Ships Of Oak Guns Of Iron

Chronicles the naval history of the War of 1812 and the birth of the United States Navy, when a small American force stunningly defeated the powerful British Navy in a series of battles.

The War of 1812 is typically noted for a handful of events: the burning of the White House, the rise of the Star Spangled Banner, and the battle of New Orleans. But in fact the greatest consequence of that distant conflict was the birth of the U.S. Navy. During the War of 1812, America’s tiny fleet took on the mightiest naval power on earth, besting the British in a string of victories that stunned both nations. In his new book, Ships of Oak and Guns of Iron: The War of 1812 and the Birth of the American Navy, author Dr. Ronald Utt not only sheds new light on the naval battles of the War of 1812 and how they gave birth to our nation’s great navy, but tells the story of the War of 1812 through the portraits of famous American war heroes. From the cunning Stephen Decatur to the fierce David Porter, Ships of Oak and Guns of Iron relates how thousands of American men and boys gave better than they got against the British Navy. The great age of fighting sail is as rich in heroic drama as any epoch. Dr. Utt’s Ships of Oak and Guns of Iron retrieves the American chapter of that epoch from unjustified obscurity, and offers readers an intriguing chronicle of the War of 1812 as well as a unique perspective on the birth of the U.S. Navy.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1867 edition. Excerpt: ... APPENDIX The following pages contain some articles on the prevention of fouling and corrosion in iron ships, which question the ' Standard' took up in a scientific and thorough manner; an abridgment of a paper at the British Association; the report of the result of the Portsmouth trials of sixteen months' duration; the remarks of one of the engineering papers on the principle of Mr. Daft's invention; a paper read by Mr. S. J. Mackie at the Society of Arts, the latest results of Fouling, and the progress of Improved Construction. OUR NATIONAL DEFENCES. CORROSION OF IRON SHIPS. (From the Standard, August 10th, 1866.) " In the conduct of every portion alike of our military and naval departments, during the past few years at least, there would appear to have prevailed either a very culpable negligence and want of foresight, or a gross ignorance of what science had discovered or had indicated. Not only have huge plated ships been built upon unproven principles, and on models against the experiences of all the nations who have been engaged in modern warfare, but although such ships are four times as costly per gun carried as our ancient boasted hearts of oak, no properly considered effort has been made to preserve them from that natural corrosion and decay which is the inevitable fate of all iron ships. What the amount of that corrosion has been, so far as the navy is concerned, we have no published means of knowing, although it is well understood to be a very serious item, and one which would astonish the British public if some patriotic member of the House of Commons would move for and get the absolute returns laid before Parliament. Merchant shipowners do not like to tell the cost at which they maintain their vessels; the late Government...