Bélisle, Ismael La Voile & le Canon

Le Monde des Marines de Guerre à Voile - 1745-1815

The aim of this richly illustrated work is to take the reader on a detailed journey through the fascinating world of the sailing navy, which enjoyed its heyday between 1745 and 1815, from the War of Independence to the French Revolution and the end of the Napoleonic Wars. This book paints a vivid, accurate and detailed picture of the manoeuvrability of the ships, their armament, navigation equipment and the daily life of sailors and officers, from admirals to surgeons, cooks to gunners. The supply and administrative organisation of ports and arsenals are described as vividly and graphically as the great naval battles of the century. The world of the great sailing navy is truly fascinating, especially in its heyday between the mid-18th century and the first decades of the 19th century. One cannot help but admire the perfection of its impressive ships, its elegant frigates and corvettes, but also the power of these gigantic fleets of the first great modern navies. This unique world has inspired numerous filmmakers and spawned a multitude of best-selling historical novels whose heroes remain etched in the memory of many. The book begins with an overview of the political and economic environment of the international rivalries that led to a century of great naval battles between the Royal Navy and the French Navy. Ismael Bélisle does historical research in this book, but he does not hide the fact that reading the exciting adventures of Jack Aubrey and Captain Hornblower, which have accompanied him since his youth, inspired him to write this book. This new, expanded edition of La Voile et le canon is a useful reference work for any library.