The fireship was the guided missile of the sailing era. Packed with incendiary (and sometimes explosive) material, it was aimed at its highly inflammable wooden target by volunteers who bailed out into a boat at the last moment. It often missed, but the panic it invariably caused among crews who generally could not swim and had no method of safely abandoning ship did the job for it - the most famous example being the attack off Gravelines in 1588 which led to the rout of the Spanish Armada. Although it was a tactic used in ...
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The fireship was the guided missile of the sailing era. Packed with incendiary (and sometimes explosive) material, it was aimed at its highly inflammable wooden target by volunteers who bailed out into a boat at the last moment. It often missed, but the panic it invariably caused among crews who generally could not swim and had no method of safely abandoning ship did the job for it - the most famous example being the attack off Gravelines in 1588 which led to the rout of the Spanish Armada. Although it was a tactic used in antiquity, its successful revival in the Armada campaign led to the adoption of the fireship as an integral part of the fleet. During the seventeenth century increasingly sophisticated 'fireworks' were designed into purpose-built ships, and an advance doctrine was worked out for their employment. Fireship reveals the full impact of the weapon on naval history, looks at the technology and analyses the reasons for its decline.This is the first history of a potent, much used but little understood weapon.
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Seller's Description:
Near Fine in Near Fine jacket. Book. 4to-over 9¾-12" tall. Near Fine Copy With The Previous Owner's Name Neatly On Top Of Half Title Page. Pristine Interior Along With The Dust Jacket. The Fireship Was The Guided Missile Of The Age Of Sail. Packed With Incendiary (And Sometimes Explosive) Material, It Was Aimed At Its Highly Inflammable Wooden Target By Volunteers Who Bailed Out At The Last Moment. Although It Often Missed Its Target, The Panic It Caused Among The Crews--Who Generally Could Not Swim And Had No Method Of Safely Abandoning Ship--Did The Job. The Most Famous Example Of Its Use Was The English Attack Off Gravelines In 1588 That Led To The Rout Of The Spanish Armada And The Adoption Of The Fireship As An Integral Part Of The British Fleet. The Author Explains How Increasingly Sophisticated "Fireworks" Were Designed Into Specially-Built Ships, And How Doctrines Were Worked Out For Their Deployment. In Covering Some Of The Most Dramatic Battles Of The Sailing Era, This Heavily Illustrated Book Reveals The Full Impact Of A Much Used But Little Understood Weapon On Naval History.
