Naval Warfare in the Age of Sail

by Brian Tunstall

Based on the life's work by naval historian Turnstall, this book traces the evolution of fleet tactics from the Dutch Wars of the 17th century to the War of Independence in the late 18th century and the defeat of the French Empire in 1815.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0785814264
• ISBN13: 9780785814269
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Booksales
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 3.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 10.2" x 12.0"

Customer Reviews

Definitive

Not to be confused with Bernard Ireland's identically titled volume, which is more of popular history with some technical detail, this is an authoritative account of the Royal Navy's evolving tactics, 1650-1815, heavily illustrated in black and white, with many diagrams. I left off the fifth star only because the non-specialist is likely to find Tunstall's emphasis on signalling systems a bit obsessive. They were, of course, at the heart of evolving tactics, but make for some extended dry passages. Ireland's book, by contrast, is heavy on lovely color illustrations and intertaining sidebars but historically and tactically somewhat sketchy, and only picks up in 1756, making it, perhaps, a better choice for Jack Aubrey admirers who aren't too curious about the Anglo-Dutch Wars and line tactics. If you're serious about the age of fighting sail, though, this would be a good time to say "better together."