Various ships. Classification of sailing ships (sailing weapons). What would you call the boat...

What would you call the boat...

People who are not entirely versed in maritime affairs are inclined to call any more or less large floating craft they see ships. But real sea wolves will only grin at such explanations. So what is a ship and what are the types of ships? The most capacious term that covers the full range of watercraft is "vessel". Even pedal boats are ships. Any structure that has a waterproof housing and moves, relying on the water surface (including under water), belongs to this category. There is also such a thing as "aircraft". This term is applicable to devices designed to conquer the air.

The concept of "ship", if we are talking about a watercraft, has a narrower meaning and is used, as a rule, to refer to military and large sea vessels. In the era of the sailing fleet, this was the name given to three-masted combat units with direct sailing weapons. The modern Russian language fully allows the use of the concept of "ship" in relation to civilian ships for various purposes, despite the common opinion among military sailors that this vehicle is exclusively a transport carrying a naval flag. At the same time, the phrase "warship" is also correct and is also used as a legal concept.

How are maritime transport classified?

Civil ships are usually classified according to their purpose. Distinguish between transport, fishing, service and auxiliary and watercraft of the technical fleet. Transport ships, in turn, are cargo, passenger, cargo-passenger and special. They make up the bulk of the fleet. There are many types of ships engaged in cargo transportation. These are bulk carriers (created for bulk cargo), container ships, lighter ships (carrying floating container barges), refrigerated and trailer ships, timber carriers. Cargo also includes bulk types of maritime transport: tankers and gas carriers. If the ship is capable of taking on board more than twelve passengers, then it is classified as a passenger ship. At the same time, cargo-passenger is called one in which more than 40% of the area is allocated to the cargo. Passenger ships serve regular lines, including transoceanic ones. Another class of such vessels is intended for tourist cruises. There are also boats for local communications. Special maritime transport includes ferries (including rail), transport tugs and pusher tugs. Thus, we can conclude that there are a huge number of varieties and classifications of ships, it remains only to learn more about them.

The first sailboats

The most ancient images of sailing ships date back to the third millennium BC. The place of their appearance is the Nile Valley and the coast of the Persian Gulf. The ancient Egyptians built papyrus boats and fitted them with sails. On them, they could not only move along the Nile, but also go to sea. It is known about their expeditions along the northeast coast of Africa.

The Phoenicians deservedly won the palm among the ancient navigators. They created new types of ships. Such means had oars and a rectangular sail. They built not only merchant boats, but also warships. It is they who are credited with the development of galleys and the invention of the ram. It is believed that the Phoenicians were the first to circumnavigate all of Africa.

The Greeks adopted the art of building ships from the Phoenicians. They were able to master the Mediterranean and Black Seas, pass Gibraltar and reach the British Isles. They created biremes and triremes - galleys with two- and three-tier rows of oars. These were the first types of warships.

Rowers at oars remained the main propulsion of ships, but with the development and improvement of sailing equipment, the role of the wind also increased. Sea trade routes to India and the Far East were established, and the time of sea crossings was reduced.

Northern sailors

A little later, the Vikings conquered the seas. They created the best types of sailing ships of their time. Drakkars gained the greatest fame - combat marine watercraft, distinguished by high speed, reliability and lightness. They were adapted for entering rivers and mooring to gently sloping banks. If necessary, northern warriors carried them on their hands. Shields were fixed along the sides, and oars were passed through special hatches, which protected the rowers during the battle. For trade and transportation of settlers, the Vikings built knorrs - wider and slower ships compared to drakkars. Knorrs had a larger draft and could accommodate up to 40 people. The sailing equipment allowed walking at an angle of 60 degrees to the wind. The masts were removable.

The Vikings could stay away from the coast for a long time, guided by the sun and night lights. They used observations of the habits of marine animals and birds, took into account sea currents, ebbs and flows. On their boats they reached Iceland, Greenland and North America. They paved the way from the Varangians to the Greeks, they felt confident in the Mediterranean.

The era of great discoveries

The fifteenth century was marked by great sea voyages and discoveries. This became possible thanks to the creation of new, more advanced types of sea ships capable of crossing the oceans. It was then that they learned to build three-masted ships. The way the ship's hull was formed has changed - the boards were not laid in overlap, but close to one another. The name of the type of sheathing became the reason for the name of a new type of transport - caravels. The largest cargo ships at that time were the three-masted Portuguese carracks, which had two decks. The hull of the ships had a rounded shape - the ratio of length to width ranged from 2:1 to 2.5:1. This made it possible to improve seaworthiness, to increase the safety of long sea voyages. The main types of military water transport were still rowing galleys carrying sails.

Renaissance ships

The main features of the sailing fleet, which survived until the middle of the 19th century, were outlined in the sixteenth century. It was during this period that European states form regular navies. Shipbuilders have mastered new types of ships with a large displacement. Sailing equipment included different types of sails - traditional rectangular and oblique. Special naval guns were created, which began to be placed in several tiers, clearing the upper deck of them.

The main types of ships of the 16th century were military galleys and galleasses, military transport galleons, caravels and carracks, transport aaks and flutes.

The main types of sailing warships were frigates, corvettes and sloops. Frigates, which had the task of capturing water spaces, subsequently became the most common. They were distinguished from battleships by the presence of one gun deck. Corvettes became a separate branch of their development - faster units with smaller cannon armament. The sentinel service, reconnaissance and the fight against pirates were conducted by sloops. They were also assigned transport and forwarding tasks. They were not involved in the fight against other military water transport.

Schooners were widely used in the merchant fleet. Their distinguishing feature was the presence of at least two masts with slanting sails. Large cargo transportation was assigned to barges. For VIPs, they began to build yachts - high-speed comfortable ships. They were transformed into modern types of ships. The photo above shows one of the elite yachts of those times.

In the filibuster far blue sea...

The history of the sailing fleet is inextricably linked with piracy. Of course, no one specifically built any pirate ships. Gentlemen of fortune adapted different types of ships for the needs of sea robbery - that which fell into their possession. A rebellious crew could capture the ship. Occasionally this happened with the participation of the captain himself. But most often pirates made seizures at sea. After that, the ships, as a rule, were remade. The restructuring came down primarily to adapting the deck for the installation of powerful artillery and expanding the space for the boarding team. To do this, all the stern and bow superstructures were removed from the funds, the elements of decorations were cut off. Additional guns were installed along the ship forward and backward. The rigging was changed in order to give the ship greater speed. Apparently, the pirates did not lack the necessary materials - they also obtained them by robbery.

The most common types of pirate ships were brigantines, schooners and sloops. Large boats were rare in the pirate fleet. Corsairs did not disdain small feluccas, longboats and pinnaces.

In addition to combat, the pirates used transport ships. As a rule, these were captured Dutch flutes, as well as their British counterparts - flyboats.

Military means of modernity

Modern types of warships, in terms of tasks and weapons, are quite diverse. The list of them is impressive.

The basis of the power of the modern fleet is aircraft carriers and cruisers (including submarines). They are needed to gain strategic superiority at sea, strike at enemy territory, and solve a wide range of military tasks. Destroyers (destroyers) operate as part of strike aircraft carrier groups, can independently destroy surface and underwater enemy ships, provide anti-missile and air defense, and support landings. Especially for the fight against submarines and the protection of their formations, large and small anti-submarine ships are used. Missiles are designed to deliver unexpected missile strikes at long distances from targets. Mine defense is provided by mine-sweeping types. Sentinel service is carried out by patrol boats. And for the transportation and landing of troops, landing ships are used. In addition, the modern fleet is unthinkable without reconnaissance and control vessels.

Filled with space maps in the tablets ...

Even in ancient times, our ancestors dreamed of flying. The tale of the flying ship determined the name of the aircraft, which was destined to conquer the sky. The concepts of "spaceship" and "skyship" were used by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky to designate devices capable of making a manned flight into outer space. If we talk about the types of spacecraft, then first you need to turn to the concept of "spacecraft". It is understood as a device that is designed to perform various tasks in space, as well as on the surface of celestial bodies. This category includes artificial Earth satellites, interplanetary stations, and planetary rovers. A spacecraft that is designed to transport goods or people into space is called a spacecraft. Its main difference is sealed compartments or compartments that support life support.

Types of spacecraft are classified according to the type of cargo delivered, the method of control, if possible, return and reusable. They are cargo, automatic and manned. Manned spacecraft contain descent vehicles. There are also reusable cargo and manned ships. Among the most famous are Vostok, Soyuz, Apollo, Shenzhou, Space Shuttle.

Conclusion

We got acquainted only with some - the most famous - types of ships. The list of them can be continued for a very long time. And it is unlikely to be exhaustive. Because the flight of human imagination is limitless, and the challenges that life sets inspire designers and engineers to find new solutions. Who knows what ships will be like in just a hundred years. and what new spaces they will have to conquer... One can only guess about this at the present time. The main thing is to know what types of ships are now. And we told you about it.

Here is a list of ship names from the nautical directory that fit the definition of "sea sailing vessel":

Barque- a sea sailing vessel having from 3 to 5 masts, with slanting sails on the aft mast (mizzen mast) and straight on the rest.

Longboat- 12- and 22-oar ship's boat with sailing equipment, used to transport people, cargo and deliver anchors.

Barquentine(schooner-bark) - a sea sailing vessel with at least 3 masts with oblique sailing weapons and a front mast (fore mast) carrying direct sails.

Bot- a small single-masted sailing vessel, often with an engine.

Brig- marine sailing two-masted vessel with direct armament on both masts.

Brig "Mercury"

Brigantine- sea sailing two-masted vessel with direct armament on the front mast (fore mast) and oblique on the back (main mast).

Galion- this is the name of a large sailing warship of Portugal and Spain in the Middle Ages.

galleon "Golden Hind" - the legendary galleon of Francis Drake

Galliot- the name of a type of cargo sailing ship from the Middle Ages.

galliot "Eagle"

Clipper- a high-speed sailing vessel of the 19th century, with sharp hull lines and developed windage.

Clipper "Thermopylae"

Corvette- 1. The smallest three-masted ship in the sailing navy, with full direct armament, carrying up to 30 guns located only on the upper deck. Since the 40s of the last century, in addition to sails, they began to have steam engines; 2. A modern patrol ship carrying escort service for the protection of merchant ships.

Battleship(Linear ship) - 1. A large sea sailing vessel, intended for artillery combat in the wake formation, that is, stretched out in line; 2. A modern warship carrying large-caliber guns and protected by powerful armor (battleship).

Battleship "Twelve Apostles"

packet boat- this is the name of a marine sailing or sailing-propeller vessel designed to transport passengers and urgent mail between the ports of Europe and America.

Packet boats "St. Peter" and "St. Paul"

Gusto(shmak) - a small seaworthy sailing fishing vessel.

Frigate- a three-masted naval ship of the military sailing fleet, armed with guns (up to 60), located in two rows in height in one closed and on the upper deck.

Sloop- 1. A three-masted warship with direct armament, similar to a corvette; 2. Single-masted sailing vessel with two sails (mainly sports); 3. Low-speed patrol ship for the protection of transport caravans in some modern foreign fleets.

Schooner- this is the name of a sea sailing vessel with two or more masts armed with slanting sails.

schooner «Belle Poule»

Skiff- a small rowing and sailing boat with one or two pairs of oars.

Bombardier ship

Sailing 2-, 3-masted ship of the late 17th - early 19th centuries. with increased hull strength, armed with smoothbore guns. They first appeared in France in 1681, in Russia - during the construction of the Azov Fleet. Bombardier ships were armed with 2-18 large-caliber guns (mortars or unicorns) to fight against coastal fortifications and 8-12 small-caliber guns. They were part of the military fleets of all countries. In the Russian fleet existed until 1828

Brig

Military 2-masted ship with direct sailing, designed for cruising, reconnaissance and messenger services. Displacement 200-400 tons, armament 10-24 guns, crew up to 120 people. Possessed good seaworthiness and maneuverability. In the XVIII - XIX centuries. brigs were part of all the fleets of the world

Brigantine

2-masted sailing ship of the 17th - 19th centuries with a straight sail on the front mast (fore) and oblique on the back (mainsail). Used in the navies of Europe for reconnaissance and messenger services. On the upper deck, 6- 8 small caliber guns

Galion

A sailing ship of the 15th - 17th centuries, the forerunner of a sailing ship of the line. It had fore and main masts with straight sails and mizzen with slanting ones. Displacement about 1550 tons. Military galleons had up to 100 guns and up to 500 soldiers on board

Caravel

A high-sided single-deck 3-, 4-masted ship with high superstructures at the bow and stern, with a displacement of 200-400 tons. It had good seaworthiness and was widely used by Italian, Spanish and Portuguese navigators in the 13th - 17th centuries. Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama made their famous voyages on caravels

Karakka

Sailing 3-masted ship XIV - XVII centuries. displacement up to 2 thousand tons. Armament 30-40 guns. Could accommodate up to 1200 people. Cannon ports were used for the first time on karakka and guns were placed in closed batteries

Clipper

A 3-masted sailing (or sailing-steam with a propeller) ship of the 19th century, used for reconnaissance, patrol and messenger services. Displacement up to 1500 tons, speed up to 15 knots (28 km/h), armament up to 24 guns, crew up to 200 people

Corvette

A ship of the sailing fleet of the 18th - mid-19th centuries, intended for reconnaissance, messenger service, and sometimes for cruising. In the first half of the XVIII century. 2-masted, and then 3-masted ship with direct sailing, 400-600 tons displacement, open (20-32 guns) or closed (14-24 guns) batteries

Battleship

A large, usually 3-deck (3 artillery decks), 3-masted ship with direct sailing weapons, designed for artillery combat with the same ships in the wake formation (battle line). Displacement up to 5 thousand tons. Armament: 80-130 smoothbore guns along the sides. Battleships were widely used in wars in the second half of the 17th - first half of the 19th century. The introduction of steam engines and propellers, rifled artillery and armor led in the 60s. 19th century to the complete replacement of sailing battleships with battleships

flutes

Sailing 3-masted ship of the Netherlands of the 16th - 18th centuries, used in the navy as a transport. Armed with 4-6 guns. It had sides that were littered inward above the waterline. The rudder was used for the first time on the flute. In Russia, flutes were part of the Baltic Fleet from the 17th century.

Frigate sailing

A 3-masted ship, second in terms of armament (up to 60 guns) and displacement after a battleship, but surpassing it in speed. It was intended mainly for operations on sea lanes.

Sloop

Three-masted ship of the second half of the 18th - early 19th centuries. with straight sails on the forward masts and a slanting sail on the stern mast. Displacement 300-900 tons, artillery armament 16-32 guns. It was used for reconnaissance, patrol and messenger services, as well as a transport and expeditionary vessel. In Russia, the sloop was often used for circumnavigation (O.E. Kotzebue, F.F. Bellingshausen, M.P. Lazarev, etc.)

Shnyava

A small sailing ship, common in the XVII - XVIII centuries. in the Scandinavian countries and in Russia. Shnyavs had 2 masts with straight sails and a bowsprit. They were armed with 12-18 small-caliber guns and were used for reconnaissance and messenger service as part of the skerry fleet of Peter I. The length of the shnyava is 25-30 m, the width is 6-8 m, the displacement is about 150 tons, the crew is up to 80 people.

Schooner

A sea sailing vessel with a displacement of 100-800 tons, having 2 or more masts, is armed mainly with slanting sails. Schooners were used in sailing fleets as messenger ships. The schooners of the Russian fleet were armed with up to 16 guns.

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 navigate the seas safely, 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 counteract pirates, and by the 17th century, only warships were finally formed, and the merchant and navy were separated.

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 combat missions 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 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,

1. Peer-to-peer line-up with wake columns;
2. Building an equivalent and equal-velocity column without breaks;
3. 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 rapid 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 ship to a military ship. 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. in Holland built the frigate "Peter and Paul".

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.

The sailing fleet is one of the founders of the modern navy. Around 3000 BC, rowboats already had primitive sails, with which people harnessed the power of the wind. The first sailing armament was a rectangular piece of cloth or animal skin tied to the yardarm of a short mast. Such a "sail" was used only with fair winds and performed the tasks of an auxiliary propulsion vessel. However, with the development of society, the fleet also improved.

During the period of the feudal system, rowboats of large sizes appeared with two masts and several sails, and the sails had already taken on more advanced forms. However, ships with sails did not receive much use at that time, since the development of the fleet in a slave-owning society was determined by the use of slave labor and the ships of that time still remained rowing. With the fall of feudalism, free labor also gradually disappeared. The operation of large ships with a large number of rowers became unacceptable. In addition, with the development of international maritime trade, the navigation areas of ships have also changed - sea voyages have become longer. There was a need for ships of a new design capable of long-distance sea voyages. Such ships were sailing ships - naves, which had a length of up to 40 m and a carrying capacity of up to 500 tons of cargo. Later, three-masted sailing ships appeared in Portugal - carracks, with straight sails on the first two masts and triangular latin sails on the third mast. Subsequently, both types of ships merged into one type of a more advanced sailing vessel, which served as a prototype for ships and frigates.

At the end of the 16th century, sailing ships - galleons - began to be built in Spain. These had a long bowsprit and four masts. The bow mast of the galleon carried two or three straight sails, the stern - slanting latin sails.

At the end of the 18th century, in connection with new geographical discoveries and the subsequent growth of trade, the sailing fleet began to improve. began to build depending on their purpose. New types of cargo sailing ships have appeared that are acceptable for long-range. The most common among them were barges, brigs, and later two-masted schooners. With the continuous development of shipping at the end of the 18th century, the design and armament of sailing ships improved significantly. During this period, a unified classification of sailing ships and ships was established. Warships, depending on the number of guns and the type of weapons, were divided into linear, frigates, corvettes and sloops. Merchant ships, depending on the sailing armament, were divided into ships, barges, brigs, schooners, brigantines and barkentines.

It is currently customary to classify them according to their sailing armament. Depending on the type of sails, all sailboats are divided into ships with direct sailing equipment, ships with oblique sailing rig and ships with mixed sailing weapons.

ships with direct sailing

The first group of classification of sailing ships includes ships in which the main ones are straight sails. In turn, this group, according to the number of masts armed with direct sails, is divided into the following types:

a) a five-masted ship (five masts, with straight sails);

b) a four-masted ship (four masts with straight sails)

ship (three masts with straight sails)

a) a five-mast barque (four masts with straight sails, one at the stern with oblique sails);

b) a four-masted barque (three masts with straight sails, one with oblique)

a) barque (two masts with straight sails, one with oblique);

b) brig (two masts with straight sails)

stern-rigged ships

To the second group sailing ship classifications include ships whose main sails are oblique. The predominant type of ships in this group are schooners, subdivided into gaff, topsail and Bermuda-rigged schooners. In gaff schooners, trysels serve as the main sails. Marseille schooners, unlike gaff schooners, have on the fore mast, and sometimes on the main mast - topsail and bramsail.

b) two-masted topsail schooner (masts with oblique sails and several upper straight sails on the foremast) ;

V) three-masted topsail schooner - jackass (all masts with slanting sails and several upper direct sails on the foremast);

In a Bermuda-rigged schooner, the main sails are triangular in shape, the luff of which is attached along the mast, and the lower one is attached to the boom.

Bermuda schooner

In addition to schooners, this group includes small single-masted sea vessels - a tender and a sloop, as well as two-masted ones - ketch and iol. It is customary to call a tender a single-masted vessel with a horizontal retractable bowsprit.

Unlike a tender, a sloop has a short, permanently set bowsprit. On the masts of both types of sailing ships, slanting sails (trisails and topsails) are placed.

a) tender (one mast with slanting sails);

b) sloop (one mast with slanting sails)

In ships of the type ketch and iol, the forward mast is armed in the same way as in a tender or sloop. The second mast, located closer to the stern, has a small size compared to the first, which is what distinguishes these ships from two-masted schooners.

a) ketch (two masts with slanting sails, and the mizzen - the mast is in front of the helm);

b) iol (two masts with oblique sails, the smaller one - mizzen - is behind the helm)

vessels with mixed sailing equipment

In the third group of sailing ships, straight and oblique sails are used as the main ones. The vessels in this group include:

a) brigantine (schooner brig; one mast with straight sails and one with slanting);

b) barquentine (schooner-bark; three- or more-masted ships with straight sails on the front mast, and slanting on the rest)

a) bombard (one mast almost in the middle of the vessel with direct sails and one shifted to the stern - with oblique ones);

b) caravel (three masts; foremast with straight sails, the rest with latin sails);

c) trabacollo (Italian trabacollo; two masts with lugger, i.e. rake sails)

A ) xebec (three masts; fore and main masts with latin sails, and mizzen mast with slanting);

b) felucca (two masts inclined towards the bow, with latin sails);

c) tartan (one mast with a large latin sail)

a) bovo (Italian bovo; two masts: the front one with a latin sail, the rear one with a gaff or latin sail);

b) navisello (Italian navicello; two masts: the first is in the bow, strongly tilted forward, carries a trapezoidal sail,

attached to the main mast; mainmast - with a latin or other oblique sail);

c) balansella (Italian biancella; one mast with a latin sail)

kat (one mast with a gaff sail is strongly displaced forward)

lugger (three masts with raked sails, used in France in coastal navigation)

In addition to the listed sailboats, there were also large seven-, five- and four-masted schooners, mostly of American origin, carrying only slanting sails.

In the middle of the 19th century, the sailing fleet reached its perfection. Improving designs and sailing equipment, shipbuilders created the most advanced type of ocean sailing ship -. of this class were distinguished by speed and good seaworthiness.

clipper

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