# The Royal Navy, a History from the Earliest Times to the Present/Volume 1

THE ROYAL NAVY
A HISTORY
from the earliest times to the present
The Royal Navy
A History
From the Earliest Times to the Present
By Wm. Laird Clowes Fellow of King's College, London; Gold Medallist U.S. Naval Institute; Hon. Member of the R.U.S. Institution
Assisted by
Sir Clements Markham, K.C.B., P.R.G.S. Captain A. T. Mahan, U.S.N. Mr. H. W. Wilson Mr. Theodore Roosevelt Mr. E. Fraser etc.
Twenty-five Photogravures
and
Hundreds of Full Page and other
Illustrations
Maps, Charts
etc.
In Five Volumes
Vol. I.
LONDON
Sampson Low, Marston and Company
Limited
St. Dunstan's House, Fetter Lane, E.C.
1897
LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Limited, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.
INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME I.
In the preparation of the civil and military history of the Navy, prior to 1422, Nicolas, as was inevitable, has been generally followed, although important additions to, and some corrections of, his work have been deemed necessary. His references have also been verified wherever possible.
After the major part of this volume had been put in type, the appearance of Mr. M. Oppenheim's invaluable 'History of the Administration of the Royal Navy, 1509-1660' (John Lane), and of the same learned author's, 'Naval Accounts and Inventories of the Reign of Henry VII.' (Navy Records Society), called attention to several neglected sources of information. These have been utilised, and Mr. Oppenheim's two volumes have, besides, been largely quoted from. To another publication of the Navy Records Society, Professor Laughton's, 'State Papers Relating to the Spanish Armada,' a great debt is due. Both it, and Captain Duro's works dealing with affairs of the same eventful time, have, as will be seen, been freely drawn upon. To Mr. Oppenheim personally, I owe several useful suggestions. It is a matter of great regret to me that both Professor Laughton and Mr. Oppenheim were obliged to decline invitations to contribute some chapters to this volume, and that one of the grounds of the latter's refusal was the uncertainty of his health.
To Dr. W. F. Tilton, of Newport, Rhode Island, who has made a special study of the Armada period, I am particularly obliged. He has generously placed some of his very careful work at my disposal, and I have been glad to take full advantage of his kindness. My thanks are due as well to Colonel John Scott, C.B., for most interesting biographical information concerning early books on shipping and navigation. Similar acknowledgments are owing to ​Mr. Coryton, of the Inner Temple, for suggestion on the same subjects. And I would gratefully thank the various noblemen and gentlemen who have allowed the publishers to reproduce pictures, charts, etc., in their possession; and last, but not least, the authorities of numerous public libraries and similar institutions at home and abroad, for the unvarying and unwearying kindness with which they have assisted both me and also those searchers who have had occasion to ask their aid on my behalf.
It is hoped that Volume II., bringing down the history to the year 1760, may be ready for delivery in September.
CONTENTS.
VOLUME I.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
VOLUME I.
PHOTOGRAVURE PLATES.
PAGE
FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT.
[The illustrations marked thus (¹) are taken from ‘A Naval Expositor,’ by Thomas Riley Blanckley: with engravings by Paul Fourdrinier. London, 1750.]
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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