author

Edward W. (Edward Wilson) Very

1847–1910

Best known for giving his name to the "Very light," he was also a naval officer and technical writer with a gift for explaining warships, weapons, and the fast-changing technology of his era.

1 Audiobook

Navies of the world : giving concise descriptions of the plans, armament and armor of the naval vessels of twenty of the principal nations.

Navies of the world : giving concise descriptions of the plans, armament and armor of the naval vessels of twenty of the principal nations.

by Edward W. (Edward Wilson) Very

About the author

Born in Belfast, Maine, in 1847, Edward W. Very entered the U.S. Naval Academy as a teenager and briefly served during the Civil War before graduating in 1867. He went on to a wide-ranging Navy career that included duty with the Asiatic and European squadrons, ordnance work, and service connected with naval signaling and artillery.

Very is remembered most widely for developing and promoting the flare gun and signal system that came to be known as the Very light. Alongside that practical work, he also wrote about naval technology and international sea power for a general audience.

His best-known book is Navies of the World (1880), a survey of major naval fleets, ships, armor, and ordnance at a moment when modern steel navies were taking shape. He died in New York City in 1910.