British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714: Design, Construction, Careers and FatesThe seventeenth century saw the transformation of Britain from a minor state on the fringes of Europe into a global economic power, whose interests were protected and promoted by the largest navy in the world. The character of this navy was forged by a bloody civil war, three fiercely disputed conflicts with the Dutch, and the first of many wars with the French. In the process the ships themselves were transformed from the surviving galleons that had defeated the Spanish Armada, through huge prestige vessels like Prince Royal and Sovereign of the Seas and the lightly built frigates of the Commonwealth era into warships that were recognizably ships of the line. These radical developments in the design and employment of warships can be followed in detail for the first time in this comprehensive new reference book, which outlines the history of every ship built, purchased or captured that saw naval service during this era. Like its companion volumes on the 1714-1792 and 1793-1817 periods, the book is organized by Rate, classification and class, with outline technical and building data, but followed by a concise summary of the careers of each ship in every class. With its unique depth of information, this is a work of the utmost importance to every naval historian and general reader interested in the navy of the sailing era. |
Contents
Series Foreword by Andrew Lambert vii | |
Chronology xxiv | |
Glossary and Abbreviations xlvii | |
Chapter First Rates Ships Royal | |
Chapter Second Rates the Great Ships | |
Chapter The Third Rates Middling Ships | |
Chapter The Fourth Rates Small Ships | |
Chapter The Fifth Rates | |
Chapter The Sixth Rates | |
B Vessels acquired before May C Vessels acquired from May D Vessels acquired from December Bomb Vessels | |
Chapter Hired Vessels | |
Appendices | |
Named and Owned Vessels | |
Hired Vessels | |
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British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1603–1714: Design, Construction ... Rif Winfield Limited preview - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
½ft ½in x ft Allin Baltic Battle of Barfleur Battle of Lowestoft Battle of Portland Battle of Solebay Battle of Texel Battles of Schooneveld Blue squadron built Byng’s fleet calc Centre division Channel Charles Chatham Dyd Cmdr John Commissioned under Capt Commissioned under Cmdr convoy culverins demi-cannon demi-culverins Deptford Deptford Dyd died Dimensions & tons dimensions unknown Draught ft Dutch Edward Establishment comprising Fifth Rate fireship flag of Vice-Adm flagship frigates ft ½in ft in keel ft in x Gabbard George guard ship gun ship Henry Hired James James’s Day Fight keel x ft ketch losing killed Mediterranean National Maritime Museum Navy North Sea Plymouth Portsmouth Portsmouth Dyd Programme Purchased Rear division rebuilt Recommissioned Red squadron renamed Richard Robert Rooke’s fleet Royal Saint Shovell’s fleet Sixth Rate Sold St James’s Day Taken Third Rates took privateer vessels West Indies White squadron William Woolwich Dyd