HMS Tamar This is a simply gorgeous book. The photographs in this collection are of an exceptional quality especially as many of them were taken over a hundred years ago or more. The detail is simply breathtaking. The number of full profile shots are particularly pleasing. The original photographer must have taken great lengths to line up his equipment with the ships in port. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this book is worth its weight in gold. Malta played a pivotal role in Britains' strategic and Imperial defence systems. It is for this reason that so many photos of the ships were captured at this port. As the headquarters of the Mediterranean fleet and the principal port on the way to the Suez Canal and beyond, most ships of the Royal Navy paid a visit there sooner or later. Each picture has a brief description and history of the ship in question. These are generally informative and interesting. The only real problem is the brevity of these paragraphs. But, if this was to make room for the pictures, then it was a wise decision indeed. There is an equally compelling second volume that provides pictures from 1907 to 1945.