An in-depth examination of the life and times of Admiral Edward Vernon, this book sheds new light on one of Britain's greatest naval heroes. Drawing on archival sources and firsthand accounts, Ford demonstrates the pivotal role that Vernon played in shaping the future of the Royal Navy and the British Empire. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.