who plotted a ship's course in the navy 18th century

Full Answer

What was life like on a Royal Navy ship in 1806?

Across the globe, however, the Royal Navy still fought Napoleon’s ships, which harassed shipping and blockaded ports. Life aboard those ships was always tough, but rarely ever slow. A sailor, specifically a maintopman, was on the starboard watch aboard HMS Arethusa, in December 1806.

What was life like in the 18th-century Navy?

This, like much else about life in the 18th-century Navy, was a Victorian invention that said more about the values of that time than it did about the realities of the previous century. In fact, large numbers of women went to sea.

What was it like to be a sailor in the 19th century?

The life of a sailor has never been easy, and during wartime, it is doubly true. It was particularly so in the Royal Navy at the beginning of the 19th century. Britain was embroiled in a struggle against France, which had recently succumbed to revolution.

When did the ship’s LOG Run?

The ship’s log ran for the 24 hours of the ship’s day, from 12 noon on Day 1 to 12 noon on Day 2, with the calendar date of Day 2. Thus the log in Figure 4 ran from 12 noon on Wednesday, 18th August to 12 noon on Thursday, 19th August 1779. The “H” column was for each hour of the ship’s 24-hour day.

What was the experience of the 18th century?

What was the life at sea in the Royal Navy?

How did the press gang work?

Why was Cook's determination to avoid deaths from scurvy important?

How were formal punishments inflicted?

What was Captain Cook's first contact with the alternative world?

Why was the Royal Navy patronage important?

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About this website

What were 18th century ships called?

In the last quarter of the 18th century, large European vessels were being classified into types based on their hull configuration, e.g. frigate, hagboat, pink, cat, flute, and bark. The VOC also used the terms retourschip (for large vessels like the Batavia) and jacht (for smaller ships like the Vergulde Draeck).

How many ships were in the British Navy in 1800?

The Royal Navy's Size Throughout HistoryYearCarriersBattleships and Large Amphibious Craft170001271800012718100152191847012 more rows

What did the sailing master do?

The master was responsible for fitting out the ship, and making sure they had all the sailing supplies necessary for the voyage. The master also was in charge of stowing the hold and ensuring the ship was not too weighted down to sail effectively.

Which is a very famous ship of British Navy?

The largest and most advanced warships ever built for the Royal Navy, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales are the nation's flagships.

What was the largest navy in history?

What country had the largest navy of all time? The largest naval fleet of all time belonged to the United States during World War II. At its peak, the U.S. Navy consisted of 6,768 vessels.

Are there any British battleships left?

Amazingly, five British warships that survived the battle also exist around our shores today, but only one remains afloat.

What's the difference between a captain and a master?

Captain is a general and informal term referring to someone in the act of performing in that capacity. Master refers to professional qualification, captain to a state of command or authority.

What do you call a master sailor?

Master sailor, formerly Master seaman, or matelot-chef (matc) in French, is a non-commissioned member rank of the Royal Canadian Navy, which is between sailor first class and petty officer 2nd class. Technically, the rank is actually an appointment, with appointees holding the rank of sailor first class.

Why is a captain called a master?

In the Middle Ages, the man in charge of a ship, often but not always the owner, was called the master; this usage stems from imperial Rome. On the high seas, where delay or dissension could lead to destruction and death, the master had absolute authority, hence the title.

What's a famous ship that sank?

RMS TitanicRMS Titanic Titanic sank at approximately 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912, claiming the lives of 1,500 passengers.

What is the oldest warship still in service?

USS ConstitutionUSS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She is the world's oldest ship still afloat. She was launched in 1797, one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and the third constructed.

What is the oldest ship in the Royal Navy?

Today Victory is preserved at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and, as the flagship of the First Sea Lord & Chief of Naval Staff, is the oldest commissioned warship in the world. Laid down in 1759 Victory was a First Rate, the most powerful type of ship of her day with three gun decks mounting 100 guns.

How many ships did Britain have in 1812?

In 1812 the British Navy included 130 ships of the line with 60-120 guns and 600 frigates and smaller vessels.

How many ships did the British Navy have in 1812?

With only 16 warships, the United States could not directly challenge the Royal Navy, which had 500 ships in service in 1812.

How many ships did the British Empire have?

Royal NavyCountryKingdom of England (1546–1707) Great Britain (1707–1801) United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922) United Kingdom (1922–present)TypeNavyRoleNaval warfareSize34,130 active personnel 4,040 maritime reserve 7,960 royal fleet reserve 74 commissioned ships; 85 including RFA 160 aircraft28 more rows

How big was the British Navy in 1776?

In 1776 it had 27 ships against Britain's 270. By the end of the war, the British total had risen close to 500, and the American total had dwindled to 20. Many of the best seamen available had gone off privateering, and Continental Navy commanders and crews both suffered from a lack of training and discipline.

An Introduction to Life at Sea in Aubrey’s Royal Navy

The full experience of life aboard a man o’ war in Aubrey’s Royal Navy is not something that can be easily summed up in a short article. It’s not something that can be easily summed up in 20 novels, though Patrick O’Brian gives us an incredible window into that world long past.

What happened in 1782?

Image. 1782. Great Britain. 1782 Central Atlantic hurricane – On 17 September 1782, a hurricane caught a British fleet under Admiral Graves off the banks of Newfoundland. The French prizes in the fleet, captured at the Battle of the Saintes, Ville de Paris, Glorieux and Hector foundered, as did HMS Ramillies and HMS Centaur.

Why are ships vulnerable to disaster?

All ships, including those of the military, are vulnerable to problems from weather conditions, faulty design or human error. Some of the disasters below occurred during periods of conflict, although their losses were unrelated to any military action.

What is maritime disaster?

A maritime disaster is a disaster that occurs like sea, such as a ship sinking or foundering to the point of causing the death of many of its occupants. Many maritime disasters happen other than as a result of war.

How many men went down on the HMS Ontario?

HMS Ontario – she sank in a storm on 31 October 1780 while en route from Fort Niagara to Oswego. About 130 men went down with the ship, consisting of soldiers, crew and prisoners of war. News of the ship's sinking was kept quiet for a number of years to hide the military loss. 130–172.

What happened to Queen Charlotte?

HMS Queen Charlotte – a British 100-gun first-rate ship of the line that, on 17 March 1800, while serving as flagship of Vice-Admiral Lord Keith, was reconnoitering the Tuscan island of Capraia when she caught fire. She exploded and sank, killing 673 officers and men.

How many men were on the HMS Victory?

With her were lost Admiral Sir John Balchen and her entire complement of around 1,150 men. 1,150.

When did the Royal George sink?

HMS Royal George – sank while moored at Portsmouth while the ship was being heeled for repairs on the underside on 29 August 1782 with a full crew and a considerable number of visitors aboard. The ship heeled too far and began taking water in the gun ports and sank.

Where was the helmsman on the ship?

The helmsman stood at the ship’s wheel, which was located directly behind the compass binnacle. The binnacle was a large oak case with a steering compass mounted on either side, so the helmsman could always see a compass. Under most conditions the best a helmsman could do would be to steer within one point of a given course. The center of the binnacle contained a fish-oil lamp, mounted on gimbals, which illuminated the compasses at night.

What is the title of a merchant ship captain?

Let us take a coastal voyage between two ports. The correct title for the Captain of a merchant ship was “Master,” as in “Master Mariner,” but in practice the courtesy term “Captain” was used. On merchant ships, the Master-Captain and his First Mate were responsible for navigating the ship. The Captain of a ship-of-war, although theoretically responsible for navigation, usually delegated this to his “Sailing Master”, shortened to “Master.” The Sailing Master (today's Navigation Officer) ranked as an officer and messed with them in the wardroom. The Captain and the other naval officers could navigate, but did not see it as their primary duty.

What happened to the original Serapis log?

The original manuscript of the log was lost in a fire in 1940, but fortunately the log was type scripted prior to the fire. • The logbook for the Serapis, under American control after the battle, covers the period from just after the sinking of the Bonhomme Richard until Serapis arrived at Texel, Holland.

How many telescopes did the Master have?

Our Master would own two telescopes: a “long-glass”, which was a one-piece wooden tube approximately 4 feet long, sometimes covered in leather, with the object lens mounted in a brass ring at one end, and the eyepiece lens mounted in a small brass tube at the other end, which could be adjusted to the observer’s eyesight. A long-glass was heavy and awkward to use on a pitching rolling ship, but it had a magnification factor of 15x to 20x. The Master's “night glass” was only 2 to 3 feet long, and had a wider-aperture object lens to permit more light to enter the telescope at twilight-dawn or twilight-dusk, or at night by the light of the moon or stars. Although a night-glass only had a magnification factor of 10x to 12x it was widely used by day, since it was so convenient to handle on a ship.

What would the coastal chart provide?

The coastal chart could be supplemented by even more details in the annually-published, “Coasting Pilot” for that area, which would provide highly detailed information on buoys, marks in channels, and the best approaches to harbors to remain clear of shoals.

How far offshore is coastal navigation?

Coastal Navigation. Coastal navigation was used when a ship sailing between ports remained within 5 miles to 20 miles offshore, laying a course well offshore but still keeping in sight headlands, lighthouses, seaports, or large noticeable features like church towers or steeples on the coast.

What is required to interpret the logs of the Age of Sail?

In order to interpret these logs, an understanding of navigation methods and equipment in the Age of Sail is required.

What time did the sailor work his way down to the mess deck?

At 6 bells on the morning watch, or 0700, the sailor worked his way down to the mess deck. Nine other crewmen joined him for oatmeal and coffee at breakfast.

What was the job of the watchmates on the ship?

If the ship’s course was to be changed, it was the watchmates’ job to move the sails expertly. Each weighed hundreds of pounds and had to be moved quickly with the help of crewmen hauling on deck.

How high above deck did the Mid Topman climbed?

At 0340 his day began. With his rigging knife and splicing fid, the mid topman joined his watchmates on deck ready for muster or inspection. Then he c limbed 100 feet above deck to his position on the main topgallant yard. From there he could see the horizon for miles around. He was keeping a sharp eye out for shapes along the horizon; another ship could mean anything from news of home to a heated battle.

What was the Royal Navy's role in the Battle of Trafalgar?

Britain’s Royal Navy was all that stood between Napoleon and his almost complete control of Europe. It was not until the Battle of Trafalgar, in 1805, when his fleet was sufficiently weakened, that the British could rest easy knowing a French invasion was impossible. Across the globe, however, the Royal Navy still fought Napoleon’s ships, ...

What was Britain embroiled in?

Britain was embroiled in a struggle against France, which had recently succumbed to revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte had become ruler and he had a grand vision of spreading French influence across Europe and the British channel. To do that, he needed control of the seas.

When was the Sailor's Life for Me?

A Sailor’s Life For Me – A day in the life of a Royal Navy Sailor from 1806. The life of a sailor has never been easy, and during wartime, it is doubly true. It was particularly so in the Royal Navy at the beginning of the 19th century. Britain was embroiled in a struggle against France, which had recently succumbed to revolution.

What was the life aboard the Arethusa?

Life aboard those ships was always tough, but rarely ever slow. The capture of Curacoa by the Arethusa and the Royal Navy’s fleet; A sailor, specifically a maintopman, was on the starboard watch aboard HMS Arethusa, in December 1806. The ship was armed with 28, 18 Pounder cannons, and 16, 9 Pounders, with a crew of 280 men.

allanyed

I was never a fan of using these, but if they are as well made as you show Greg, I have changed my mind. The best small military figures I have ever seen in person were made by Ed Tosti (Naiad and Young America books and builds).

AJohnson

These are not a patch on the artist ones above, but here are my 1/64 scale (25mm / 1 inch) Amati white metal figures I have just finished painting for my current "Bounty" build.

Ras Ambrioso

Happy to see this post. I have been looking for 1/64 scale figures for my Amapá. I found some railroad figures at Michael's and I intend to convert them to Brazilian Navy seamen for my gunboat. Good to see another potential supplier of scale figures. I need one officer, a helmsman and maybe 2 seamen for the gun. I will follow this post.

allanyed

This topic has not had an entry in four months so may not get fast or many responses. You might want to consider PMing Greg, who started this topic, for contact information.

georgeband

I like to add a couple of crew figures to any model for two reasons - to give a sense of the scale, and to humanize it so that it is not just a machine.

Roger Pellett

Model Railroad “S” scale is 1/64. The old American Flyer electric trains were S scale and still have a devoted following. Check specialty model railroad suppliers.

What was the experience of the 18th century?

The experience of naval life in the 18th century has often been portrayed as one of suffering in something little more than a floating concentration camp, where an unwilling crew, raised by the press-gang, was systematically beaten, starved and terrorised into doing their duty. Meanwhile disease was ever present.

What was the life at sea in the Royal Navy?

Life at Sea in the Royal Navy of the 18th Century. The enduring notion of Captain Cook's navy is one of blood, sweat and tears. Historian Andrew Lambert went on a modern-day voyage to Australia, on a replica of Cook's ship Endeavour.

How did the press gang work?

The press-gang would be used in time of war to recruit men to the navy © In wartime the Royal Navy needed another 60,000 men to fit out the fleet, so it would draw in professional seamen from the merchant service, usually by impressment, an age-old right of the Crown to the labour of seafarers. As there were no spare seamen, however, both fleets sometimes needed the additional labour of landlubbers, attracted by the pay and opportunity, or of foreign sailors, who made up a significant proportion of all British crews. Cook had at least three such men on the Endeavour. The resulting dilution of skills was acceptable on large warships, where only 20 per cent of the crew was needed for skilled work aloft. The rest of the work, including the heavy hauling, was done by the 'landmen' or 'waisters' - those who worked in the waist area of the ship.

Why was Cook's determination to avoid deaths from scurvy important?

Cook's determination to avoid deaths from scurvy, and his success, was a vital step in the creation of the British Empire. So important was the avoidance of the disease that Cook resorted to disciplinary measures to make his men eat their rations. We modern-day adventurers had to take a vitamin pill. Other diseases, such as dysentery and typhus, were avoided through an insistence on keeping the ship, the crew and their clothes clean - this cleanliness became a Royal Navy mania, and kept the sailors very busy. However, there were further medical terrors in store - malaria and yellow fever could decimate crews in tropical climates.

How were formal punishments inflicted?

Formal punishments were always inflicted in public, using consciously theatrical methods to ensure the maximum deterrent effect . The crew would be formed up on deck, with the marines separating the officers from the seamen, while the punishment was carried out according to established custom.

What was Captain Cook's first contact with the alternative world?

Our first contact with the alternative world of Captain Cook was the food. A diet of salt meat, hard biscuit and sauerkraut was a shock to us, but our predecessors would have considered it superior to anything available on shore.

Why was the Royal Navy patronage important?

In the 1780s, the Royal Navy began to dramatically increase the size of its fleet © Patronage was an essential ingredient in the triumph of the 18th-century Royal Navy. It allowed the best officers, those who held the prime commands and won the key battles, to pick their followers. As professional men they chose juniors who would reflect credit on them, and secure them further victories, prize money and profit. Similarly, ambitious young officers sought the patronage of the best Admirals, those who could help them. Cook was brought into the officer corps as an act of patronage by Captain Hugh Palliser, himself an officer of humble origins, to command the first expedition. Cook had escaped his humble background, while Palliser basked in his reflected glory.