Henry the Eighth laid the foundations for one of the most prestigious and significant institutions in the history of the United Kingdom: the Royal Navy. This book describes the ships, battles, strategy, armament and tactics of that force. It investigates the process and techniques of shipbuilding and navigation and the business of manning and managing the fleet. It tries to answer the myriad questions both large and small that would interest and intrigue the specialist and general reader; such as what did the crew sleep on, how were ships built, how long would salt beef last in the barrel and how did the fleet organise itself for battle? This book contains a great deal of practical and helpful information and interpretation about one of the least studied but vitally important parts of naval history.