks for your guidance boys!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

DK Brown got me started on frigate design back in the 1980s and retired just about the time I joined the MOD naval architecture team full time. He was an awesome engineer and his books are still required reading for young naval architects and marine engineers entering the service

Thanks also.

Amicalement
Armand