When first published in 2005 this book was hailed as a major contribution to naval history, and its value as a reference work was reflected in the speed with which it went out of print. This revised edition incorporates some important corrections, but retains the comprehensive coverage of the first, with details of well over 2000 ships that served during the Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Empire—whether purpose-built, captured, purchased or merely hired. As well as technical data on the ships, information includes commissioning dates, refit periods, changes of captain, the stations where they served (and when), as well as notes on any actions in which they took part. The book is well illustrated with contemporary prints and drawings that show the wide variety of service required of naval vessels in these wars, while specially commissioned general arrangement drawings depict the most significant classes. In all, it is a fitting tribute to a navy that at the zenith of its power in 1809 comprised one half of all the warships in the world.
