A gripping portrayal of a little-known aspect of our history, told mainly by people who made that history.The book has a strong "period" feel and a powerful immediacy.., packed with dramatic incidents and colourfut personalities, leaving the reader breathless with its accounts of battles at all corners of the globe.

This compelling book tells the story of the war at sea at a time when France had emerged from revolution. The great nations of Europe and the fledgling United States became locked in an epic struggle that would determine the balance of global power for the next century. By the time of Waterloo, the Royal Navy controlled the world's sea-lanes and had laid the foundations of the vast British Empire. Brought to life by eyewitness accounts, this fast-paced narrative encompasses gallant duels, bloody battles, combined army and navy operations, and the subtleties of espionage.The experiences of the men and women caught up in the war are vividly recounted, including those of press-ganged seamen, sailors' prostitutes and prisoners-of-war.This worldwide conflict truly was The WarforAll the Oceans.

Maps and Plans
Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Preface
Prologue:With Cannon and Cutlass
Gateway to India
Battle of the Nile
Siege of Acre
From Naples to Copenhagen
War and Peace
Hot Press
Invasion Fleet
Turning Point
In Every Sea
Conflict and Commerce
The Sea Wolf
By Land and Sea
The Grand Expedition
Disaster
Prisoners and Privateers
The Hand of Providence
Triumph and Tragedy
The Great Mistake
Up the Chesapeake
Star-Spangled Banner
Swansong
The Turn of Fortune's Wheel
Notes
Selected Reading
Bibliography
Index