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The story of the Royal Navy begins at the end of the 9th-century with King Alfred and his battles with Danish raiding parties. To tackle the invaders, Alfred designed and built a force of 60-oar ships that became the forerunner of a national naval squadron. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Royal Navy (edited by J. R. Hill, Oxford University Press, £25, ISBN 0 19 211675 4) is a detailed and sober account of the Navy’s unique role in exploring and shaping the world since then.