The largest ships of the 17th-18th centuries. History of shipbuilding

Currently, a ship is called a warship. Tankers, bulk carriers, dry cargo ships, passenger liners, container ships, icebreakers and other representatives of the technical fleet of civil or merchant fleets are not included in this category. But once, at the dawn of shipping, when humanity was still filling the white spaces on the sailing directions with the vague outlines of new islands and even continents, any sailboat was considered a ship. On board each of them were guns, and the team consisted of desperate fellows, ready to do anything for the sake of profit and romance of distant wanderings. Then, in these troubled centuries, there was a division into types of ships. The list, taking into account modern additions, would be very long, so it is worth focusing on sailboats. Well, maybe some rowboats can be added.

galleys

Getting on them is an unenviable share. Such a punishment in ancient times awaited inveterate criminals. And in ancient Egypt, and in Finland, and in Hellas they already were. Over time, other types of ships appeared, but galleys were used until the Middle Ages. Those same convicts served as the main driving force, but they were sometimes assisted by sails, straight or triangular, mounted on two or three masts. According to modern concepts, these ships were not large, their displacement was only 30-70 tons, and the length rarely exceeded 30 meters, but in those days the size of the ships was not gigantic at all. The rowers sat in rows, according to historians, no more than three horizontal tiers. The armament of the galleys is represented by ballistae and bow rams; in later centuries, these weapons were supplemented by artillery. The move, that is, the speed of movement, was controlled by the overseers, setting the rhythm with special tambourines, and, if necessary, with a whip.

barks

The types of sailing ships are little known to our contemporaries, but some of them are still familiar from regularly held parades and international regattas. The barges Sedov and Kruzenshtern have been preserved in Russia. These ships not only demonstrate their beauty to the whole world, but also contribute to the education of young sailors who practice on them in the traditions

So, a bark (the name of the species comes from the Flemish word "bark") is a ship with three to five masts. All of her sails are straight, with the exception of the oblique rigging of the mizzen (stern mast). Barks - the ships are quite large, for example, the Kruzenshtern has a length of about 115 meters, a width of 14 meters, a crew of 70 people. Since it was built in 1926, when steam engines were already widespread, its design also includes an auxiliary power plant with a capacity of almost one and a half thousand kilowatts, loaded at two constant steps. Even today the speed of the ship does not seem low; under sail, the speed of this barge reaches 17 knots. The purpose of the type, in general, is common for the merchant fleet of the 19th century - the delivery of mixed cargo, mail and passengers along sea lines.

The brigantine raises the sails

In fact, the same barges, but with two masts, are called brigantines. All differ in their purpose and navigable qualities. Brigantines stand out for their speed and lightness. Sailing equipment is mixed, on the fore (front mast) the sails are straight, and on the mainsail oblique. Favorite ship of pirates of all seas. Historical sources mention brigantines with the so-called "Bermuda grotto", that is, a triangular sail stretched between the lyktros and the luff, but none of the surviving representatives of the species can boast of it. However, these nuances are of interest only to specialists.

Frigates

As the fleet developed, some types of warships appeared, others disappeared, and still others took on a different meaning. A frigate is an example. This concept survived later types such as ironclads, dreadnoughts and even battleships. True, a modern frigate roughly corresponds to the Soviet concept of a large anti-submarine ship, but it sounds shorter and somehow more beautiful. In the original sense, it means a three-masted ship with one artillery deck for 20-30 guns. Since the 17th century, the adjective “Dunkirk” has been added to the word “frigate”, for a long time, meaning the predominant use in a separate zone of the maritime theater of operations adjacent to the Pas de Calais. This type was fast. Then, as the radius of autonomy increased, they began to be called simply frigates. Displacement - average for that time, approximately The most famous Russian frigate was called "Pallada", on it in 1855 a glorious expedition was undertaken to the shores of East Asia under the command of Admiral E.V. Putyatin.

caravels

“She passed like a caravel ...” - is sung in a famous pop song. It doesn't hurt to study the species before writing lyrics for future hits. The compliment turned out to be somewhat ambiguous. Not every girl wants to be compared with a lifting, large and rather heavy vessel. In addition, the nose of the caravel is turned up high, which can also be seen as an undesirable hint.

However, basically this type, of course, has good seaworthiness. He is most famous for the fact that Columbus made his expedition to the shores of the New World precisely on three caravels (Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina). Outwardly, they can be distinguished by the mentioned raised tanks (bow superstructures), as well as by sailing equipment. There are three masts, with straight foresails, and the rest with latin (oblique) sails.

Appointment - distant sea and transoceanic campaigns.

From the word "caravel" morphologically comes the Russian word "ship". It gave the name to the famous French passenger airliner, very beautiful.

Clippers

For fast navigation, all types of ships are created, they are not always remembered, but there are exceptions. Someone will say the word "cruiser", and then everyone around will think something - some "Aurora", others "Varyag". As for clippers, there is only one option - “Cutty Sark”. This vessel with a long and narrow hull has gone down in history for several reasons, but its main and most important quality was its speed. It was the lot of clippers and their crews to deliver tea from China, quickly bring mail to distant colonies, and carry out especially delicate tasks for the queen. And these ships did their work until the advent of steamships, and in some cases even later.

galleons

Going through the old types of warships, one cannot help but recall the Great Armada, which competed with the British fleet in the 16th century. The main unit of this formidable force was the Spanish galleon. Not a single sailing ship of that time could compare in perfection with it. At its core, this is an improved caravel, with a reduced superstructure of the tank (that very “upturned nose” has practically disappeared) and an elongated hull. As a result, the old Spanish shipbuilders achieved increased stability, reduced wave resistance and, as a result, increased speed. Maneuverability has also improved. Other types of warships of the 16th century looked shorter and too high next to the galleon (this was a disadvantage, it was easier to hit such a target). The outlines of the poop (stern superstructure) acquired a rectangular shape, and the crew conditions became more comfortable. It was on the galleons that the first latrines (latrines) appeared, hence the origin of the word.

The displacement of these "battleships of the 16th century" ranged from 500 to 2 thousand tons. Finally, they were very beautiful, they were decorated with skillful carvings, and the nose was crowned with a majestic sculpture.

Schooners

There are types of large ships that have become "workhorses" designed to carry a wide variety of goods. Schooners occupy a special place among them. These are multi-masted vessels, distinguished by the fact that at least two of their rigs are oblique. They are topsail, staysail, Bermuda or gaff, depending on which masts are equipped with slanting sails. In this case, it should be borne in mind that the line between a two-masted brahmsel or topsail schooner and a brigantine is very arbitrary. This type has been known since the 17th century. He reached the greatest distribution in the American merchant fleet, in particular Wolf Larsen, the character of Jack London, with his team hunts on a schooner. Compared to it, other types of ships are more difficult to manage (According to J. London, this process is accessible even to a lone sailor). Most often, schooners were two- and three-masted, but there are cases when the equipment was much more numerous. A peculiar record was set in 1902, when a ship with seven masts was launched (Thomas Double Lawson, Quincy shipyard).

Other types of ships

Photos of sailboats that arrived at the international regatta from all over the world are published in newspapers, magazines and on website pages. Such a parade is always an event, the beauty of these ships is incomparable with anything. Barges, brigantines, corvettes, frigates, clippers, keches, yachts represent all types of ships that, fortunately, have survived to this day. This spectacle distracts from everyday life and takes the viewer into the past centuries, full of adventures and romance of distant wanderings. A real sailor must master the art of sailing navigation, as they say in many countries, including ours. Having climbed up the shrouds, unfolded the sails and breathed in the free wind of the sea, you can take your seats at the modern control panels of bulk carriers, bulk carrier tankers and cruise liners. You can safely trust such a sailor with the fate of the cargo and the lives of passengers, he will not let you down.

The 17th century was a rich period in the history of shipbuilding. Ships have become faster, more maneuverable, more stable. Engineers have learned to design the best examples of sailing ships. The development of artillery made it possible to equip battleships with reliable, accurate guns. The need for military action determined the progress in shipbuilding.

The most powerful ship at the beginning of the century

At the beginning of the 17th century, the era of battleships dawned. The first three-deck was the British HMS “Prince Royal”, which was released from the Woolwich shipyard in 1610. The British shipbuilders took the prototype from the Danish flagship, and subsequently repeatedly rebuilt and improved it.

4 masts were hoisted on the ship, two each for straight and latin sails. Three-decker, originally 55-gun, the ship in the final version of 1641 became 70-gun, then changed the name to Resolution, returned the name, and in 1663 already had 93 guns in her equipment.

Displacement about 1200 tons;
Length (keel) 115 feet;
Width (midships) 43 feet;
Trench depth 18 feet;
3 full-fledged artillery decks.

As a result of battles with the Dutch, the ship was captured by the enemy in 1666, and when they tried to recapture it, it was burned and flooded.

The most powerful ship at the end of the century

The French "Soleil Royal" was built by shipbuilders of the Brest shipyard 3 times. The first 1669 three-masted with 104 guns, created as an equal opponent to the British Royal Sovereign, died in 1692. And in the same year, a new battleship was already built with an armament of 112 guns and had:

Guns 28 x36-lb., 30 x18-lb. (middle deck), 28 x12-lb. (on the front deck);
Displacement 2200 tons;
55 meters long (along the keel);
Width 15 m (along the midship frame);
Draft (intryum) 7 m;
A team of 830 people.

The third was built after the death of the previous one, as a worthy heir to the glorious traditions associated with this name.

New types of ships of the 17th century

The evolution of past centuries has shifted the focus of shipbuilding from the need to simply safely navigate the seas, from merchant ships of the Venetians, Hanseatic, Flemings and, traditionally, the Portuguese and Spaniards to overcome significant distances, to asserting the importance of dominance at sea and, as a result, defending their interests through military actions.

Initially, they began to militarize merchant ships to counter pirates, and by the 17th century a class of only warships was finally formed, and there was a separation of the merchant and navy.

In the construction of the navy, shipbuilders and, of course, the Dutch provinces succeeded. From the Portuguese shipbuilders, the gallion originates - the basis of the power of the squadrons of Spain and England.

17th century galleon

The shipbuilders of Portugal and Spain, who until recently played a significant role, continued to improve traditional ship designs.

In Portugal, at the beginning of the century, 2 types of ships appeared with new hull proportions in the ratio of length to width - 4 to 1. This is a 3-masted pinas (looks like flutes) and a military galleon.

On galleons, guns began to be installed above and below the main deck, highlighting battery decks in the ship’s structure, cell ports for guns were opened on board only for combat, and were battened down to avoid flooding with waves of water, which, with a solid mass of the ship, would inevitably flood it; warheads were hidden in the holds below the waterline. The displacement of the Spanish largest galleons of the early 17th century was about 1000 tons.

The Dutch galleon had three or four masts, up to 120 feet long, up to 30 feet wide, and 12 feet low. draft and up to 30 guns. Ships with such a proportion of long hulls were added speed by the number and area of sails, additionally foxes and underliesels. This made it possible to cut the wave steeper towards the wind in comparison to rounded hulls.

Linear multi-deck sailing ships formed the backbone of the squadrons of Holland, Britain, and Spain. Three-, four-deck ships were the flagships of the squadrons and determined the military superiority and advantage in battle.

And if battleships constituted the main combat power, then frigates began to be built as the fastest ships, equipping one closed firing battery with a small number of guns. To increase speed, the sail area was increased and the curb weight was reduced.

The English ship "Sovereign of the Seas" became the first classic example of a battleship. Built in 1637, armed with 100 guns.

Another classic example was the British frigate - scout and escort of merchant ships.

Actually, these 2 types of ships became an innovative line in shipbuilding and gradually replaced the European galleons, galliots, flutes, pinnaces, which were obsolete by the middle of the century, from the shipyards.

New technologies of the navy

The Dutch for a long time retained the dual purpose of the ship during the construction, shipbuilding for trade was their priority. Therefore, with respect to warships, they were clearly inferior to England. In the middle of the century, the Netherlands built the 53-gun ship "Brederode" like "Sovereign of the Seas", their flagship of the fleet. Design options:

Displacement 1520 tons;
Proportions (132 x 32) ft.;
Draft - 13 feet;
Two artillery decks.

Flute "Schwarzer Rabe"

As early as the end of the 16th century, the Netherlands began to build flutes. Due to the new design, the Dutch flute had excellent seaworthiness and had:

Small draft;
High-speed sailing equipment that allowed a steep fence to the wind;
high speed;
Large capacity;
New design with a length-to-width ratio ranging from four-to-one;
Was cost effective;
And a crew of about 60 people.

That is, in fact, a military transport ship to transport goods, and on the high seas to repel an enemy attack, and quickly go into the lead.

Flutes at the beginning of the 17th century were built by:

About 40 meters long;
About 6 or 7 m wide;
Draft 3÷4 m;
Load capacity 350÷400 tons;
And gun equipment of 10 ÷ 20 guns.

For a century, flutes dominated all seas, played a prominent role in wars. For the first time they began to use the steering wheel.

From the sailing running equipment, topmasts appeared on them, the yards were made shortened, the length of the mast became longer than the vessel, and the sails became narrower, more convenient to manage, small in size. Sails mainsail, foresail, topsails, bramsails on mainsail, foremasts. On the bowsprit - a rectangular blind sail, bom blind. On the mizzen mast - a slanting sail and a straight cruysel. To manage the sailing equipment, a smaller number of the upper crew was required.

17th century warship designs

The gradual modernization of artillery pieces began to allow their successful use on board the ship. Important characteristics in the new battle tactics are:

Convenient, fast reloading during the battle;
Conducting continuous fire with intervals for reloading;
Conducting aimed fire at long distances;
An increase in the number of crew, which allowed firing under boarding conditions.

Since the 16th century, the tactics of dividing the combat mission as part of a squadron continued to develop: some of the ships retreated to the flanks to conduct long-range artillery fire on the accumulation of large enemy ships, and the light avant-garde rushed to board the affected ships.

British naval forces used this tactic during the Anglo-Spanish War.

Wake column during the review 1849

There is a classification of ships according to the purpose of their use. Rowing galleys are being replaced by sailing cannon ships, and the focus is shifting from boarding to devastating cannon fire.

The use of heavy large-caliber was difficult. The increased number of artillery crew, the significant weight of the gun and charges, the recoil force that was destructive for the ship, which made it impossible to launch volleys at the same time. The emphasis was on 32-42-pound guns with a barrel diameter of no more than 17 cm. For this reason, several medium-sized guns were preferable to a pair of large ones.

The most difficult thing is the accuracy of the shot in conditions of pitching and inertia of recoil from neighboring guns. Therefore, the artillery crew needed a clear sequence of volleys with minimal intervals, the training of the entire crew of the team.

Strength and maneuverability have become very important: it is necessary to keep the enemy strictly on board, not allow entry to the rear, and be able to quickly turn the ship to the other side in case of serious damage. The length of the ship's keel was no more than 80 meters, and in order to accommodate more guns, they began to build the upper decks, a battery of guns was placed along the board on each deck.

The coherence and skill of the ship's crew were determined by the speed of maneuvers. The speed with which the ship, having fired a volley from one side, managed to turn its narrow bow under the oncoming volley of the enemy, and then turning the opposite side to fire a new volley, was considered the highest manifestation of skill. Such maneuvers made it possible to receive less damage and inflict significant and quick damage to the enemy.

Worth mentioning are the numerous military rowboats used throughout the 17th century. The proportions were approximately 40 by 5 meters. Displacement about 200 tons, draft 1.5 meters. A mast and a Latin sail were installed on the galleys. For a typical galley with a crew of 200, 140 rowers were placed in threes on 25 banks on each side, each at his own oar. The oar bulwarks were protected from bullets and crossbows. Guns were installed at the stern and bow. The goal of the galley attack is a boarding battle. Cannons and throwing guns launched an attack, boarding began when they approached. It is clear that such attacks were designed for heavily loaded merchant ships.

The strongest army at sea in the 17th century

If at the beginning of the century the fleet of the winner of the Great Spanish Armada was considered the strongest, then in the future the combat capability of the British fleet fell catastrophically. And the failures in the battles with the Spaniards and the shameful capture of 27 English ships by Moroccan pirates finally dropped the prestige of British power.

At this time, the Dutch fleet takes the lead. That is why the rapidly growing rich neighbor feat Britain to build up its fleet in a new way. By the middle of the century, the flotilla consisted of up to 40 warships, of which six were 100-gun ships. And after the Revolution, the combat power at sea increased until the Restoration. After a period of calm, towards the end of the century, Britain again positioned its power at sea.

From the beginning of the 17th century, the flotillas of European countries began to be equipped with battleships, the number of which determined the combat strength. The 55-gun ship HMS "Prince Royal" of 1610 is considered to be the first linear 3-deck ship. The next 3-deck HMS "Sovereign of the Seas" acquired the parameters of a serial prototype:

Proportions 127x46 feet;
Draft - 20 feet;
Displacement 1520 tons;
The total number of guns is 126 on 3 artillery decks.

Placement of guns: 30 on the lower deck, 30 on the middle, 26 with a smaller caliber on the upper, 14 under the forecastle, 12 under the poop. In addition, there are many loopholes in the add-ons for the guns of the crew remaining on board.

After three wars between England and Holland, they united in an alliance against France. The Anglo-Dutch alliance was able to destroy by 1697 1300 French ship units. And at the beginning of the next century, led by Britain, the union achieved an advantage. And the blackmail of the naval power of England, which became Great Britain, began to determine the outcome of the battles.

Naval tactics

Previous naval warfare was characterized by disordered tactics, skirmishes between ship captains, and lack of patterns and unified command.

From 1618, the British Admiralty introduced a ranking of its warships.

Ships Royal, 40…55 guns.
Great Royals, about 40 guns.
Middle Ships. 30…40 guns.
Small Ships, including frigates, less than 30 guns.

The British developed the tactics of line combat. According to its rules,

Peer-to-peer line-up with wake columns;
Building an equivalent and equal-velocity column without breaks;
Unified command.

What should ensure success in battle.

The tactics of an equal-rank formation excluded the presence of weak links in the column, the flagships led the vanguard, center, command and closed the rear guard. The unified command was subordinate to the admiral, a clear system for transmitting commands and signals between ships appeared.

Naval battles and wars

Battle of Dover 1659

The first battle of the fleets a month before the start of the 1st Anglo-Dutch War, which formally gave it a start. Tromp, with a squadron of 40 ships, went to escort and protect Dutch transport ships from English corsairs. Being in English waters close to the squadron of 12 ships under the command. Admiral Burn, the Dutch flagships did not want to salute the English flag. When Blake approached with a squadron of 15 ships, the British attacked the Dutch. Tromp covered the caravan of merchant ships, did not dare to get involved in a long battle, and lost the battlefield.

Battle of Plymouth 1652

It took place in the First Anglo-Dutch War. de Ruyter took command of a squadron from Zeeland of 31 military units. ship and 6 firewalls in the protection of the trade caravan convoy. He was opposed by 38 soldiers. ships and 5 fireships of the British forces.

The Dutch at the meeting divided the squadron, part of the English ships began to pursue them, breaking the formation and losing the advantage of firepower. The Dutch, with their favorite tactic of shooting at masts and rigging, disabled part of the enemy ships. As a result, the British had to retreat and go to the ports for repairs, and the caravan safely left for Calais.

Newport battles of 1652 and 1653

If in the battle of 1652, Ruyter and de Witt, having united 2 squadrons of 64 ships into a single squadron - the vanguard of Ruyter and the center of de Witt - a squadron, gave an equal battle to 68 Black ships. Then in 1653 Tromp's squadron, which had 98 ships and 6 fireships against 100 ships and 5 fireships of the English admirals Monk and Dean, was pretty destroyed when trying to attack the main British forces. Ruyter, the vanguard rushing down the wind, fell upon the English. the vanguard of Admiral Lawson, he was energetically supported by Tromp; but Admiral Dean managed to come to the rescue. And then the wind subsided, an artillery skirmish began until dark, when the Dutch, having discovered a lack of shells, were forced to leave for their ports as soon as possible. The battle showed the advantage of equipment and weapons of the English ships.

Battle of Portland 1653

Battle of the First Anglo-Dutch War. Convoy under commands. Admiral M. Tromp of 80 ships was accompanied in the English Channel by a returning caravan loaded with colonial goods of 250 merchant ships. Meeting with a fleet of 70 British ships under command. Admiral R. Blake, Tromp was forced into battle.

For two days of fighting, a change in the wind did not allow groups of ships to line up; the Dutch, shackled by the defense of transport ships, suffered losses. And yet, at night, the Dutch were able to break through and leave, eventually losing 9 military and 40 merchant ships, and the British 4 ships.

Battle of Texel 1673

De Ruyter's victory with Admirals Bankert and Tromp over the Anglo-French fleet at Texel in the Third Anglo-Dutch War. This period is marked by the occupation of the Netherlands by French troops. The goal was to recapture the trade caravan. 92 Allied ships and 30 fireships were opposed by a Dutch fleet of 75 ships and 30 fireships.

Ruyter's vanguard managed to separate the French vanguard from the British squadron. The maneuver was a success and, due to the disunity of the allies, the French preferred to keep the flotilla, and the Dutch managed to crush the center of the British in many hours of fierce battle. And in the end, having ousted the French, Bankert came to reinforce the center of the Dutch. The British were never able to land troops and suffered heavy losses in manpower.

These wars of the advanced maritime powers determined the importance of tactics, formations and firepower in the development of the navy and the art of battle. Based on the experience of these wars, classes of division into ship ranks were developed, the optimal equipment for a sailing ship of the line and the number of weapons were tested. The tactics of single combat of enemy ships was transformed into a combat formation of a wake column with well-coordinated artillery fire, with quick rebuilding and a unified command. Boarding action was a thing of the past, and strength at sea influenced success on land.

17th century Spanish fleet

Spain continued to form its armadas with large galleons, the unsinkability and strength of which were proved by the results of the battles of the Invincible Armada with the British. The British artillery was unable to inflict damage on the Spaniards.

Therefore, Spanish shipbuilders continued to build galleons with an average displacement of 500 ÷ 1000 tons and a draft of 9 feet, creating precisely an ocean-going ship - stable and reliable. Three or four masts and about 30 guns were put on such ships.

In the first third of the century, 18 galleons with up to 66 cannons were launched into the water. The number of large ships exceeded 60 against 20 large royal ships of England and 52 of France.

The features of durable, heavy ships are high resistance to staying in the ocean and fighting against water elements. The installation of direct sails in two tiers did not provide maneuverability and ease of control. At the same time, low maneuverability was compensated by excellent good survivability during storms in terms of strength parameters, and the versatility of galleons. They were used simultaneously for both trade and military operations, which was often combined with an unexpected meeting with the enemy in the vast waters of the ocean.

Extraordinary capacity made it possible to equip ships with a decent number of weapons and take on board a large team trained for battles. That made it possible to successfully carry out boarding - the main naval tactics of battles and the capture of ships in the arsenal of the Spaniards.

Navy of France in the 17th century

In France, the first battleship "Crown" was launched in 1636. Then began the rivalry with England and Holland at sea.

Ship characteristics of the three-masted double-deck "" 1st rank:

Displacement more than 2100 tons;
Length along the upper deck 54 meters, along the waterline 50 m, along the keel 39 m;
Width 14 m;
3 masts;
Main mast 60 meters high;
Boards up to 10 m high;
The sail area is about 1000 m²;
600 sailors;
3 decks;
72 different-caliber guns (14x 36-pounders);
Oak body.

It took about 2,000 dried trunks to build. The shape of the barrel was matched to the shape of the part of the ship in accordance with the bends of the fibers and the part, which gave special strength.

The ship is known for eclipsing the Lord of the Seas, the British masterpiece Sovereign of the Seas (1634), and is now considered the most luxurious and beautiful ship of the sailing era.

Navy of the United Provinces of the Netherlands 17th century

The Netherlands in the 17th century waged endless wars with neighboring countries for independence. The naval confrontation between the Netherlands and Britain had the character of internecine rivalry between neighbors. On the one hand, they hurried to control the seas and oceans with the help of the fleet, on the other hand, to squeeze Spain and Portugal, while successfully carrying out robbery attacks on their ships, but on the third, they wanted to dominate as the two most militant rivals. At the same time, dependence on corporations - the owners of ships that financed shipbuilding, overshadowed the importance of victories in naval battles, which stopped the growth of navigation in the Netherlands.

The formation of the power of the Dutch fleet was facilitated by the liberation struggle with Spain, the weakening of its strength, the numerous victories of the Dutch ships over the Spaniards during the Thirty Years' War to its end in 1648.

The fleet of the Netherlands was the largest, numbering 20 thousand merchant ships, a huge number of shipyards worked. Actually this century was the Golden Age of the Netherlands. The struggle of the Netherlands for independence from the Spanish Empire led to the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648). After the completion of the war of liberation of the Seventeen Provinces from the Spanish monarchy, there were three Anglo-Dull wars, a successful invasion of England, and wars with France.

3 Anglo-Dutch wars at sea tried to determine the dominant position at sea. By the beginning of the first, the Dutch fleet had 75 warships along with frigates. The available warships of the United Provinces were scattered around the world. In case of war, warships could be chartered, or simply hired from other European states. The designs of the "Pinas" and "Flemish Carracks" in case of war were easily upgraded from a merchant into a military vessel. However, apart from Brederode and Grote Vergulde Fortuijn, the Dutch could not boast of their own warships. They won battles through courage and skill.

By the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1665 van Wassenaar's squadron was able to collect 107 ships, 9 frigates and 27 lower ships. Of these, 92 are armed with more than 30 guns. The number of crews is 21 thousand sailors, 4800 guns.

England could oppose 88 ships, 12 frigates and 24 lower ships. A total of 4500 guns, 22 thousand sailors.

In the most disastrous Battle of Lowestoft in the history of Holland, the Flemish flagship, the 76-gun Eendragt, was blown up along with van Wassenaar.

Navy of 17th century Britain

In the middle of the century, there were no more than 5 thousand merchant ships in Britain. But the navy was significant. By 1651, the royal Royal Navy squadron already had 21 battleships and 29 frigates, 2 battleships and 50 frigates were being completed on the way. If we add the number of free-hired and chartered ships, the fleet could be up to 200 ships. The total number of guns and caliber were out of competition.

The construction was carried out at the royal shipyards of Britain - Woolwich, Davenport, Chatham, Portsmouth, Deptford. A significant part of the ships came from private shipyards in Bristol, Liverpool, etc. Over the course of a century, growth steadily increased with the predominance of the regular fleet over the chartered one.

In England, the most powerful ships of the line were called Manowar, as the largest, with more than a hundred guns.

To increase the multi-purpose composition of the British fleet in the middle of the century, more smaller types of warships were created: corvettes, bombards.

During the construction of frigates, the number of guns on two decks increased to 60.

In the first battle of Dover with the Netherlands, the British fleet had:

60 push. James, 56- push. Andrew, 62- push. Triumph, 56- push. Andrew, 62- push. Triumph, 52- push. Victory, 52- push. Speaker, five 36s including President, three 44s including Garland, 52s. Fairfax and others.

To which the Dutch fleet could counter:

54- push. Brederode, 35 push. Grote Vergulde Fortuijn, nine 34 guns, the rest in lower ranks.

Therefore, the reluctance of the Netherlands to engage in open water combat according to the rules of linear tactics becomes obvious.

Russian fleet of the 17th century

As such, the Russian fleet did not exist before Peter I, due to the lack of access to the seas. The very first Russian warship was the two-deck, three-masted Eagle, built by 1669 on the Oka. But it was built at the Voronezh shipyards in 1695 - 1696 from 23 rowing galleys, 2 sailing-rowing frigates and more than 1000 shnyavs, baroques, plows.

Ship "Eagle" 1667

The parameters of the 36-gun frigates "Apostol Peter" and "Apostle Paul" are similar:

Length 34 meters;
Width 7.6 m;
15 pairs of oars for maneuverability;
Flat-bottomed hull;
Anti-boarding boards at the top are bent inward.

Russian masters and Peter himself in 1697. The frigate "Peter and Pavel" was built in Holland.

The first ship to enter the Black Sea was the Fortress. From the shipyard at the mouth of the Don in 1699:

Length - 38 meters;
Width - 7.5 m;
Crew - 106 sailors;
46 guns.

In 1700, the first Russian battleship "God's Predestination", destined for the Azov Flotilla, left the shipyard of Voronezh, moreover, rebuilt by Russian craftsmen and engineers. This three-masted ship, equal to rank IV, had:

Length 36 meters;
Width 9 m;
58 guns (26x 16-pounders, 24x 8-pounders, 8x 3-pounders);
A team of 250 sailors.

On June 28, 1712, in the presence of Peter I, the first Russian battleship was launched. We recall 7 legendary domestic sailing ships that made a name for the Russian fleet.

Galiot "Eagle"

In 1668, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Russian shipbuilders built the first large combat sailing ship, the Eagle galliot, on the Oka River. The length of the "large" vessel is 24.5 m, the width is 6.5 m. The crew is 22 sailors and 35 archers. This two-deck ship carried three masts and was armed with 22 squeakers. Oryol was the first purely sailing warship built in Russia. On the fore and main masts of the Eagle, straight sails were installed, and on the mizzen mast - oblique. Here are the lines from the decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich on this ship: “The ship, which was made in the village of Dedinovo, should be given the nickname “Eagle”. Put an eagle on the bow and stern and sew eagles on the banners. When the "Eagle" was ready, wooden carved double-headed eagles, painted in gold, were strengthened on its stern and bow. These heraldic symbols of royal power were a kind of confirmation of the name of the ship, and then became the traditional decoration of all military ships.

Yacht "Saint Peter"

"St. Peter" is the first Russian warship that carried the Russian flag in foreign waters. The yacht of Peter I was built in Arkhangelsk according to the Dutch model in 1693. This small sailing ship had one mast with straight and slanting sails and was armed with 12 guns. For the first time, Peter I went out on it to the open sea to accompany the Dutch and English merchant ships leaving Arkhangelsk and reached the eastern shores of the Kola Peninsula with them. In May of the following year, 1694, he again comes to Arkhangelsk and sails to the Solovetsky Islands, and then accompanies another caravan of merchant ships leaving Arkhangelsk to Cape Svyatoy Nos, in other words, to the ocean. Having served thirty years of maritime service, the yacht became the first museum object in Arkhangelsk.

Galley "Principium"

In 1696, this ship was the first to enter the Sea of Azov, and in June, as part of the Russian fleet, it participated in the siege of the Turkish fortress of Azov. It was built at the beginning of 1696 in Voronezh according to the Dutch model. Length - 38, width - 6 meters, height from keel to deck - about 4 m. 34 pairs of oars were set in motion. Crew size - up to 170 people. She was armed with 6 guns. According to the Principium type, with only some changes, 22 more ships were built to participate in the Azov campaign of Peter I. the prototype of the "Naval Charter", which stipulated day and night signals, as well as indications in case of a battle. At the end of hostilities near Azov, the galley was disarmed and placed on the Don near the fortress, where it was subsequently dismantled for firewood due to dilapidation.

Frigate "Fortress"

"Fortress" - the first Russian warship that entered Constantinople. Built at the Panshin shipyard in 1699, not far from the mouth of the Don. Length - 37.8, width - 7.3 meters, crew - 106 people, armament - 46 guns. In the summer of 1699, the "Fortress" under the command of Captain Pamburg delivered an embassy mission to Constantinople, headed by Duma councilor Em. Ukrainians. The appearance of a Russian warship near the walls of the Turkish capital forced the Turkish Sultan to reconsider his attitude towards Russia. A peace treaty was quickly concluded between Turkey and Russia. The frigate, moreover, first entered the waters of the Black Sea, which allowed Russian sailors to make hydrographic measurements of the Kerch Strait and Balaklava Bay (also for the first time!). At the same time, the first plans for the Crimean coast were drawn up.

Battleship "Poltava"

"Poltava" is the first battleship of the Russian fleet, and the first - built in St. Petersburg. The construction of the "Poltava", named after the outstanding victory over the Swedes near Poltava, was led by Peter I. Length - 34.6 width - 11.7, was armed with 54 guns of 18, 12 and 6-pounder calibers. After commissioning in 1712, this ship participated in all campaigns of the Russian Baltic ship fleet during the Great Northern War, and in May 1713, covering the actions of the galley fleet to capture Helsingfors, it was the flagship of Peter 1.

Battleship "Pobedonosets"

"Pobedonosets" is the first ship of the 66-gun rank, with improved combat and seaworthiness. The best ship of its time, built after the death of Peter I. Assembled according to the drawings and under the direct supervision of one of the most talented Russian shipbuilders A. Katasonov. Length along the lower deck - 160 feet; width - 44.6 feet. The armament consisted of twenty-six 30-pounders, twenty-six 12-pounders and fourteen 6-pounders. Launched in 1780. He was one of the few Russian long-lived ships. Served 27 years.

Sloop "Mirny"

The ship of the First Russian Antarctic round-the-world expedition of 1819-1821, which discovered Antarctica. "Mirny" is a rebuilt auxiliary vessel. By fitting shtultsev, the stern was lengthened at the sloop, a knyavdiged was placed on the stem, the hull was additionally sheathed with inch boards, firmly fixed with copper nails. The hull was carefully caulked, and the underwater part, so that it would not become overgrown with algae, was covered with copper sheets. Additional fasteners were placed inside the hull in case of ice floe impact, the pine steering wheel was replaced with oak. The previously installed standing rigging, shrouds, stays and other gear made from low-grade hemp were replaced by stronger ones used on ships of the navy. Construction was carried out at the Olonets shipyard in Lodeynoye Pole, near St. Petersburg. The Mirny sloop was a three-masted two-deck ship armed with 20 guns: six 12-pounders (120 mm caliber) and fourteen 3-pounders (76 mm caliber). The crew numbered 72 people. For more than two years, the ship was at sea, sailing a distance more than twice the length of the equator.

A sailing fleet is a group of ships that move with the help of a sail. As a rule, the use of the fleet was immediately accompanied by the appearance of the ships themselves, which are suitable for long expeditions or naval battles.

A Brief History of Sailboats

The first sailing ships appeared in the last years of antiquity. They consisted of primitive sail-ridged ships and could reach speeds higher than the wind. A group of such ships cannot be called a full-fledged fleet, because. each acted independently in battles, and the outcome of the battle was decided mainly by numbers. The main technique of confrontation was ramming, bulk and boarding. Large sail-ridged ships were equipped with additional weapons: a stone thrower (mainly for taking coastal fortresses), a harpoon and Greek fire.

In the 12th - 13th centuries, ships appeared carrying military guns on board. However, they have been developed in the direction of personal power. Vessels of the Karakka type could fight alone against a small group of ships, as well as conduct raider operations.

If we are talking about a full-fledged sailing ship, it was first built in the British Empire in the 16th century. He bore the name Great Harry ("Great Harry"). The first Russian military sailboat was launched in 1668. It did not belong to a specific type and bore the name "Eagle".

The ship "Great Harry"

A regular navy of sailboats appears at the beginning of the 17th century in the Western powers. In overwhelming advantage, these were the colonial empires - Britain, Portugal, Spain and France. After 100 years, a full-fledged fleet was formed in almost all of Europe, which later played a key role in expansionist companies. Also, warships were captured by many criminals - pirates.

17th century sailboat era

With the discovery of the steam engine, large battleships of the sailing fleet existed for some time, but the sail no longer served as the main force for the movement of the ship. It was used as an additional means of navigation in case of boiler breakdown or to save fuel in high winds. Sailing ships were completely replaced by dreadnoughts and battleships. A sailboat with an unprotected mast had no chance against an armored ship. It is worth noting that in the 60s of the 19th century there were no rifled artillery and dreadnoughts were practically unsinkable.

Sailing vessel classification

The demand for ships was based on the tasks they performed - for expeditions or military operations. In the second case, the ship was required to achieve specific tactical goals, which led to the development of different types of ships. The main characteristics of any combat naval unit were: displacement, the number of artillery pieces and masts. In the end, a classification of ships by rank was formed:

The first three included only ships of the line;
4 - 5 ranks were frigates;
6th - 7th rank other smaller vessels (brigs, tenders, corvettes).

Simultaneously with the development of the main combat units, additional ships were formed, which were supposed to solve auxiliary tasks in order to achieve strategic goals on the battlefield.

Basically they were:

firewalls. A ship with explosives on board to set fire to an enemy ship. They developed through simple preparation. Fireships were not built and, in fact, they are not an independent class of the vessel. The decision to use them was often used already in the course of the battles; for preparation, a disabled ship was used, which could not fight, but was still capable of sailing. There was a special effect if the enemy ship was in close formation with others or was in a bay.
Bomber ships. In terms of its capabilities, it did not differ from the main battle ships - a large 3-masted vessel with artillery pieces. It had low sides and was intended for shelling coastal infrastructure (bays, docks, fortifications). In a naval battle, he could also effectively prove himself, but because of his sides he became an easy target.
Transport ships. Among them were also different types of ships for specific tasks (clippers, sloops, packet boats, etc.)

It is worth noting that there were practically no cargo ships among the ships of the sailing fleet of the colonial powers. Cargo was stored on the main ships, and if the need for a transport ship did appear, they were hired from private individuals.

Main combat sailing ships

The navy in the Renaissance played an important role for any state, and its power determined the world politics of that time. The development of ships continued for two centuries before they received a clear classification. The main warships of the sailing fleet were:

Brigantine. 2-masted vessel with straight foremast and oblique mainmast. Appeared in the 17th century and was used for reconnaissance operations. There were 6 - 8 guns on board.
Brig. 2-masted ship of the 7th rank with a displacement of up to 400 tons. It was the main reconnaissance messenger ship in all the fleets of the world. Also on board had from 8 to 24 guns, which were used for shooting when escaping the chase. It appeared as a more practical and simpler version of the brigantine, but did not completely replace them.
Galion. The largest ship of the times of the 15th - 17th centuries. It could include from 2 to 4 masts, and the displacement was up to 1600 tons. Halions were the dominant ships in battles before the advent of battleships.
Caravel. 3 - 4 masted universal vessel with a displacement of up to 450 tons. It was more widely used in expeditions. Good seaworthiness is achieved thanks to versatile masts and superstructures at the bow and stern. Despite the high side, the caravels were only single-deck ships. In battles, they often served as a cargo ship, capable of shooting back from small ships and during boarding.
Karakka. Large 3-masted ship of early times. It had a displacement of up to 2000 tons and 30 - 40 guns on board. The ship could carry a large number of passengers, up to 1300 people. Karakka has proven itself in the 13th - 16th centuries as a powerful vessel capable of fighting back alone. However, with the formation of fleets and the appearance of large ships, they lost their significance.
Corvette. 2 - 3 masted vessel with a displacement of up to 600 tons for tactical tasks. Appeared in the 18th century and one of the two (along with the frigate) classes of ships that have survived to this day. It was used for cruising hunting or destroying single targets, less often for reconnaissance. Equipped with an open or closed artillery battery with dozens of guns.
Battleship. The largest 3-masted vessel with three artillery decks (mostly with enclosed batteries). According to the standard, ships with a displacement of up to 5000 tons were considered battleships, but many ships of this type and up to 8000 tons are known in history. The entire battery could include up to 130 pairs of guns located along the sides. They were used mainly to deal with the same large ships and shelling the coastline. Battleships are one of the few combat sailing ships that served in the naval forces until the beginning of the 20th century.
Flutes. 3-masted transport sailboat. The displacement was arbitrary, but often did not exceed 800 tons. They had up to 6 guns and were distinguished by high maneuverability. Often used by corsairs for robberies. In Russia, the first flutes appeared in the Baltic Fleet in the 17th century.
Frigate. A 3-masted ship with a displacement of up to 3500 tons. The next in power after the battleship and had up to 60 pairs of guns on board. It was used as a large support ship on the entire front line or to perform communication tasks (guarding merchant ships). It was the main warship of the sailing fleet of the Russian Empire.
Sloop. 3-masted ship with low sides. It had a displacement of up to 900 tons and 16 - 32 artillery pieces. Served as a long-range reconnaissance or expeditionary vessel. Sloops were popular in the 17th and 19th centuries among Russian freight forwarders for round-the-world travel.
Shnyava. A small sailboat with 2 straight masts, popular in the Scandinavian region. In Russia, they were actively used by Peter I for reconnaissance operations before battles. Displacement up to 150 tons, and the number of guns ranged from 2 to 18.
Schooner. Vessel with arbitrary, mostly large displacement. It could include up to 16 guns and was distributed as part of the sailing fleet of the Russian Empire. Battle schooners were exclusively 2-masted, and messenger ships had an arbitrary number of masts.

In some countries there were unique types of warships that did not become widespread. For example, Portuguese ships, comparable in displacement to a frigate, but having several gun decks, were called cruisers, although this type was already assigned to more modern ships.

Large ships of the Russian sailing fleet

The first mention of Russian sailboats can be found in The Tale of Bygone Years, which tells about the campaign of Prince Oleg to Byzantium on ships. The Russian sailing fleet was already formed by Peter I. The construction of the first ships proceeded in the likeness of European ones. The first major battle of the domestic fleet is celebrated with the Swedes in the Northern War. In the future, naval forces only begin to grow.

Large ships of the Baltic Fleet

The largest military sailing ships in Russia (as well as in the world) were battleships. The first battleships were laid down at the Ladoga shipyard, which had no experience in building large ships, as a result of which the ships received poor seaworthiness and maneuverability. List of sailing battleships of the Russian imperial fleet, which became the first in service in the Baltic:

Riga,
Vyborg,
Pernov,

All three ships were launched in 1710 and were classified as battleships of the 4th rank. On the sides were placed 50 guns of various calibers. The crew of the ship was 330 people. Sailing ships in the Russian fleet also lost their importance with the development of steam engines and battleships, but were still used for reconnaissance operations until the time of the civil war.