British Battleships 1889-1904

Book excerpt: This volume brings to completion the reissue of R A Burt's magnificent bestselling three-volume history of British battleships, and it covers the pre-dreadnought era which has, in recent years, acquired a new and fervent following.??The Russian war scare of 1884 and the public's anxiety about the Royal Navy's ability to fight a modern war at sea resulted in the Naval Defence Act of 1889 and a vast programme of warship construction. Over the next twenty years a fleet of 52 battleships was built, construction finally interrupted by the revolutionary Dreadnought design. In this new volume, the author presents full details of design and construction, armament, protection, machinery and performance, all backed up with accurate data tables listing design figures, trials results, and full particulars at different stages in the ships' careers. The history of each battleship is chronicled and the reader is reminded of their major contribution in the First World War. They bore the brunt of the action at the Dardenelles, bombarded the Belgium coast, patrolled the North Sea and the Channel, reinforced the Italian Fleet, and served in East Africa, the East Indies and the White Sea. Most were extensively modified during the War and this variety has made them of special interest to the historian, enthusiast and ship modeller.??With the addition of many new photographs from the author's massive collection, this new edition is simply a 'must-have' addition to every naval library.