The Age of the Ship of the Line: British and French Navies 1650-1815

 
From the publishers:
For nearly two hundred years huge wooden warships called “ships of the line” dominated war at sea and were thus instrumental in the European struggle for power and the spread of imperialism. Foremost among the great naval powers were Great Britain and France, whose advanced economies could support large numbers of these expensive ships. This book, the first joint history of these great navies, offers a picture of the two forces, their shipbuilding programs, naval campaigns, and battles, and their wartime strategies and diplomacy.
 
Jonathan R. Dull is the author of two award-winning histories of the French navy. His book conveys the fine details and the high drama of the age of grand and decisive naval conflict. Dull delves into the seven wars that Great Britain and France, often in alliance with lesser naval powers such as Spain and the Netherlands, fought between 1688 and 1815. Viewing war as most statesmen of the time saw it—as a contest of endurance—he also treats the tragic side of the Franco-British wars, which shattered the greater security and prosperity the two powers enjoyed during their brief period as allies.
 
Jonathan R. Dull is the retired senior associate editor of The Papers of Benjamin Franklin series.