Originally published during the early part of the twentieth century, the Cambridge Manuals of Science and Literature were designed to provide concise introductions to a broad range of topics. They were written by experts for the general reader and combined a comprehensive approach to knowledge with an emphasis on accessibility. Naval Warfare by James R. Thursfield was first published in 1913. The volume presents a variety of information on the nature of war at sea, including descriptions of the principle elements behind naval conflict and its historical development.