The History of the Ship series covers what is probably the most influential tool in human history. The series was the first comprehensive and authoritative account, covering every significant ship type from the dawn of seafaring to the present day. Each individual volume is a collection of detailed and coherent essays. An unprecedented line up of over a hundred leading maritime historians and specialists from around the world was gathered together to write an edit the volumes. The result is a work that is informative, authoritative and fully international in outlook. The Eclipse of the Big Gun covers the history of the warship from 1906 to 1945. The chronology spans both of the 20th century's world wars. This was an era of rapid transition, as well as considerable operational experience, thanks to a series of major technological developments. The era begins with fleets dominated by large vessels bearing heavy guns, and relying on visual sighting of their opponents. By its end, battles were fought without ships of either side being in sight of one another, while under the waves lurked the menace of the submarine and its deadly torpedo.