Royal Navy Torpedo Vessels, 1870-1914

The self-propelled torpedo was probably the greatest game-changer in the history of naval warfare. For the first time, the largest warship could be sunk by a weapon carried by the smallest. Most navies were quick to see the potential. The Royal Navy was an "early adopter" of the torpedo and was instrumental in the development of the small, fast craft that delivered the weapons. This book is another of Seaforth's excellent technical books about warship development.