In 1913 the shipyards of Britain were responsible for building half of all the world's ships. At the Clyde in Scotland at this time a new ship was launched every eighteen hours. For decades Britain was at the forefront of shipbuilding; the history and economy of towns such as Belfast, Liverpool and the Clyde in Scotland were dominated by the industry and thousands were employed within it. Shipbuilding in Britain looks at the subject's long history, back to the Middle Ages through to the advent of steam, providing a comprehensive guide to a transformed industry.