From the early wooden-walled steamships to coastal destroyers, the fleets of coastal vessels grew to become a major part of the naval armoury. It was the introduction of the internal combustion engine in the twentieth century that saw the development of fast patrol craft and torpedo boats. This book looks at almost all of these vessels.
Maurice Cocker is a retired navy officer who has written a series of books on the Navy's ships. His previous work includes Mine Warfare Vessels and Submarines of the Royal Navy. He lives in Lancashire.
