From 1793 to 1815 were the years of the Napoleonic wars - a period of change and upheaval comparable to the world wars of the twentieth century. This is the story of one of the keys to that great conflict, the Ship of the Line - the beautiful but deadly battleships that waged the war at sea. There are accounts of the ships, their construction and armaments, the daily life of the men, and the problems faced by commanders, in battles that include the Glorious First of June, Camperdown, the Battle of the Nile, and of course Trafalgar.