A history of the administration of the Royal Navy and of merchant shipping in relation to the Navy from MDIX to MDCLX, with an introduction treating of the preceding period

by M. Oppenheim

	Length of keel	Beam	Depth of hold	Rate forward	Rate aft	Burden	Ton and Tonnage	Weight of masts and yards	Weight of rigging tackle	Canvas for sails in bolts, ¾ths of a yd. broad and 28 yds. long	Anchors		Cables		Weight of Ordnance	Men in harbour	Men at sea	Mariners	Gunners	Soldiers	Cost per month at sea: wages and victualling
	feet	feet	feet	feet	feet	tons	tons	ton. cwt.	lbs.		No.	lbs.	No.	lbs.	tons						£	s	d
Elizabeth	100	38	18	36	6	684	855	22.8	17000	85	7	15000	7	31000	61	30	500	340	40	120	758	6	8
Triumph	100	40	19	37	6	760	955	24.17	18000	95	7	15000	7	32500	68	30	500	340	40	120	758	6	8
White Bear	110	37	18	36	6.6	732	915	24	17000	88	7	15300	7	30000	63	30	500	340	40	120	758	6	8
Merhonour	110	37	17	37	6.6	691	865	22.13	17000	87	7	15000	7	30000	63	30	400	268	32	100	606	13	4
Ark Royal	100	37	15	33.6	6	555	692	18.4	15300	84	7	13500	7	24000	50	17	400	268	32	100	606	13	4
Victory	95	35	17	32	5.10	555	694	18.4	16200	78	7	13000	7	24000	50	17	400	268	32	100	606	13	4
Repulse	105	37	16			622	777	20.7	17000	78	7	14400	7	26300	54	16	350	230	30	90	530	16	8
Garland	95	33	17	32	5.8	532	666	17.7	14600	66	7	12700	7	22800	47	16	300	190	30	80	455	0	0
Warspite	90	36	16			518	648	17	14400	62	7	13000	7	22800	40	12	300	190	30	80	455	0	0
Mary Rose	85	33	17	30.6	5	476	596	15.12	13000	62	7	13000	7	20000	43	12	250	150	30	70	379	3	4
Hope	94	33	13	31.6	5.7	416	520	13.14	11500	66	6	9200	6	17800	37	12	250	150	30	70	379	3	4
Bonaventure	80	35	16	28	4.10	448	560	14.14	12300	70	6	9600	6	19000	40	12	250	150	30	70	379	3	4
Lion	100	32	14	31.6	5.10½	448	560	14.14	12300	70	6	9600	6	19000	40	12	250	150	30	70	379	3	4
Nonpareil	85	28	15	29	5	357	446	11.7	9800	56	6	9600	6	15000	32	12	250	150	30	70	379	3	4
Defiance	92	32	15	31	5.6	441	552	14.9	12300	60	7	12200	7	19000	41	12	250	150	30	70	379	3	4
Vanguard	108	32	13	32	5.8	449	561	14.14	12300	70	6	9600	6	19100	40	12	250	150	30	70	379	3	4
Rainbow	100	32	12	33.6	6	384	480	12.11	10500	67	6	9000	6	16600	35	12	250	150	30	70	379	3	4
Dreadnought	80	30	15	31	5.4	360	450	11.16	9800	52	6	8200	6	15400	32	10	200	130	20	50	303	6	8
Swiftsure	74	30	15	26	4.6	333	416	9.18	9600	47	5	7100	5	14100	29	10	200	130	20	50	303	6	8
Antelope	87	28	14	29.6	5.3	341	426	11.3	9500	50	5	7300	5	14000	30	10	160	114	16	30	242	13	4
Foresight	78	27	14	27	4.8	294	306	9.12	8300	47	5	7300	5	12600	26	10	160	114	16	30	242	13	4
Adventure	88	26	12			274	343	8.7	7300	44	4	6000	4	11000	24	10	120	88	12	20	182	0	0
Crane	60	26	13	23	3.10	202	253	6.12	5400	40	4	4500	4	8500	18	7	100	76	12	12	151	13	4
Quittance	64	26	13	24	4	219	274	7.5	5800	42	4	4500	4	9400	19	7	100	76	12	12	151	13	4
Answer	65	26	13	24	4	219	274	7.5	5800	42	4	4500	4	9400	19	7	100	76	12	12	151	13	4
Advantage	60	24	12	22	3.10	172	216	5.13	4600	36	4	3700	4	7400	15	7	100	76	12	12	151	13	4
Tremontana	60	22	10			132	165	4.6	3500	31	4	3200	4	5600	11	6	70	52	8	10	106	3	4
Charles	63	16	7	15	3	70	80	2.4	2000	20	4	1800	4	3000	7	5	45	32	6	7	68	5	0
Moon	50	17	7	15	2.8	59	74	1.17	1600	19	3	1800	3	2600	5	5	40	30	5	5	60	13	4
Advice	50	14	6	12	2.6	42	52	1.4	1100	15	3	1600	3	2000	3½	5	40	30	5	5	60	13	4
Spy	50	14	6	12	2.6	42	52	1.4	1100	15	3	1600	3	2000	3½	5	40	30	5	5	60	13	4
Sonne	50	13	6	11	2.2	39	48	1.2	1100	13	3	1500	3	1700	3¼	5	30	24	4	2	45	10	0

In consequence of the existence of a formula, to be presently noticed, for calculating tonnage, we have in the preceding table for the first time an attempt at exactness instead of the former round numbers. The keel and other measurements given can only be taken as approximate seeing that they differ in nearly every paper. And some of the other particulars, such as the number of anchors and cables, represent only a theoretical equipment; the inventories show that vessels frequently carried more than the seven anchors and seven cables assigned to the large ones here. On the other hand the strength of the crews rarely reached the proportions in the list, it may safely be said never, if a large fleet was prepared.

The great Portuguese carrack, the Madre de Dios, captured in 1592 and regarded as the largest ship afloat, had a keel length of 100 feet, an extreme breath of 46 feet 10 inches, and an extreme length of 165 feet.[583] The keel length of the Rainbow being 100 feet, her extreme length was 139 feet 6 inches and she had only 32 feet of beam. Moreover the carrack would be hampered by tiers of cabins built up on her poop and forecastle; a comparison of these proportions will help to explain the better weatherly and sailing qualities of the English ships. If for further illustration we compare the Elizabeth Jonas carrying 55 heavy guns,[584] with a 52 gun ship of 1832 we find that the ordnance of the latter weighed 125 tons 4 cwt.; cables (iron and hempen), 56 tons 1 cwt.; anchors 12 tons 10 cwt. 2 qrs.; masts and yards 74 tons 5 cwt.; and fixed and running rigging 51 tons 9 cwt.[585]

This table also explains why galleys, never much in favour, were rapidly falling out of use. In 1588 the Bonavolia served for two months as a guardship in the river at a total cost of £1028,[586] that is to say £514 a month. In 1589 there is an estimate, in the handwriting of Hawkyns, for the same galley but 150 ‘slaves’ are now allowed for, and ‘there may be for every bank[587] a soldier with his piece if the service require it.’ He adds ‘there is no dyett spoken of for the slaves for that we are not yett in the experyence.’[588] We cannot now tell whether Hawkyns had his early merchandise of negroes in his mind or whether ‘slaves’ was the pleasant Elizabethan way of describing criminals and vagrants.[589] The reference however, to ignorance in the matter of diet seems rather to imply that negroes were in question. Doubtless the cost of free oarsmen had been found to be too great. It will be observed that a large cruiser like the Dreadnought could be kept at sea throughout the year at a charge of £303 a month while the almost useless galley, only doubtfully available in summer, cost very much more. The galley service was only possible among the Mediterranean states, and then only when, like Venice, they bought surplus human stock by the thousand from the Emperor. The four galleys of 1601-2 were never once engaged in active service, and were probably only used for purposes for which steam tugs are now employed; perhaps also in pageants, men from the royal ships or ordinary watermen being put in them for the particular service.

Types of Ships.

The lines of ships had begun to vary according to the purpose for which they were designed. There had formerly been no difference between merchantmen and men-of-war except that the latter were perhaps more strongly built. But a paper by William Borough, Comptroller of the Navy, now describes three orders:—[590]

1. The shortest, broadest, and deepest order.	To have the length by the keel double the breadth amidships and the depth in hold half that breadth.
This order is used in some merchant ships for most profit.
2. The mean and best proportion for shipping for merchandise, likewise very serviceable for all purposes.	Length of keel two or two and a quarter that of beam. Depth of hold eleven-twentyfourths that of beam.
3. The largest order for galleons or ships for the wars made for the most advantage of sailing.	Length of keel three times the beam. Depth of hold two-fifths of beam.

If the figures in the preceding table are trustworthy it will be seen that the keel length is very seldom three times the breadth although the later ships show a drift towards that proportion. The short keel, not sufficiently supported in a head sea must have made the vessel pitch tremendously, and one object of the beakhead and great forward rake was to shatter the seas and prevent them breaking on board. Probably these ships were but little worse sailers than the ordinary merchantmen of the beginning of this century, at least before the wind. They could not sail on the wind within at least eight points; fore and aft sails were not yet known, and the top-hamper of lofty sides and built up poop and forecastle levered the vessel off to leeward.