From the dawn of civilization man has held a fascination with the sea, and over the centuries has built myriad ships and sailing craft for an equally diverse range of purposes. Encyclopedia of Warships provides a fascinating at-a-glance guide to more than 400 of the most important ships from ancient times to the present day. The book provides compact coverage of some of the most famous sailing ships, including San Martin, the flagship of the Spanish Armada; the steam frigate USS Powhatan, aboard which Commodore Matthew Perry negotiated the United States’ first trade treaty with Japan in 1854; the Japanese World War II I-400-class carrier submarine, which was uniquely equipped with floatplanes; and the nuclear-powered supercarriers USS Enterprise and USS Nimitz, that dominated the world’s oceans during the Cold War era. Each ship is illustrated with one or two accurate artworks – some of them cutaways – a photograph, an authoritative history on its development, production and service history and a box panel of essential specifications. Featuring more than 400 entries, from the Viking longship through the 16th-century galleon to the supercarriers and nuclear submarines of the 21st century, Encyclopedia of Warships includes every conceivable type of warship.