At the end of World War I, the United States Navy had become one of the most powerful naval forces in the world, second only to the British Royal Navy. Faced with the rising naval power of Japan, the United States was building and had projected even larger and more powerful ships. This naval race was stopped by the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, albeit only temporarily. When contrasted with the small collection of obsolete ships of which the Navy consisted in 1883, it can be seen that a truly remarkable renaissance has taken place. It is the purpose of this book to give details and information of all the ships of the United States Navy of this period.
1883 is an appropriate starting place as this was the year that funds were first appropriated for construction of modern naval vessels after a long period of decline following the Civil War. These ships and those that followed them, called the "New Navy", were mostly still in service in 1917 when America came into the war that had been raging for three years.
Details given in this book are for the ships as completed by the Navy, and data includes displacement, dimensions, machinery, armour thickness, armament and complement. Also included is each ship's official number, its name, builder, date of launch and fate.
1st edition.
This copy is in Very Good condition although there is some foxing and minor shelf wear. As usual, photos are of the item that you will receive.