Library Results | Royal Museums Greenwich

Torpedo bombers, 1900-1950 : an illustrated history /Jean-Denis G. G. Lepage "The torpedo-bomber was a very short-lived weapon system, operational for scarcely half a century from just prior WWI to the 1960s. Yet during its brief existence it transformed naval warfare, extending the ship-killing range of ships and coastal defences to hundreds of miles. The Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm led the way, recording the first sinking of a ship by aerial torpedo in August 1915 but all major navies eagerly developed their own torpedo bomber forces. The torpedo-bomber reached its zenith in WWII, particularly from 1940-42, with notable successes at the Battle of Taranto, the sinking of the Bismarck and Pearl Harbor. It was the weapon of choice for both the US and Japanese in the big Pacific battles such as Midway. In the latter stages of the war, increasingly effective anti-aircraft fire and interceptor aircraft started to render it obsolete, a process completed post-war by long-range anti-ship missiles."--Provided by the publisher. 2020 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.74632

Island nation : a history of Australians and the sea /Frank Broeze. "Island Nation traces the profound, diverse and all-embracing influence of the sea on Australian society - an influence that extends far beyond the coastline. In this story of the interaction of people and the sea, three major issues emerge: controlling sea space, taming distance, and living with the sea. In exploring these issues in all their diversity, Island Nation ranges widely, encompassing the birth of an Australian 'Monroe Doctrine', the development of unique economic and political institutions, the role of surfing and the growth of tourism, the impact of the sea on Australian art, 'ships of shame' and very much else besides."--Jacket. 1998. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 994:930.09(26)

South Coast passenger vessels / John Megoran "Any who think that the end of the long coastal excursions by paddle steamers of yesteryear brought a halt to a trip on the briny may be surprised to learn that there are still more than eighty vessels with Maritime and Coastguard Agency passenger certificates offering cruises on the South Coast today. There are the big beasts taking passengers across the Channel or to the Channel Islands. There are their more modest cousins ferrying passengers to the Isle of Wight including the latest state of the art ferry Victoria of Wight, driven by hybrid battery technology. Then there is the plethora of smaller local vessels carrying between twelve and 350 passengers on shorter hops, often viewing some of the most spectacular South Coast scenery. Take a trip to Brownsea Island. View the Needles or the Jurassic Coast close up. Glide down Christchurch Harbour on boats with only 6 inches' draft. Sail from Weymouth to Portland, passing break-waters and forts on a boat which delivered guns, ammunition and stores to them in the Second World War. With pictures and details, this book explores all the passenger vessels operating today in an area bounded by Weymouth in the west and Newhaven in the east."--Provided by the publisher. 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 629.123.3(42)

The heyday of Thames pleasure steamers / Andrew Gladwell "For several generations of Londoners the highlight of each summer was a day trip to the coast aboard a well-loved pleasure steamer. The interwar years saw some of the finest pleasure steamers ever being built for Thames service and names such as Royal Eagle, Golden Eagleand Crested Eaglebecame bywords for luxury and speed as they took their happy throng of passengers to coastal resorts such as Margate, Southend, Ramsgate and Clacton. By the mid-1930s, sleek modern motor vessels were replacing the older paddle steamers. Wartime service took its toll on London's pleasure steamer fleet but, by the late 1940s, favourite old vessels had returned and were joined by wonderful replacement vessels for wartime losses. By the 1950s, the Thames fleet was truly magnificent and it seemed that the peacetime queues of passengers would last forever in those sun-drenched days of the 1950s. But, by the 1960s, it was all more or less over as the motor car became the preferred mode of getting to the seaside. For many, though, there would be nothing like a day trip aboard a pleasure steamer such as the Royal Daffodil, Queen of the Channel or the Royal Sovereign."--Provided by the publisher 2019. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 629.123.3(282.242.1)

A maritime archaeology of ships : innovation and social change in medieval and early modern Europe /Jonathan Adams. "In the last fifty years the investigation of maritime archaeological sites in the sea, in the coastal zone and in their interconnecting locales, has emerged as one of archaeology's most dynamic and fast developing fields. No longer a niche interest, maritime archaeology is recognised as having central relevance in the integrated study of the human past. Within maritime archaeology the study of watercraft has been understandably prominent and yet their potential is far from exhausted. In this book Jon Adams evaluates key episodes of technical change in the ways that ships were conceived, designed, built, used and disposed of. As technological puzzles they have long confounded explanation but when viewed in the context of the societies in which they were created, mysteries begin to dissolve. Shipbuilding is social practice and as one of the most complex artefacts made, changes in their technology provide a lens through which to view the ideologies, strategies and agency of social change. Adams argues that the harnessing of shipbuilding was one of the ways in which medieval society became modern and, while the primary case studies are historical, he also demonstrates that the relationships between ships and society have key implications for our understanding of prehistory in which seafaring and communication had similarly profound effects on the tide of human affairs."--Provided by the publisher. 2013. • FOLIO • 1 copy available. 930.26(204)

Carebeka, 1939-1983 : history and fleet list A history of CAREBEKA, an abbreviation of Capitein-Reders-Bevrachting-Kantoor, a company formed in 1939 with the aim of obtaining freight contracts on the best possible terms for the captain-owners who worked in the Groningen coastal trade. Much of the Dutch merchant fleet was in British waters at the time of the occupation of Holland, and many of the ships were chartered to the British Ministry of Shipping and later the Ministry of War Transport. Ten Carebeka ships were taken over for Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Dunkirk, and two took part in the evacuation of Le Havre (Operation Cycle) returning around 5000 soldiers. After the war Carebeka changed its articles of association to become a shipowner in its own right and commissioned its first ship, also named Carebeka, which was launched in 1957. Going forward, the company suffered from insufficent capital and rising debts due to the high interest on loans required to build its fleet. Together with an increasingly difficult freight market and worsening financial climate, Carebeka was eventually declared bankrupt in 1983. Fleet lists are provided of ships owned by N.V. Carebeka (1957-83) and Carebeka Transport (Rotterdam) B.V., as well as ships managed for captain-owners from 1939. 1995 • BOOK • 2 copies available. 347.792(492)

Coast lines : how mapmakers frame the world and chart environmental change /Mark Monmonier. In the next century, sea levels are predicted to rise at unprecedented rates. These rising water levels pose serious challenges to the cartographic definition and mapping of coasts. Setting sail on a journey across shifting landscapes, cartographic technology, and climate change, the author reveals that coastlines are as much a set of ideas, assumptions, and societal beliefs as they are solid black lines on maps. Whether for sailing charts or property maps, coastlines challenge mapmakers to capture on paper a highly irregular land-water boundary perturbed by tides and storms and complicated by rocks, wrecks, and shoals. The text is peppered with captivating anecdotes about the frustrating effort to expunge fictitious islands from nautical charts, the tricky measurement of a coastline's length, and the contentious notions of beachfront property and public access. Combing maritime history and the history of technology, this book charts the historical progression from offshore sketches to satellite images and explores the societal impact of coastal cartography on everything from global warming to homeland security. In the post-Katrina era, when the map of entire regions can be redrawn by a single natural event, the issues raised here are more important than ever. 2008. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 502.12:528.472

The war of the gun boats / Bryan Cooper. "This book traces the history and development of the gun boats from their first limited use in World War I to the fast motor boats designed in the 1930s for wealthy private clients and water speed record attempts. With account of the battles which took place during the World War II, when the vital importance of coastal waters came to be recognized, it captures the drama of this highly individual form of combat."--Provided by the publisher. 2009. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.824"19"

Explorers of the maritime Pacific Northwest : mapping the world through primary documents /[compiled by] William L. Lang and James V. Walker. "Covering the adventures of coastal and ocean explorers who made key discoveries and landmark observations from northern California up the coastline to Alaska during the mid-1700s to the early 1800s, this anthology of primary source journal entries, book excerpts, maps, and drawings enables readers to "discover" the Northwest Coast for themselves. Provides interesting primary source documents that serve to guide students through the interpretation process. Supplies clear explanation and analysis of each document to promote critical understanding of the topics. Supports Common Core Standards relating to primary source analysis as well as National Geography Standards, including how to apply geography to interpret the past and understanding the processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement. Includes comprehensive biographies and background on each person of significance. Presents information on indigenous peoples of the area, including the Tlingit, Chinook, Haida, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Gitxsan people"-- [2016] • FOLIO • 1 copy available. 979.5

Europe and the sea / edited by Dorlis Blume, Christiana Brennecke, Ursula Breymayer and Thomas Eisentraut for the Deutsches Historisches Museum "Europe is a maritime continent: measured by the length of its coasts and its total size, none of the five continental masses on the planet has more points of contact with the seas than Europe. The importance of the sea for the development of European civilisation is illustrated by the themes of myths, shipbuilding and seafaring, rule of the seas, European coastal trade, expansion, the slave trade, migration, the maritime global economy, resources, oceanography, tourism, and the artistic perception of the sea. Thirteen themes, each linked to a port city, range from Antiquity to the present day and demonstrate that the domination of the seas was a central component of European power politics for centuries."--Provided by the publisher. c2018. • FOLIO • 1 copy available. 930.9(26)

Dutch navies of the 80 Years' War, 1568-1648 / Bouko de Groot ; illustrated by Peter Bull. "The tiny new state of the United Provinces of the Netherlands won its independence from the mighty Spanish empire by fighting and winning the Eighty Years' War, from 1568 and 1648. In this long conflict, warfare on water played a much bigger role in determining the ultimate victor. On the high seas the fleet carved out a new empire, growing national income to such levels that it could continue the costly war for independence. Yet it was in coastal and inland waters that the most decisive battles were fought. Arguably the most decisive Spanish siege (Leiden, 1574) was broken by a fleet sailing to the rescue across flooded polders, and the battle of Nieuwpoort in 1600, the largest successful invasion fleet before World War II, was one of the most decisive battle in western history. Using detailed full colour artwork, this book shows how the Dutch navies fought worldwide in their war of independence, from Brazil to Indonesia, and from the Low Countries to Angola."--Provided by the publisher. 2018. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 355.49"1568/1648"(492)

Evolution's captain : the tragic fate of Robert Fitzroy, the man who sailed Charles Darwin around the world A biography of Robert Fitzroy (1805-1865). Joining the navy at the age of 12, Fitzroy became a skilled hydrographer and was given command of the Beagle in 1828. This book concentrates on the two voyages undertaken by Fitzroy on the Beagle and their impact on him, particularly in the light of his later suicide. Fitzroy returned from his first voyage to survey the southern coastlines of South America with four Feugian captives with the intention of educating them in Christian values. He returned to South America on the second voyage (1831-1836) with the three surviving Feugians, this time also accompanied by Charles Darwin. On their return to England, Fitzroy, a devout Christian, became increasingly estranged from Darwin as their views on evolutionary theory diverged. Fitzroy was also a Member of Parliament and briefly Governor of New Zealand before his assignment to the new Meteorological Office within the Marine Department of the Board of Trade. Establishing the fundamental techniques of weather observation and early coastal weather stations, his work went largely unrecognised and his daily forecasts were often ridiculed. He died after committing suicide in 1865. 2003 • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.82BEAGLE

Wings over the waves : Fleet air arm strike leader against Tirpitz, the biography of Lt Cdr Roy Baker-Falkner DSO DSC RN. "This is the biography of one of the Royal Navy's legendary pilots. BF or Daddy as he was known, started his career at Dartmouth and then spent his early seagoing years in Hong Kong, Nagasaki and Hiroshima. His wartime experiences as a Fleet Air pilot aboard HMS Glorious included the historic air strike at Taranto and the search for the Graf Spee. In May 1940 he was loaned to Coastal Command and attacked German Panzer tanks in a biplane, defended Allied troops over Dunkirk and was one of only a few naval officers to fight in the Battle of Britain. After a period as a test pilot at Boscombe Down he became one of only four Wing Leaders in the Royal Navy. His successful leadership lead to many more successes, not least the crippling of Tirpitz as part of a diversionary plan in the lead up to D-Day.He was a superb pilot, loved by all the air and ground crew under his command. His reputation as a fearless and dynamic leader remains a legend today. The book contains detailed and graphic accounts of aerial sorties and strikes throughout the dark days over Nazi Europe. Tragically he was killed in action in July 1944, one week prior to promotion and a job ashore. The book includes many of his letters and extracts from his diary."--Provided by the publisher. 2022. • BOOK • 1 copy available.

Prisoners of the Red Desert : the adventures of the crew of the Tara during the First World War /R.S. Gwatkin-Williams "An incredible adventure from the Great War. This is a unique and riveting book. The steamer Tara and her crew spent the early part of WW1 patrolling the Northern Channel between England and Ireland before a transfer to coastal duties off Egypt and Libya. There she was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-Boat operating from a secret base on the Libyan coast. To ensure no intelligence of it's presence leaked to the British, the Germans towed the survivors - including this book's author, the Tara's captain, into captivity at the hands of the Senussi - religious zealots in league with the Ottoman Turkish forces. Then began a tortuous ordeal for the crew who suffered abuse, starvation and in some cases death at the hands of their gaolers. Abortive escape attempts across the relentless 'Red Desert' followed before rescue finally came in the form of a dramatic hunt and final assault by the forty armoured cars of the Duke of Westminster's squadron. An absolutely essential and gripping read which will be a delight to all those interested in the fortunes of British seamen, the war in the Middle East and well told accounts of true adventure."--Provided by the publisher. 2009. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 355.353(42)"1914/1918"

Battleships of the United States Navy : rare photographs from wartime archives /Michael Green. "From 1895 to 1944 the US Navy commissioned some 60 steel-clad battleships; the first being Indiana (BB-1) and the last USS Missouri (BB-63). After an impressive showing in the Spanish-American War and the 'Great White Fleet's' circumnavigation of the world, US battleships played only a minor role in the First World War. They came into their own in WW2 primarily bombarding enemy held coastal regions and supporting Allied operations in Europe and the Pacific. Their firepower was awesome and the later examples had nine 16-inch and up to twenty 5-inch guns plus copious anti-aircraft defences. On the few occasions these mighty ships took on Japanese counterparts, they performed brilliantly but protection of the increasingly important aircraft couriers was more decisive. Armour plate nearly a foot and a half thick saved many from fatal attack from suicidal kamikaze pilots. Post WW2 the battleships were relegated to war reserve status but later their value projecting American military power worldwide and their conversion to platforms for cruise missile saw their re-birth. The last US battleship retired in 1992 having served in the Korean and Vietnam War, the Middle East and finally Desert Storm. This fine book gives the expert and layman a privileged overview of one of the greatest weapon systems in military history."--Provided by the publisher. 2014. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 623.821.2(73)"1895/1944"

Global trade and the transformation of consumer cultures : the material world remade, c.1500-1820 /Beverly Lemire, University of Alberta. "The oceanic explorations of the 1490s led to countless material innovations worldwide and caused profound ruptures. Beverly Lemire explores the rise of key commodities across the globe, and charts how cosmopolitan consumption emerged as the most distinctive feature of material life after 1500 as people and things became ever more entangled. She shows how wider populations gained access to more new goods than ever before and, through industrious labour and smuggling, acquired goods that heightened comfort, redefined leisure and widened access to fashion. Consumption systems shaped by race and occupation also emerged. Lemire reveals how material cosmopolitanism flourished not simply in great port cities like Lima, Istanbul or Canton, but increasingly in rural settlements and coastal enclaves. The book uncovers the social, economic and cultural forces shaping consumer behaviour, as well as the ways in which consumer goods shaped and defined empires and communities."--Provided by the publisher. 2018. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 306.309/03

Nelson's Pathfinders : a forgotten story in the triumph of British sea power /Michael Barritt. "During the Napoleonic Wars, more than twice as many British warships were lost to shipwreck than in battle. The Royal Navy's fleets had to operate in unfamiliar seas and dangerous coastal waters, where navigational ignorance was as great a threat as enemy guns. If Britain was to win the war, navigational intelligence was vital. In this landmark account, Michael Barritt reveals how a cadre of specialist pathfinders led by Captain Thomas Hurd enabled Britain's Hydrographic Office to meet this need. Sounding the depths on the front line of conflict, alert for breaks in weather or onset of swell, these daring sailors gathered vital strategic data that would eventually secure the upper hand against Britain's adversaries. Following the pathfinders across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, Barritt shows how the honing of this skill set revolutionised the British way of war at sea - ultimately securing a lasting naval dominance." 2024 • BOOK • 1 copy available. txt

E-boat vs MTB : the English Channel 1941-45 /Gordon Williamson. "During the Second World War, German E-Boats were so active in the English Channel that the narrow stretch of water became known as 'E-Boat Alley'. To counter the threat of these E-Boats, Britain brought its coastal forces to bear ? flotillas of small Motor Torpedo and Gun Boats (MTBs and MGBs) and Motor Launches (MLs). As the Germans sought to maintain their supremacy in Channel waters, they continued to develop their E-Boat designs to accommodate more armour and more firepower. Rather than matching the newer E-Boats for armament, the British developed several types to fulfill the varied roles for which the Kriegsmarine were attempting to use the E-Boat."--Porvided by the publisher. 2011. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 940.545941

British motor coasters / Charles V. Waine "This important book documents the history of the British Motor Coaster. The opening chapter looks at the engines used to power these vessels and then moves on to record some of the pioneering motor ships built just before the First World War. The subsequent chapters take decades in history, from the 1930s, through the Second World War and just after, up to the final British-built motor ships of the very early 1990s. Several of the chapters have sub sections covering tanker vessels, whilst the size of the ships covered range from the tiny just under 100-ton coasters of the early years up to the near 5,000 tonners of the early 1980s. The text is enlived with the descriptive memories of men who worked on or with various of the craft mentioned and the book is illustrated throughout with a copious number of highly detailed ships' plans, along with a selection of photographs showing some of the vessels at work. There is also a 16 page colour section illustrating a number of the ships described. Charles Waine is an acknowledged expert on coastal and short sea shipping, having self published a series of seminal books on the subject in the 1970s, '80s and '90s. This history of the British Motor Coaster fits well with these earlier volumes and is sure to find favour with maritime historians and ship modellers everywhere, as well as anyone with an interest in the story of the British coasting trade."--Provided by the publisher. 2018. • FOLIO • 1 copy available. 629.123.2(42)"19"

Sixty years of paddle steamer preservation : the paddle steamer preservation society. ''The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society was founded in 1959 at a time when this familiar and much-loved class of ship was in steep decline and faced possible extinction. Its aims were to encourage the retention and expansion of existing steamer services, to stimulate public awareness and, ultimately, to purchase and preserve at least one surviving example. Now, 60 years on, this fascinating book records the previously untold history of one of Britain?s oldest and most successful maritime preservation societies; one which has succeeded in saving not one but two jewels in the crown of the UK?s maritime heritage ? the iconic paddle steamers Waverley and Kingswear Castle. Drawing on the PSPS archives and the memories of those most closely involved, the book recalls the 1960s and 70s when members were able to sail on board or charter a wide variety of tugs, ferries and excursion ships; describes the purchase, restoration and subsequent careers of Waverley and Kingswear Castle; and examines the Society?s close links with other paddle steamers including Maid of the Loch and Medway Queen, and the motor vessel Balmoral. The extraordinary range of voluntary tasks carried out by members over the 60 years is celebrated, and there is a wealth of previously unpublished information to inform, surprise and amuse. Illustrated with over 200 rare, mostly colour, photographs, depicting a wonderful array of paddlers from the 1950s onwards, special moments in the careers of the Waverley and Kingswear Castle, plus significant events in the Society?s history, this book is essential reading for all paddle steamer enthusiasts. It will also appeal to all those with an interest in coastal passenger shipping, maritime preservation and Britain's nautical heritage. All proceeds from the book will go to PSPS funds and be used to help ensure that Waverley and Kingswear Castle continue to sail into the future.''--Povided by the publisher. 2019. • FOLIO • 1 copy available.

Turbine excursion steamers : a history /compiled by Alistair Deayton & Iain Quinn. "In 1897, a revolutionary new type of ship blasted its way through the Royal Review at an unprecedented 30+knots. This small vessel, still extant in Newcastle, was the Turbinia, and she was powered by the world's first marine steam turbine. Developed by Charles Parsons, in one fell swoop she revolutionised sea travel. She was the first turbine steamer. Economical and fast, the turbine steamer was soon to revolutionise ferries and pleasure steamers, as well as huge ocean liners and the mightiest of battleships. The turbine not only promised speed, economy and reliability, it delivered these qualities too. Our story looks at the turbine pleasure steamers in coastal and short-sea service and it covers the first passenger steam turbine vessels on the Clyde, as well as the Irish Sea and South Coast of England as well as the German turbine pleasure steamers. From the ships of Williamson-Buchanan to the Isle of Man and cross channel ferries, the turbine revolutionised short sea transport. Alistair Deayton and Iain Quinn look at the development of the turbine steamer for pleasure use, concentrating on the ships that served the Clyde, Irish Sea and the short sea crossings in the English Channel. Ships of the Isle of Man Steam Packet, Williamson-Buchanan, Caledonian Steam Packet, General Steam Navigation Co., David MacBrayne and the Liverpool & North Wales Steam Ship Co. are covered in depth in this new book, which tells the story of the turbine excursion steamer over the century and a bit since the first revolutionary turbine pleasure steamer made its maiden voyage on the Clyde at the dawn of the Edwardian era."--Provided by the publisher. 2013. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 629.123.2"1897/197"

Shipwrecks of Kent / Anthony Lane. "Kent has witnessed the passing of ships since the beginning of recording history. The Romans landed there, and armed vessels from Spain, Holland, France and Germany have threatened its shores. As London became the major seaport of the realm, the maritime trade of the nation passed through its coastal waters. With so many ships passing along the coast of Kent, inevitably there have been many shipwrecks, particularly on the infamous Goodwin Sands and the outlying banks of the Thames estuary. Some in these have been tragic in nature, while others have included an element of comedy. This compilation of 200 photographs, drawn from many sources, provides a reminder of many of the more famous wrecks in the area. It also includes some not so familiar disasters from the past and describes some strange coincidences that have occurred over the last two centuries. Simplified charts are included to give an idea of the perils of the coastline and also the effectiveness of the German mining campaign in the Second World War. In addition to ships that got into difficulties, lifeboats and their crews that helped to rescue men under the most awful conditions of weather have a special place in this pictorial account. Famous rescues like the Northern Belle and Indian Chief are recorded, and modern disasters, such as the explosion and sinking of the Texaco Caribbean, which set in motion a programme for safer navigation of the crowded English Channel, are given special coverage. The result is a portrait of the battle between men and the sea. In many cases it was the sea that won. It is also a tribute to those of the lifeboat service who risked their lives so that others in distress might be saved."--Provided by the publisher. 1999. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 656.61.085.3(422.3)

The letters of George & Elizabeth Bass / Miriam Estensen. In August 1800, George Bass returned to England after five years in the British colony of New South Wales. Gifted, ambitious and impatient with the limitations of a naval career, he took leave from the navy to purchase a ship of his own and organise a commercial venture to Sydney. He also met Elizabeth Waterhouse, and fell very much in love. They were married on 8 October 1800. On 9 January 1801, George Bass sailed for Australia. For the next two years, and across two oceans, letters were the only link between George and Elizabeth Bass. His were brief, dashed across the page with an impatient hand, embedded with tantalising references to his life at sea or the colony of New South Wales and filled with love for his wife. Hers were many pages of small, neat script with news of her friends and family, her own thoughts and pursuits, and her yearning for a husband who would never return. The separate worlds in which George and Elizabeth lived also come to life in their letters: an England of domestic chatter and streets filled with soldiers awaiting a Napoleonic invasion; the hot humid coastal towns of Brazil, where Bass sought to sell his merchandise and took on board firewood, fresh water and tobacco; Sydney society and the disappointment of the ladies in Elizabeth not having come with her husband to join their small social circle; the exotic and languid Pacific islands where trade was difficult and ship labour hard. 2009. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 92BASS

1914 : the First World War at sea in photographs /Phil Carradice. "The arms race that led to the First World War started in 1897 at the Spithead Naval Review, when Kaiser Wilhelm saw the might of Britain's Navy. He wanted to equal or better the fleet of Britain, and set about a huge building programme of warships. By 1914, tensions in Europe were at a breaking point and, in August, erupted into what would become the first truly global conflict. From almost the first day of the war, as merchant ships scuttled to safe havens, the war at sea saw ship against ship and submarine against ship. Hastily converted merchantmen became auxiliary cruisers, fitted with guns and ready for action. August saw the loss of the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, one of Germany's crack ocean liners, off the coast of Africa; October, the loss of Britain's dreadnought battleship HMS Audacious to a mine; and December saw the Battle of the Falklands and a German attack on the coastal towns of Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool. Submarines quickly became a menace in the Mediterranean, English Channel and North Sea, slowly beginning to starve Britain into submission. In August, it was thought the war would be over by Christmas; by December everyone knew they were in for a long, hard slog. The naval war would be one of attrition and one that would ultimately lead to the surrender of Germany's navy in 1918."--Provided by the publisher. 2014. • BOOK • 1 copy available. 940.459(42)"1914"

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