REVIEW OF BOOKS
THE EVOLUTION OF NAVAL ARMAMENT by Frederick Leslie Robertson, Engineer Commander, R. N. Illustrated, 301 pages, indexed. Published by Constable and Co., Ltd., London, and by E. P. Dutton and Co. of New York City. Price $7.00.
This book gives an historical account of the evolution of the ship, gun, and engine and their interdependence. While the material side is of necessity stressed, the bearing of tactics on the evolution of these elements of sea strength is made apparent.
The account sketches the historical beginning of each: the ship, gun and engine, and carries through their development in a lucid and interesting fashion.
One cannot but be impressed with the opposition by the naval fraternity in all ages to material progress. This is interesting, points a moral, and corroborates a recent article in the Proceedings. A reading of this book would well repay the naval officers for the historical background that it gives in the development of material. At the same time the avoidance of an ultra technical style makes it very readable for the layman. The writer speaks with authority for he gathered his information from the Admiralty library, the Royal United Service Institution and the British Museum.
The subjects of the chapters are:
- The Sailing Ship.
- The Smooth Bore Gun.
- The Steam Engine.
- New Principles of Gunnery.
- The Carronade.
- The Truck Carriage.
- The Shell Gun.
- The Rifled Gun.
- Propelling Machinery.
- The Ironclad.
A. S.