The story of "The Captain of the Mary Rose.' the first chapter of which was published in the 29th of July issue of The Engineer, with a purpose. Great diversities of opinion had always existed since the advent of ironclad ships, concerning the methods likely to be adopted in naval warfare. These diversities had been called into being, by the various estimates which naval officers, artillerists, engineers, and shipbuilders had formed of this or that particular feature. Thus one party claimed overwhelming superiority for ramming over all other means of attack; a second party claimed at least equal merit for big guns and quick-firing artillery; while a third group held that the torpedo would settle the result of the next or succeeding action which might take place. The Editors of The Engineer had long held the opinion that it was desirable to place before the world a living and vigorous statement of the views held by men of experience as to some of the weaknesses and strengths of the system of naval defence on which Great Britain depended on not only fore mere safety but for commercial prosperity. They believed that the best, if not only method available for teaching the desired lesson and putting truths of the utmost importance before their readers was to follow the example set years before by the author of "The Battle of Dorking." Mr. Laird Clowes had brought to the task he had undertaken for the Editor's a thorough knowledge of his subject, acquired under the best conditions possible. It was intended that their readers should draw their own conclusions from this work of fiction, the Editor's closed their statement with the following quote "Truth is stranger than fiction, and some truths can more easily be taught the world by the aid of fiction than by any other means." "The Captain of the Mary Rose," should be read with these closing remarks in mind.