Following the British naval successes of the early French Revolutionary Wars, which culminated in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, public interest in the history and growth of the Royal Navy increased dramatically, inspiring the publication of scholarly works relating to naval history. This volume, written by Naval Office clerk Charles Derrick and first published in 1806, contains a detailed account of the changes in the state of the Royal Navy between 1485 and 1805. Derrick focuses on the decline and growth of the number of ships in the Navy during the reign of each monarch through this period, listing the number of ships and tonnage at the start of each reign and describing innovations and new ships built during the period. Including copies of contemporary naval reports on ship numbers, tonnage and shipbuilding techniques, this clear and concise study remains a valuable reference for the study of naval history.
