This volume follows the organisation of the editor’s seminal study, Naval Administration in the Age of Walpole (1965), but the documents presented here represents a longer period (of thirty-five years) than in his original book.

Separate sections include documents describing the structure of the central administration, including the Admiralty’s sometimes difficult relationship with the Navy Board; the evolution of the officer corps, rewards and discipline: seamen and their pay, the manning problem and health at sea; ships and shipbuilding; naval stores and timber; the Royal Dockyards, their management, labour relations, and abuses of the system; the development of overseas bases; the victualling of the fleet and naval finance.