Arming the Warship

Download or read book Arming the Warship written by Iver P. Cooper and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2024-11-04 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the 16th century, warships engaged at close range, sometimes with yards touching, and small arms fire and hand-to-hand combat were at least as important as the "great guns." As time went on, the big guns became more decisive and increased in destructive power, range and accuracy. This book explores how naval armament, armor, ballistics and gunnery evolved from the 16th to 20th centuries from a scientific and technological perspective. It examines the functional aspects--the guns and their distribution on warships, the propellants, the projectiles and so forth--and examines the development of each.