Before the Ironclad - Warship Design and Development 1815-1860, David K Brown .

Before the Ironclad - Warship Design and Development 1815-1860, David K Brown . 
Looks at the final half century of wooden warships, from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the appearance of the first major ironclad ships, a period of constant technological progress. Although the Royal Navy has gained a reputation for being a conservative organisation during this period, this book proves that it was always willing to experiment with new ideas, just not interested in triggering an expensive arms race.
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