The Royal Navy of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a legendary force: it claimed supremacy in every ocean, policed the empire and provided the force behind Britain's power in the world. During this period the Service was commletely transformed, from the wooden walls of Nelson's time to the steel dreadnoughts, destroyers and submarines which fought at Jutland. Padfield describes the struggle to adapt to the radical changes which affected every aspect of weapons, tactics, education, propulsion, training and social attitudes.