Steam, Steel and Shellfire: The Steam Warship, 1815-1905 (Conway's History of the Ship)

Between 1840 and 1905, sail was replaced by steam, wooden hull construction with iron and then steel, and the shell-firing gun encouraged the adoption of armor plate. For this first time, this volume - the fourth in an ambitious series - offers a proper understanding of this neglected, misunderstood but fascinating period in shipbuilding.