Abstract No. 3 of the ships and vessels belonging to the British Navy at the commencement of the year 1795

NOTES TO ABSTRACT, No. 3.

� WHERE the established long guns of the line-of-battle ships are four on the forecastle ; these may be considered as in substitution of two of them.

W *. The three ships of this class, the Anson, Indefatigable, and Magnanime, had been cut down from 64s. They were allowed to retain their 26 long 24s on their (first, but now) single or main deck, and were ordered to be fitted with 12 long 12-pounders and six 42-pounder carronades on the quarterdeck and forecastle ; with a complement at first of 310, but afterwards of 330 men. They registered, in conformity to the number of their long guns as 38-gun frigates ; and this affords an opportunity of showing how little of a ship's actual force is to be known by taking her numerical force, either as the same is set down in the official navy-list, or found to be when carefully summed up. For instance, the Magnanime and Prudente, two British 38s, very near to each other in the alphabetical list, appear to have mounted as follows

While such a difference of force as this can exist between two ships of one and the same class, classification by guns becomes a nullity. To each of these ships we have assigned a different class. The Magnanime and her two sister rasés rank, as they for some years did in Steel, as 44s ; while the Prudente is one of the two stationary harbour-ships in class D, where she originally was registered, but, receiving on board, in the year 1779, two long 6s in lieu of two of her 18-pounder carronades, the Prudente became a 38. Not one of the three rasés for all their class had been fixed from their number of long guns went to sea with that number on board. The Indefatigable mounted but 28, and neither of the others probably more than 30 long guns : the deficiency, however, was amply made up in carronades. The French, about the same time, reduced some of their old and crank 74s in this way, calling them vaisseaux rasés

B *. Of 1000 tons and upwards. The principal difference between a 38 and an 18 pounder 36, is that the latter has a pair of ports less on the main deck. Hence a few inches of extra width to the ports and the intermediate spaces, and three or four feet of additional space before the foremost port (common in French ships, owing to the sharpness of their bows not admitting a broadside-gun so far forward), will easily occasion the longer and larger ship to mount the fewer guns upon her main deck.

e*. Twelve "fire-vessels" had been purchased in 1794 ; but which, as they mounted no guns, and were merely fitted up in readiness to be destroyed when the occasion suited, we have purposely omitted. Steel's list contains the whole of them.

f *. Whence this term originated is not very clear. A "gun-brig" is literally a brig armed with guns ; and accordingly, the brig-sloop of 18 guns is also a gun-brig. The term is here meant to signify all armed brigs commanded, not as usual by a master and commander, but by a lieutenant. The 12 new brigs at (g) were constructed to carry ten 18-pounder carronades and 2 long 18-pounders. The latter (24-pounders had been first ordered) were subsequently found too heavy and incommodious ; and chase-guns of a lighter caliber were substituted. Some of these brigs, as well as of those afterwards built, mounted two guns, generally 3 or 4 pounders, in addition.

u *. The two individuals of this class were the Albion and Nonsuch, originally a 74 and 64. They were partially cut down and armed, the one with 38 long guns and twenty-eight 68-pounder carronades ; the other with 26 long guns and twenty 68-pounder carronades.

v *. The first pair of the launched vessels were the Bravo and Firm, each constructed to carry 16 long 18-pounders. The one was stationed at Jersey, the other in Leith roads. The next pair of launched vessels were the Mosquito and Sandfly, each constructed upon a plan of Sir Sidney Smith's, and fitted with two long 24-pounders and two 68-pounder carronades. One was stationed at Isle St: Marcou, the other at Jersey. Three of these vessels were registered as gun-vessels, and the Bravo as a sixth rate, to increase the pay of her captain. The whole, however, were no better than floating batteries, and as such we have classed them. The Spanker floating battery was built in 1794 ; but, as she was not measured, and resembled no other vessel in shape or appearance, we have omitted her. She mounted 24 heavy guns and two large mortars.

w *. The 20 purchased vessels of this class had been "Dutch hoys," and were armed with from one to three guns for coast-defence. The same number of "river barges" had also been purchased and similarly armed, but the latter we have omitted. The names of the whole will be found in Steel.

* There were attached to the navy at the date of this Abstract about 54 hired vessels, mounting from 6 to 24 guns, and commanded by lieutenants.