This is a masterly, immensely readable and totally convincing narrative
of 500 years of this great and mightily important British industry In
fact, this new book describes with great insight and clarity the
development, growth and decline of two industries: first, the highly
skilled trade of crafting wooden sailing ships; and, second, the story
of the iron and steel shipbuilding industry that took its place. At one
time dozens of small yards were busy building the small wooden trading
vessels that were the mainstay of British trade with the world, but with
the advent of steam power, and of iron hulls, the British industry
gradually became concentrated in a few great shipbuilding regions such
as the North East, the Clyde and Belfast.