The interaction of England's national, political history with the development or atrophy of her sea-power is perhaps the most conspicuous feature of the long history. Yet, astonishingly, this is the first book fully to seize on it. 'The Safeguard of the Sea' charts nearly 1,000 years of British history and opens up glittering perspectives of historical choice and chance. The riches and surprises of the book are to many to summarize. Not only are policies, institutions and above all people firmly delineated and strongly characterized; there is, besides, a marvellously lucid and well-documented account of ships, weapons, logistics. Diet, health, pay recruitment, promotion all find a place in this amazing book which, for all its encyclopaedic learning, moves with speed and force, and tells a gripping story. '"The Safeguard of the Sea' is a splendid book. It combines impressively detailed research with breadth of perception…An island nation must work to encourage its people to take a close interest in maritime affairs.

This remarkable book is a major contribution to that process and I strongly recommend it to you."ADMIRAL SIR JOCK SLATER, FIRST SEA LORD AND CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF, 'The Times' "Those acquainted with N.A.M. Rodger's absorbing study of the Georgian Navy, 'The Wooden World', will have been looking forward to this first volume of his naval history of Britain. They will not be disappointed. It has the same rare combination of scholarship, analytical power and gift for telling detail, applied now, of course, to a much wider canvas…No other historian has examined the subject in anything like the detail found here. The result is an outstanding example of narrative history.

"BARRY UNSWORTH, 'Sunday Telegraph' "An awesomely scholarly study…The importance of this book is not only in its intrinsic interest, or its usefulness as a superb resource, but its demonstration that this island's story cannot be told without a thorough knowledge of what happened at sea. The book teems with insights and it is brimful with a scholarship that is modest, comprehensive and exact. It is a serious contribution to our history."ALAN JUDD, 'Sunday Times'.