
Flag and Fleet: How the British Navy Won the Freedom of the Seas
by William Wood
0Listen FreeFree AI audiobook with natural voice. No signup required.
About This Book
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute th...
Chapters (111)(click to expand)
- FLAG AND FLEET
- HOW THE BRITISH NAVY WON THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS
- Lieutenant-Colonel, Canadian Militia; Member of the Canadian Special Mission Overseas; Editor of "The Logs of the Conquest of Canada"; Author of "All Afloat: A Chronicle of Craft and Waterways"; "Elizabethan Sea Dogs: A Chronicle of Drake and his Companions"; and "The Fight for Canada: A Naval and Military Sketch."
- WITH A PREFACE BY ADMIRAL-OF-THE-FLEET SIR DAVID BEATTY G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O., Etc., Etc.
- TORONTO: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD., AT ST. MARTIN'S HOUSE 1919
- To Admiral-of-the-Fleet Lord Jellicoe In token of deep admiration And in gratitude for many kindnesses during the Great War I dedicate this little book, Which, published under the auspices of The Navy League of Canada and approved by the Provincial Departments of Education, Is written for the reading of Canadian Boys and Girls
- PREFACE
- INTRODUCTION
- CONTENTS
- BOOK I THE ROWING AGE
- WHEN SOLDIERS FOUGHT ROWBOAT BATTLES BESIDE THE SHORES OF THE OLD WORLD From the Beginning of War on the Water to King Henry VIII's First Promise of a Sailing Fleet 1545
- BOOK II THE SAILING AGE
- WHEN SAILORS FOUGHT ON EVERY OCEAN AND THE ROYAL NAVY OF THE MOTHER COUNTRY WON THE BRITISH COMMAND OF THE SEA BOTH IN THE OLD WORLD AND THE NEW DRAKE TO NELSON 1585-1805 PART I—THE SPANISH WAR
- PART II—THE DUTCH WAR
- PART III—THE FRENCH WAR
- BOOK III THE AGE OF STEAM AND STEEL
- WHEN THE BRITISH COMMAND OF THE SEA SAVED THE WORLD FROM GERMAN SLAVERY IN THE GREATEST OF ALL WARS 1914-1918 PART I—A CENTURY OF CHANGE (1814-1914)
- PART II—THE GREAT WAR (1914-1918)
- ILLUSTRATIONS
- VIKING MAN-OF-WAR. . . . . . . . . . Frontispiece "DUG-OUT" CANOE ROMAN TRIREME—A vessel with three benches of oars WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR'S TRANSPORTS Eddystone Lighthouse, 1699. The first structure of stone and timber. Build for Trinity House by Winstanley and swept away in a storm. Eddystone Lighthouse, 1882. The fourth and present structure, erected by Sir J. N. Douglass for Trinity House. The Santa Maria, flagship of Christopher Columbus when he discovered America in 1492. Length of keel, 60 feet. Length of ship proper, 93 feet. Length over all, 128 feet. Breadth, 26 feet. Tonnage, full displacement, 233. DRAKE One of Drake's Men-of-War that Fought the Great Armada in 1588. ARMADA OFF FOWEY (Cornwall) as first seen in the English Channel. SIR FRANCIS DRAKE ON BOARD THE REVENGE receiving the surrender of Don Pedro de Valdes. SAILING SHIP. The Pilgrim Fathers crossed in a similar vessel (1620). LA HOGUE, 1692. H.M.S. Centurion engaged and took the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senhora de Capadongo, from Acapulco bound to Manila, off Cape Espiritu Santo, Philippine Islands, June 20, 1743. The ROYAL GEORGE NELSON FIGHTING THE GUNS ON THE MAIN DECK, 1782. THE BLOWING UP OF L'ORIENT DURING THE BATTLE OF THE NILE. THE BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN, APRIL 2nd, 1801. (Note the British line ahead.) The VICTORY. Nelson's Flagship at Trafalgar, launched in 1765, and still used as the flagship in Portsmouth Harbour. TRAFALGAR. 21st October, 1805. MODEL OF THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR. (Reproduced by permission from the model at the Royal United Service Institution.) THE SHANNON AND THE CHESAPEAKE. THE ROYAL WILLIAM. Canadian built; the first boat to cross any ocean steaming the whole way (1833), the first steamer in the world to fire a shot in action (May 5, 1836). BATTLESHIP. Seaplane Returning after flight. DESTROYER. A PARTING SHOT FROM THE TURKS AT GALLIPOLI. JELLICOE. BEATTY. LIGHT CRUISER. H.M.S. Monmouth, Armoured Cruiser. Sunk at Coronel, November 1st, 1914. BATTLESHIP FIRING A BROADSIDE. Jellicoe's Battle Fleet in Columns of Divisions. 6.14 P.M. THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND—PLAN II. Jellicoe's battle line formed and fighting. 6:38 P.M. British Submarine. Minesweeper at work. H.M. KING GEORGE V.
- FLAG AND FLEET
- BOOK I THE ROWING AGE
- CHAPTER I THE VERY BEGINNING OP SEA-POWER (10,000 years and more B.C.)
- [Illustration: "DUG-OUT" CANOE]
- CHAPTER II THE FIRST FAR WEST (The last 5000 years B.C.)
- CHAPTER III EAST AGAINST WEST (480-146 B.C.)
- [Illustration: ROMAN TRIREME—A vessel with three benches of oars]
- CHAPTER IV CELTIC BRITAIN UNDER ROME (55 B.C.-410 A.D.)
- CHAPTER V THE HARDY NORSEMAN (449-1066)
- THE SEA-FARER
- CHAPTER VI THE IMPERIAL NORMAN (1066-1451)
- [Illustration: WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR'S TRANSPORTS]
- CHAPTER VII KING OF THE ENGLISH SEA (1545)
- [Illustrations: Eddystone Lighthouse, 1699. The first structure of stone and timber. Built for Trinity House by Winstanley and swept away in a storm. Eddystone Lighthouse, 1882. The fourth and present structure, erected by Sir J. N. Douglass for Trinity House.]
- TO SEA
- A HYMN IN PRAISE OF NEPTUNE
- EVENING ON CALAIS BEACH
- BERMUDAS
- BOOK II THE SAILING AGE
- PART I THE SPANISH WAR (1568-1596)
- CHAPTER VIII OLD SPAIN AND NEW (1492-1571)
- [Illustration: The Santa Maria, flagship of Christopher Columbus when he discovered America in 1492. Length of keel, 60 feet. Length of ship proper, 93 feet. Length over all, 128 feet. Breadth, 26 feet. Tonnage, full displacement, 233.]
- THE FAME OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE
- CHAPTER IX THE ENGLISH SEA-DOGS (1545-1580)
- [Illustration: DRAKE]
- CHAPTER X THE SPANISH ARMADA (1588)
- [Illustration: One of Drake's Men-of-War that Fought the Great Armada in 1588.]
- [Illustration: ARMADA OFF FOWEY (Cornwall) as first seen in the English Channel.]
- [Illustration: SIR FRANCIS DRAKE ON BOARD THE REVENGE receiving the surrender of Don Pedro de Valdes.]
- THE REVENGE A Ballad of the Fleet
- PART II THE DUTCH WAR
- CHAPTER XI THE FIRST DUTCH WAR (1623-1653)
- [Illustration: SAILING SHIP. The Pilgrim Fathers crossed in a similar vessel (1620).]
- CHAPTER XII THE SECOND AND THIRD DUTCH WARS (1665-1673)
- THE MOAT
- PART III THE FRENCH WAR
- CHAPTER XIII THE FIRST WAR AGAINST LOUIS XIV (1689-1697)
- [Illustration: LA HOGUE, 1692.]
- CHAPTER XIV THE SECOND WAR AGAINST LOUIS XIV (1702-1713)
- CHAPTER XV WAR AGAINST FRANCE AND SPAIN (1739-1748)
- [Illustration: H.M.S. Centurion engaged and took the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senhora de Capadongo, from Acapulco bound to Manila, off Cape Espiritu Santo, Philippine Islands, June 20, 1743.]
- CHAPTER XVI PITT'S IMPERIAL WAR (1756-1763)
- [Illustration: The ROYAL GEORGE]
- ON THE LOSS OF THE ROYAL GEORGE Written when the news arrived (September, 1782).
- CHAPTER XVII THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (1775-1783)
- CHAPTER XVIII NELSON (1798-1805)
- [Illustration: NELSON]
- [Illustration: FIGHTING THE GUNS ON THE MAIN DECK, 1782.]
- [Illustration: THE BLOWING UP OF L'ORIENT DURING THE BATTLE OF THE NILE.]
- [Illustration: THE BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN, APRIL 2nd, 1801. (Note the British line ahead.)]
- [Illustration: The VICTORY. Nelson's Flagship at Trafalgar, launched in 1765, and still used as the flagship in Portsmouth Harbour.]
- [Illustration: TRAFALGAR. 21st October, 1805.]
- [Illustration: MODEL OF THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR. (Reproduced by permission from the model at the Royal United Service Institution.)]
- CHAPTER XIX "1812"
- [Illustration: THE SHANNON AND THE CHESAPEAKE.]
- HOME-THOUGHTS, FROM THE SEA
- YE MARINERS OF ENGLAND
- SEA-FEVER
- O, FALMOUTH IS A FINE TOWN
- "FAREWELL AND ADIEU"
- BOOK III THE AGE OF STEAM AND STEEL
- PART I A CENTURY OF CHANGE (1814-1914) CHAPTER XX A CENTURY OF BRITISH-FRENCH-AMERICAN PEACE (1815-1914)
- CHAPTER XXI A CENTURY OF MINOR BRITISH WARS (1815-1914)
- [Illustration: THE ROYAL WILLIAM. Canadian built; the first boat to cross any ocean steaming the whole way (1833), the first steamer in the world to fire a shot in action (May 5, 1836).]
- PART II THE GREAT WAR (1914-1918) CHAPTER XXII THE HANDY MAN
- THE HAPPY WARRIOR
- CHAPTER XXIII FIFTY YEARS OF WARNING (1864-1914)
- HYMN BEFORE ACTION
- CHAPTER XXIV WAR (1914-1915)
- [Illustration: BATTLESHIP.]
- [Illustration: Seaplane Returning after flight.]
- [Illustration: DESTROYER.]
- [Illustration: A PARTING SHOT FROM THE TURKS AT GALLIPOLI.]
- CHAPTER XXV JUTLAND (1916)
- [Illustration: JELLICOE.]
- [Illustration: BEATTY.]
- [Illustration: LIGHT CRUISER.]
- [Illustration: H.M.S. Monmouth, Armoured Cruiser. Sunk at Coronel, November 1st, 1914.]
- [Illustration: BATTLESHIP FIRING A BROADSIDE.]
- [Illustration: Jellicoe's Battle Fleet in Columns of Divisions. 6.14 P.M.]
- [Illustration: THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND—PLAN II. Jellicoe's battle line formed and fighting. 6:38 P.M.]
- CHAPTER XXVI SUBMARINING (1917-1918)
- [Illustration: British Submarine.]
- [Illustration: Minesweeper at work.]
- CHAPTER XXVII SURRENDER! (1918)
- RULE, BRITANNIA!
- GOD SAVE THE KING!
- CHAPTER XXVIII WELL DONE!
- [Illustration: H.M. KING GEORGE V.]
- POSTSCRIPT THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS
- THE CANADIAN
How to Listen
- 1. Click "Listen Free" above
- 2. The book opens in CastReader's browser reader
- 3. Click the play button — AI narration starts with word highlighting
- 4. Use "Send to Phone" to continue listening on your phone
More by William Wood
FAQ
Is this audiobook really free?
Yes. "Flag and Fleet: How the British Navy Won the Freedom of the Seas" is a public domain work from Project Gutenberg. CastReader converts it to audio using AI text-to-speech for free. No account or payment needed.
What does the AI voice sound like?
CastReader uses Kokoro TTS, a natural-sounding AI voice. It handles punctuation, names, and dialogue naturally. Most listeners forget it's AI after a few minutes.
Can I listen on my phone?
Yes. Open the book, then use "Send to Phone" to stream audio to your phone via Telegram. No app download needed.



