Originally published in 1989, this book reviews the history of maritime control measures from before the First World War and provides a critical examination of both the objectives of maritime power and the concepts of disarmament, peace zones, parity, verifiability and peaceful co-existence. It argues that the objectives or maritime power are not necessarily incompatible with international security and that strategic deterrence can contribute to improved security. Limitation measures, it is argued, can in some cases be double-edged, endangering other security fields and having a destabilizing effect. The book stresses the need for non-absolute solutions in order to achieve a reasonable level of security and makes proposals for both structural and confidence-building measures along those lines
1. The Objectives of Arms Control 2. The Objectives of Maritime Power 3. Maritime Arms Control Measures, 1800-1939 4. The Post-1945 Context 5. The Limits of Current Achievement 6. Some Aspirations Examined 7. The Sea and Strategic Arms Control 8. Tactical Nuclear Weapons at Sea 9. Limitation of Conventional Armaments at Sea 10. Limitation of Naval Force Structures 11. Maritime Weapon-Free Zones 12. Coastal State Control 13. Confidence-Building Measures 14. The Limits of the Possible
Biography
Rear Admiral J. Richard Hill
Original reviews of Arms Control at Sea:
‘Arms Control at Sea provides a wealth of clear and accurate information, especially regarding the historical background and an extensive critical examination of the issues at stake.’ Antoine Bouvier, International Review of the Red Cross.
‘In Arms Control at Sea, Rear Admiral JR Hill…presents not only a framework to understand the modalities of naval arms control but a critical assessment of what may be at stake.’ Thomas M. Keithly, Naval War College Review, Vol 43, No. 2 (1990).
