Français  Contact Us  Help  Search  Canada Site Volume 1 (1000–1754) Volume 2 (1755-1871) Volume 3 (1872–2000) CHAPTER 1 The Conquest CHAPTER 2 The Revolt of Pontiac and the American Invasion CHAPTER 3 The Coveted Pacific Coast CHAPTER 4 The Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 CHAPTER 5 Demobilization CHAPTER 6 The Royal Navy, Ruler of the Seas A Power Force In Defence From Sail to Steam A Revolution in Artillery Arctic Exploration Franklin's Tragic Expedition Discovery of a Northwest Passage Events in the North West Territories The Red River Volunteers The Pacific Coast The Victoria Voltigeurs The Purported Russian Threat The Gold Rush and the Royal Engineers The Pig War The Royal Navy Patrols the West Coast The Volunteer Corps CHAPTER 7 A Decade of Turbulence APPENDIX A The British Armed Forces APPENDIX B Daily Life of Soldiers and Officers APPENDIX C Uniforms and Arms APPENDIX D Reference      CHAPTER 6 The Royal Navy, Ruler of the Seas           From Sail to Steam ( 3 pages )           1 2 3      French Ship Brings Sudden Turmoil                The ironclad La Gloire, Marine française, 1859. (Click image to enlarge) The first armour-plated ship in the world appeared in 1859; it was the French warship La Gloire, a 5,600ton colossus packed with cannon, its wooden hull completely covered in 10 to 12-centimetre-thick iron plate.  The Royal Navy was thus instantly outmoded, which caused keen reaction in England and in Canada and contributed powerfully to the Volunteer Movement.  The Admiralty responded immediately by ordering armour-plated vessels from the shipyards, and in 1860 the HMS Warrior was launched.  This British ship, which drew 9,000 tons, had a hull made completely of iron and armour covered more than half its surface.           Additional Images           Click image to enlarge      1 2 3   Last Updated: 2004-06-20 Important Notices