Famous Sea Fights

John Richard Hale

I propose to tell in non-technical and popular language the story of some of the most remarkable episodes in the history of sea power. I shall begin with the first sea-fight of which we have a detailed history—the Battle of Salamis (B.C. 480), the victory by which Themistocles the Athenian proved the soundness of his maxim that "he who commands the sea commands all." I shall end with the last and greatest of naval engagements, the Battle of Tsu-shima, an event that reversed the long experience of victory won by West over East, which began with Salamis more than two thousand years ago.

I shall have to tell of British triumphs on the sea from Sluys to Trafalgar; but I shall take instances from the history of other countries also, for it is well that we should remember that the skill, enterprise, and courage of admirals and seamen is no exclusive possession of our own people.

I shall incidentally describe the gradual evolution of the warship from the wooden, oar-driven galleys that fought in the Straits of Salamis to the steel-built, steam-propelled giants that met in battle in the Straits of Tsu-shima. I shall have something to say of old seafaring ways, and much to tell of the brave deeds done by men of many nations. These true stories of the sea will, I trust, have not only the interest that belongs to all records of courage, danger, and adventure, but also some practical lessons of their own. (From the Introduction of the Book)

Genre(s): War & Military, History

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Introduction Barry Eads
00:03:36
Play 01 Ch.I. Salamis, Part 1 & 2 RobbieRogers
00:48:07
Play 02 Ch. II. Actium ontheroad
00:28:42
Play 03 Ch. III. Svold Island woggy298
00:30:11
Play 04 Ch. IV. Sluys Anna Simon
00:23:37
Play 05 Ch. V. Lepanto Part 1 David Leeson
00:26:30
Play 06 Ch. V. Lepanto Part 2 David Leeson
00:23:18
Play 07 Ch. V. Lepanto Part 3 David Leeson
00:28:46
Play 08 Ch. VI. The Armada Part 1 ink tree
00:26:08
Play 09 Ch. VI. The Armada Part 2 ink tree
00:21:27
Play 10 Ch. VI. The Armada Part 3 Tom Crawford
00:29:15
Play 11 Ch. VII. Off the Gunfleet Esther
00:33:14
Play 12 Ch. VIII. The Saints' Passage breathe
00:30:43
Play 13 Ch. IX. Trafalgar Part 1 Jim Mowatt
00:19:31
Play 14 Ch. IX. Trafalgar Part 2 Barry Eads
00:27:08
Play 15 Ch. IX. Trafalgar Part 3 Marian Martin
00:23:54
Play 16 Ch. X. Hampton Roads Part 1 Brian von Dedenroth
00:33:57
Play 17 Ch. X. Hampton Roads Part 2 Tom Crawford
00:28:08
Play 18 Ch. XI. Lissa MorganScorpion
00:41:14
Play 19 Ch. XII. The Yalu Part 1 NickNumber
00:25:09
Play 20 Ch. XII. The Yalu Part 2 NickNumber
00:23:01
Play 21 Ch. XIII. Santiago Alan Winterrowd
00:44:40
Play 22 Ch. XIV. Tsu-shima Part 1 Barry Eads
00:28:42
Play 23 Ch. XIV. Tsu-shima Part 2 Barry Eads
00:30:47
Play 24 Ch. XIV. Tsu-shima Part 3 Mark F. Smith
00:34:26