 A model of the hull of a 90-gun ship following the dimensions of the 1706 Establishment. | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators | |
| Succeeded by | 1719 Establishment |
The 1706 Establishment was the first formal set of dimensions for ships of the Royal Navy. Two previous sets of dimensions had existed before, though these were only for specific shipbuilding programs running for only a given amount of time. In contrast, the 1706 Establishment was intended to be permanent. [1]
Dimensions for ships had been established for the "Thirty Ships" building program of 1677, and while these dimensions saw use until 1695, this was merely because of the success of the 1677 ships and the lack of perceived need to change them. Dimensions were then laid down for the 1691 "Twenty-seven Ships" program to build seventeen eighty-gun and ten sixty-gun double-decked ships of the line, though the dimensions were abandoned before the program was complete, with the final four eighty-gun ships being constructed with three gun-decks. [1]
The origins of the formalized 1706 Establishment can be traced to February 1705, when Prince George of Denmark, the Lord High Admiral at the time, ordered the Navy Board to determine a set of dimensions for second-rate ships. Though the second-rate ships appear to have been the central focus of the Establishment, the Board was also directed to consider dimensions for ships of the third- (80 and 70 guns), fourth- (60 and 50 guns), and fifth-rate ships (40 and 30 guns). Because of their rarity and power, first rates were not addressed by the Establishment and were given individual designs, whilst smaller vessels had a low enough cost to allow experimentation. The Navy Board used existing ships considered to be the best in their respective classes as the bases for these dimensions. [1]
The Navy Board produced sets of dimensions for ships from forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, and ninety guns (they decided against doing so for thirty-gun ships). After a last-minute adjustment created by Admiral George Churchill, the dimensions were sent out to the dockyards together with an order that they were to be strictly adhered to, and that they should apply to rebuilds as well as new ships. The implementation of the Establishment - the first of many - began an era of notorious conservatism in naval administration. Though there would be no significant technological changes until the following century, the naval architecture of the 1706 Establishment slowly became more antiquated for the early eighteenth century. [1]
| General characteristics for 90-gun second-rates [1] | |
|---|---|
| Type | 90-gun second-rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1551 bm |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 47 ft 0 in (14.3 m) |
| Depth of hold | 18 ft 6 in (5.6 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 680 officers and men |
| Armament |
|
Seven existing second-rates were rebuilt to the 1706 Establishment, including three whose reconstruction was ordered in 1704-1705. These first three were the Marlborough of 1706 (rebuilt from the old Saint Michael), Blenheim of 1709 (rebuilt from the old Duchess) and the Vanguard of 1710. The other four ships were the Neptune of 1710, Ossory of 1711, Sandwich of 1715 and Barfleur of 1716.
These ships were originally armed as 96-gun ships under the 1703 Establishment of Guns. They were re-armed as 90-gun ships under the 1716 Establishment of Guns, with heavier 32-lb and 9-lb on the lower and upper decks (the middle deck 18-lb were unaltered), but with one pair of 6-lb removed from each of the partial decks above to leave:
| General characteristics for 80-gun third-rates [1] | |
|---|---|
| Type | 80-gun third-rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1283 29⁄94 bm |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 43 ft 6 in (13.3 m) |
| Depth of hold | 17 ft 8 in (5.4 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 570 officers and men (360 in peacetime) |
| Armament |
|
Eight of the older type of two-decker 80-gun ships were rebuilt as three-deckers under the 1706 Establishment - the Boyne and Humber launched in 1708, the Russell in 1709, the Dorsetshire in 1712, the Newark and Shrewsbury in 1713, Cambridge in 1715 and Torbay in 1719. In addition, two new ships were built to this specification as replacements for ships lost in 1707 - the Devonshire and Cumberland both being launched in 1710.
The ships were initially armed with 80 guns as per the 1703 Establishment of Guns, as shown in the table at right. The 1716 Establishment of Guns replaced the 24-pounder guns on the lower deck by an equal number of 32-lb. It also added one pair of 6-lb to the upper deck, removing one pair of 6-lb from the quarter deck.
| General characteristics for 70-gun third-rates [1] | |
|---|---|
| Type | 70-gun third-rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1069 bm |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m) |
| Depth of hold | 17 ft 4 in (5.3 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 500 officers and men (255 in peacetime) |
| Armament |
|
Following the loss of four 70-gun ships in a single night during the Great Storm on 27 November 1703, four replacements were ordered from the Royal Dockyards just three weeks later - the Northumberland, Resolution and Stirling Castle being launched in 1705 and the Nassau in 1707. Another four were ordered in 1705-1706, again from the Dockyards - the Elizabeth and Restoration launched in 1706, while another Resolution and Captain were launched in 1708. Subsequently, two more ships were newbuilt (the Grafton and Hampton Court, both launched in 1709) and three rebuilt from existing third-rates (the Edgar and Yarmouth in 1709, and Orford in 1713) by contract; and another five were rebuilt in the Dockyards - the Royal Oak, Expedition, Suffolk, Monmouth and Revenge.
The ships were initially armed with 70 guns as per the 1703 Establishment of Guns, as shown in the table at right. Under the 1716 Establishment, a thirteenth pair of 24-lb was added on the lower deck, while the demi-culverins (9-lb) on the upper deck were upgraded to 12-lb. An extra pair of 6-lb was added to the quarter deck, while the 3-lb were removed from the roundhouse to retain the total at 70 guns.
| General characteristics For 60-gun fourth-rates [1] | |
|---|---|
| Type | 60-gun fourth-rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 914 2⁄94 bm |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 38 ft 0 in (11.6 m) |
| Depth of hold | 15 ft 8 in (4.8 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 365 officers and men (240 in peacetime) |
| Armament |
|
Four 60-gun ships were newbuilt to the 1706 Establishment - the Plymouth launched in 1708, the Lion and Gloucester in 1709, and the Rippon in 1712 - while four existing 60-gun ships were rebuilt to the same specification from 1714 onwards - the "Lyme" , Medway, Kingston and ''Nottingham.s
As per the 1703 Establishment of Guns, the ships were initially armed with 64 guns as shown in the table at right. The 1716 Establishment of Guns replaced the 18-lb on the lower deck by 24-lb, and reduced the ships to 60 guns by removing one pair of 6-lb from the quarter deck and another pair from the forecastle to result in a composition of:
| General characteristics For 50-gun fourth-rates [1] | |
|---|---|
| Type | 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 703 68⁄94 bm |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 35 ft 0 in (10.7 m) |
| Depth of hold | 14 ft 0 in (4.3 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 280 officers and men (185 in peacetime) |
| Armament |
|
Eleven new 50-gun ships were built to the 1706 Establishment (all as replacements for fourth-rates lost during the war years from 1703 onwards) - the Salisbury launched in 1707, the Falmouth, Ruby, Chester and Romney in 1708, the Pembroke in 1710, the Bristol, Gloucester and Ormonde in 1711, the Advice in 1712 and the Strafford in 1715. Another existing eight ships were rebuilt to the same specification - the Dragon in 1707, the Warwick and Bonaventure in 1711, the Assistance in 1713, the Worcester in 1714, and the Rochester, Panther and Dartmouth in 1716.
These vessels were initially armed as 54-gun ships to the 1703 Establishment of Guns (see table to right). Under the 1716 Establishment of Guns, they were re-classed as 50-gun ships with the following armament:
| General characteristics For 40-gun fifth-rates [2] | |
|---|---|
| Type | 40-gun fifth rate |
| Tons burthen | 531 6⁄94 bm |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 32 ft 0 in (9.8 m) |
| Depth of hold | 13 ft 6 in (4.1 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 190 officers and men (130 in peacetime) |
| Armament |
|
Fifteen 42-gun ships were newbuilt to the dimensions of the 1706 Establishment - the Ludlow Castle, Gosport, Portsmouth and Hastings launched in 1707, the Pearl, Mary Galley, Sapphire and Southsea Castle in 1708, the Enterprise, Adventure and Fowey in 1709, Charles Galley in 1710, Launceston in 1711, Faversham in 1712 and Lynn in 1715. Two similar ships were built on speculation by the contractor William Johnson at Blackwall and purchased by the Navy Board - the Looe in 1707 and Diamond in 1708. A further 40-gun ship was also built nominally to the same specification - the Royal Anne Galley of 1709 - but she emerged longer and leaner than the others.
The ships were initially armed to the 1703 Establishment of Guns (see table to right). Under the 1716 Gun Establishment, they became 40-gun ships, with an armament as follows:
While no formal set of recommendations for 30-gun ships was produced by the Navy Board in the 1706 Establishment, a de facto set of dimensions was adopted, which were used for the construction of two new 32-gun fifth-rates (Sweepstakes in 1708 and Scarborough in 1711), while the Bedford Galley was rebuilt to slightly smaller dimensions in 1709:
The 1716 Establishment of Guns altered their armament to 30 guns:
This article presents a timeline of events in the history of the United Kingdom from 1700 AD until 1799 AD. For a narrative explaining the overall developments, see the related history of the British Isles.
HMS Cornwall was an 80-gun, third rate, ship of the line built for the Royal Navy in the 1690s. She served in the War of the Grand Alliance, and in her first year took part in the Battle of Barfleur and the action at La Hougue.
HMS Ruby was a 40-gun frigate of the Commonwealth of England, built by Peter Pett at Deptford. She took part in numerous actions during all three of the Anglo-Dutch Wars of 1652–54, 1665–67 and 1672–74. She later served in the West Indies, and in 1683 was sent to the Leeward Islands to protect their British settlements against Caribbean pirate raids. In 1687 the notorious English pirate Joseph Bannister was captured by the crew of Ruby and brought to Port Royal for trial. She would be rebuilt in 1687. She was captured by the French in October 1707.
HMS Dragon was a 38-gun fourth rate of the English Navy, she became part of the Royal Navy after the Restoration, built by the Master Shipwright Henry Goddard at Chatham and launched in 1647. She was the first frigate to be built at Chatham.
HMS Assistance was one of six 40-gun fourth-rate frigates, built for the Commonwealth of England under the 1650 Programme, after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 she was incorporated into the navy of the Kingdom of England. During her time in the Commonwealth Navy she partook in the First Anglo-Dutch war being present in the battles of Kentish Knock, Portland and The Gabbard. In the Mediterranean she was present at the Battle of Santa Cruz and the bombardment of Porto Farina, In the Second Anglo-Dutch War she was involved in the Battle of Lowestoft, Battle of Vagen and the St James Day Fight. She did not participate in fleet actions after this. She spent the rest of her service life undergoing several rebuilds and plying the waters as a cruiser protecting British trade and projecting British sovereignty. After nearly 95 years of Service she was sunk as a break water at Sheerness at the end of 1745.
HMS Orford was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford in 1698. She carried twenty-two 24-pounder guns and four (18-pounder) culverins on the lower deck; twenty-six 12-pounder guns on the upper deck; fourteen (5-pounder) sakers on the quarter-deck and forecastle; and four 3-pounder guns on the poop or roundhouse.
HMS Falmouth was a 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 18th century. The ship participated in several battles during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–15) and the War of Jenkins' Ear (1739–48).
HMS Gloucester was a 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line built for the Royal Navy in the 1710s. She participated in the 1701–15 War of the Spanish Succession. The ship was burned to prevent capture after she was damaged in a storm during Commodore George Anson's voyage around the world in 1742.
HMS Bristol was a 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 18th century.
The 1719 Establishment was a set of mandatory requirements governing the construction of all Royal Navy warships capable of carrying more than 20 naval long guns. It was designed to bring economies of scale through uniform vessel design, and ensure a degree of certainty about vessel capability once at sea, and was applied to all vessels from the first-rate to the fifth-rate. Once in effect, it superseded the 1706 Establishment, which had specified major dimensions for ships of the second-rate, third-rate and fourth-rate only.
The 1745 Establishment was the third and final formal establishment of dimensions for ships to be built for the Royal Navy. It completely superseded the previous 1719 Establishment, which had subsequently been modified in 1733 and again in 1741. Although partially intended to correct the problems of the ships built to the earlier Establishments, the ships of the 1745 Establishment proved just as unsatisfactory, and important changes in the make-up of the Admiralty and Navy Boards finally led to the end of the establishment era by around 1751.
The Tonnant was a First Rank ship of the line of the French Royal Navy, the lead vessel in the two-ship Tonnant Class.
HMS Seaford was a member of the standardize 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th Century. After she was commissioned she had a very varied career, starting in the Mediterranean then the Irish Sea, then to Newfoundland, the North Sea followed by a great repair then to the Leeward Islands. Her was dismantled in 1722 and rebuilt as a bomb vessel in 1727 than a 20-gun sixth rate in 1728. She served in the West Indies, America and the Mediterranean. She was finally broken in 1740.
HMS Nightingale was a 24-gun sixth-rate ship of the Royal Navy, purchased in 1706 and in service in North America and English waters until 1716.
HMS Experiment was a fifth rate built under the 1689 programme built at Deptford Dockyard. Her guns were listed under old terms for guns as demi-culverines, sakers and minions. After commissioning she spent her career in Home Waters, North America, Mediterranean and the West Indies. She was reduced to a 20-gun sixth rate in 1717 then rebuilt as a 1719 Establishment sixth rate in 1724. Her breaking was finally completed at Portsmouth in 1738.
HMS Mermaid was a 28-gun fifth rate built under the 1651 programme. She was built under contract at Limehouse. After commissioning she spent her early career with Robert Blake's Fleet in action off Dover, the Gabbard and in the Mediterranean. After the restoration she served mainly in Home Waters. After her first rebuild she served in Home Waters, North America, Mediterranean and the West Indies. After her second rebuild she served in Home Waters and the West Indies. Her breaking was completed at Deptford on 26 June 1734
