BROADSIDES AND BOARDERS

Wooden hulled warships from the 16th to the 19th century played their crucial part in the power struggles of England, Spain, the Netherlands, France and America. Their history provides- in abundant measure- adventure, bits of biography, great episodes that changed world history, hero tales, etc. With the destruction of the Spanish Armada the oar-driven galley tactics met their doom; the end of the War of 1812 brought the history up to the day of the steamship.