Under Queen Anne, who reigned from 1702 to 1714, the expansion of the British Fleet begun by William III continued, with her husband Prince George as Lord High Admiral. The major naval battles of her reign were decisive in maintaining Britain's supremacy over France in the War of Spanish Succession. This book, first published in 1938, is an account of the Navy's role in Queen Anne's wars against France by Winston Churchill's naval historical adviser John Owen (1890–1970) whose own experience in the Navy equipped him to write from an insider's perspective about daily life and strategic decisions. He provides lively descriptions of the important figures of the age, drawn from extensive research in the original records. The book is illustrated with maps and portraits. It includes appendices explaining the Navy's organisation and listing facts and figures about the ships then active.