This is the first comprehensive book on the history of gunpowder rockets. As complex and varied as modern rockets are, they all have a common ancestor--the modest gunpowder rocket--which saw its peak development in the last century. In the early 1880s, Englishman William Congreve changed the face of rocketry by initiating the modern process of research and development. William Hale, Congreve's compatriot, introduced major improvements in rocketry using the advances of the Industrial Revolution in steam power and metallurgy. Frank Winter discusses in detail the international impact of Congreve and Hale rockets for seven major and nine minor European countries, the Americas, India, China, and the Middle East. He describes the applications of the gunpowder rocket to areas as varied as scientific inquiry, whaling, torpedoes, and flying machines. This definitive book assesses the achievements of Congreve and Hale in light of other forms of artillery of the day. It will prove to be a valuable contribution to the history of technology and military history. -- Dust jacket.