Four of the the largest vessels built during this period had a capacity greater than one thousand tons. In 1673, was launched The Royal Charles, a ship well known to us, which was taken later by the Dutch.

The largest number of English war ships still belonged, at this period, to the third class. The classification was stated as follows in 1666:

CLASS

LENGTH
OF KEEL

BEAM

DEPTH

TONNAGE

GUNS

1

128–146

  40–48

17.9–19.8

1100–1740

90–100

2

121–143

  37–45

  17–19.8

1000–1500

82–90 

3

115–140

  34–40

14.2–18.3

 750–1174

60–74 

4

 88–108

  27–34

11.2–15.6

12.8–17.8

32–54 

5

 72–81 

23.6–27

 9.9–11  

11.6–13.2

26–32 

Dimensions are in English feet. 1 foot = 0 m. 3048

The year 1646 saw the first frigate built in England and in 1679 the bomb-ketch, built according to the model invented by the French builder Bernard Renan, was adopted.

After 1700, English naval architecture fell completely under the influence of that of France.

“It may truly be said”, writes HOLMES (p. 114) “that during the whole of the eighteenth century, the majority of the improvements introduced in the forms and proportions of vessels of the Royal Navy, were copied from French prizes”.

Scarcely was a French vessel taken ere it was copied, but generally on a larger scale (HOLMES, p. 114). Shipbuilding, in the mean time, had become wonderfully perfected, especially under the Ministry of Colbert (1661), after the first foundations had been laid by Cardinal Richelieu in 1630. Save for a few changes in detail, the rules laid down by Colbert were followed until the XIXth century.

In 1668, the French fleet numbered already 176 vessels, of which one of the most beautiful and famous specimens was the Soleil Royal. This fleet was organized on the same footing as that of Holland (DE JONGE, Vol. III, part I, p. 114). Besides, there existed at this time but little difference between the French and Dutch types.

Dimensions increased greatly at the end of the XVIIth century, under the reign of Louis XIV. This can be seen in the following table, prepared by Barras de la Penne (1698).

RANK
AND
ORDER

Number
of
Guns

CALIBRE
AND MATERIAL
OF THE GUNS

LENGTH

BEAM

DEPTH

NUMBER OF BATTERIES

1st rank,
1st order
Soleil Royal

112

1st battery, 8 of 48
the rest, 36
2d battery, 24
3d battery, 18
poop and top­gallant forecastle,
12 and 18

M.
56.01
between
perpen­ diculars
51.54

M.
15.64

M.
7.64

Three covered
batteries, poop,
and forward castle.

Ships
of
the
line.

1st rank,
2nd order

70 to 100

bronze guns

51.91

14.29

6.61

Three covered bat­teries, castle forward and aft.

2d rank,
1st order

60 to 70

bronze guns

48.72

13.47

6.17

idem.

3d rank,
1st order

56 to 66

⅔ bronze
⅓ iron

47.47

12.34

6.68

Two covered decks, poop and forward castle.

3d rank,
2d order

40 to 50

½ bronze
½ iron

34.22

12.01

5.41

idem.

4th rank

30 to 40

⅓ bronze
⅔ iron

38.98

10.55

4.71

idem.

Do not
come
into
line.

5th rank

18 to 30

¼ bronze
¾ iron

35.73

 8.66

4.55

Two small castles, or onle one aft.

Frigates

 8 to 16

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