THE FRIGATE

YARR, I be sittin eere an larnin Jimmee me boy.

When was the time that the first genius discovered how to mount swivel guns(cannon) rather than turning the whole bloody ship? Im aware of the strakkers and harquebii as swivel like delivery systems but surely somebody thought of bigger swivel guns before the US Civil War no?

This is from the motion picture Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World:



Both of these ships are frigates. According to the story line of the motion picuture, the ship in the foreground, flying French Republican colors, is a "Yankee-built" frigage, Acheron. I count 20 guns in her broadside, which rates her at 40 guns. This would be about right for an American built frigate in 1805. I don't know the rating for Surprise, the English frigate off her starboard quarter, but in the motion picture, the captain tells his crew that she (Acheron) has twice the guns and twice the crew. The later may be true, but surely the former is false. Even a sloop of war would mount as many as 20 guns. An English frigate of that era would surely be rated as 32-, 36- or 38-guns.

Note the triagular sails on the English frigate (in the background), which can be more clearly seen than those on the French privateer. There are three jibs at the bow, and there are two large stay sails, one between the foremast and the mainmast, and one between the mainmast and the mizzen. Additionally, there is the lanteen sail, the trapezoidal shaped sail at the bottom of the mizzen (the "back" mast). This is a very accurate portrayal of this type of naval combat. Note that the English frigate has taken in sail completely on the mainsail and the fore mainsail, and the top gallants and the royals. From bottom to top on the first two masts, there is the mainsail (pronounced mains'l), the topsail, the top gallant, and the royal. The French frigate is running on a broad beam reach. This means the wind is coming in over the port rail (the "left" side, if you stand at the back and look forward), behind the center of the ship, at about 45 degrees to the ship's centerline. That is one of the two best "points of sail" for a frigate, the other being "running before the wind," which means with the wind directly astern. The English frigate appears to have turned across the wind, which explains why there are only two square sails spread. Note that she has fired her broadside. Although it would appear that this is aimed badly, and would land behind the French frigate, in fact, gunnery required that you account for the "drift in windage," which means that the forward motion of the ship "throws" the shot back at an angle more accute than 90 degrees. Additionally, if fired by the "outboard" (outside) broadside while turning, the shot will be spread in a wide arc, which means you would hit your opponent with fewer shot, but would hit her nonetheless, even if she attempts to come about to avoid your broadside. The two square sails will "luff" (flap in the wind) for several minutes as you turn her, and at the point at which the wind was actually pushing on the sails from the front, the ship would feel as though she had come to a stop. In fact, she would actually be losing three to four knots (a measure of speed, a knot is one nautical mile per hour--the nautical mile is longer than a statute mile, six nautical miles being equivalent to seven statute miles), but that "stands her up" and briefly steadies her as a gun platform while the broadside is fired. The triangular sails would have spilled air for only a few seconds, and as she came across the wind, they would have snapped full of air (you can hear it on a sloop, with all triangular sails, the snap of the sail sounds like a gun going off) as soon as they passed the wind, and this makes the bow swing around very suddenly. Properly executed, this will spray round shot in a wide arc, and give you the opportunity to spread sail on the same beam reach as the French frigate if you want to continue to play; or--and this is much more likely--to come around and run before the wind, off at an angle of about 45 degrees from the course of the Frenchman, presenting a much smaller target, and allowing the execution of the order "Run Away!"

This image is of a frigate, Surprise from the motion picture, on a broad beam reach. There are several points to note. In another image (a better one) which i was, alas, unable to link, i counted twelve guns in her broad side, and two bow chasers (cannons which fire at an angle to the broadside, and can be aimed directly ahead). That makes thirteen, and if you add the standard four stern chasers (cannon in the captains cabin at the back which fire directly behind), she would be rated at 30 guns, a small English frigate. Her small size would account for the lack of royals or sky sails. (In the largest ships, above the royals would be a fifth square sail, the skysail.) This image shows her with mainsails, topsails and top gallants set, but no royals. It is possible that the yard and sail for the royals has been taken in because of the strength of the wind, being unnecessary in such a situation, and subject to damage in high winds or storms. Note the lines across the front of the sails with little ropes hanging down. These are the ratlines (pronounced ratlins), and these can be used to tie off some or all of the sail and secure them to the yard from which it hangs. Done with proper timing while turning across the wind, the reefed square sails (reefed means about two thirds of the sail pulled up) will fill with air just after the triangular sails, and allow a very sharp turn, although the ship will slow down by as much as five or six knots--so when executing the order Run Away!, it would be necessary to have your topmen (specialists in sail handling) aloft (up on the yards from which the sails hang) to make full sail (drop them) immediately after they filled with air, to make the best speed after the turn. You might well image the skill and strength and balance the topman needs--if he makes a mistep, the snap of the canvas as the sail fills can throw him a hundred yards or more away from the ship. If he looses his balance at any other time, he would fall a hundred feet or more to the deck--and likely to his death.

In this image, the frigate is running before the wind in a gale. Note that all of the square sail had been taken in and reefed. With the added weight of the rain water, and the very high winds, the yards and masts could be carried away if she tried to make too much sail. The sails themselves could be shredded by the wind. With only the triangular sails (jibs and stay sails) set, she won't run well before the wind, but in a high wind, she is probably already approaching the speed at which it is no longer safe to set full sail.

Edited to remove evidence of encroaching senility.

This is artwork by Geoff Hunt, to whom the copyright, done for the book from which the motion picture is taken. This shows the frigate running before the wind near a broad beam reach (the wind is not quite behind the vessel, but coming in over the stern rail at a very sharp angle.) You will note that on the lee side (the side away from the wind), extra yards and rectangular sails have been added, to gain more speed. It is unlikely that a commander would do this even in a light gale, so this is likely what most sailors would call a "fresh breeze," about 12 to 15 knots (hang onto your hat). Also note that the mainmast has a fourth sail at the top, this is the royal--in the motion picture, i don't believe she was shown making that much sail. You will also note that the mainsail is reefed--so as not to have the force of the wind on so large a sail so close to the center of the ship, which would bury her nose in the water, and risk small but extensive damage to the sails and riggin near the water.

In this image from the motion picture, you can see that all sail is set (with the exception of the square sail at the bowsprit, which is probably taken in to keep her nose up). This image shows running before the wind in a breeze (eight to ten knots).

This excellent image from the motion picture shows the staysails and jibs, and the lanteen, which all allowed a frigate, a relatively slim and lightweight warship, to sail closer to the wind, and turn faster across the wind, than any other large warship.

This image from the motion picture shows her encumbered with her own top hamper (the yards and sails from the top of the masts), and i don't recall the context of this. But you can clearly see the ratlines on the front of the sails which are used to secure the sails when reefed (partly taken in) or furled (completely taken in).

Beautifully wrought --- I like the descriptions of the photographs. Nice to see you back, Setanta.

This artwork, by Richard Moore, to whom the copyright, is of Constitution taking HMS Guerriere, her first major victory of the war of 1812. Note that Guerriere's sails and rigging are nearly shot away. She has only her mainsail and topsail, and they are badly damaged. Note that Constitution has her fore mainsail and mainsail reefed. Both ships would have done this to protect the primary driving sails of the ship. Guerriere likely attempted to make sail with her mainsail and topsail after the other rigging had been shot away, in an attempt to get away. The attempt failed.

United States Ship Constitution, the following is from the United States Navy Historical Center:

Constitution, one of six frigates authorized by act of Congress, approved 27 March 1794, was designed by Joshua Humphreys, and built at Hartt's Shipyard, Boston, Mass., under the supervision of George Claghorn with Captain Samuel Nicholson as inspector. She was launched on 21 October 1797 and christened by Captain James Sever.


Into the trim frigate's construction went timbers from States ranging from Maine to Georgia, as well as copper bolts and spikes supplied by Paul Revere. A ship of beauty, power, and speed thus was fashioned as a national expression of growing naval interest, and a symbol auguring the dedication, courage, and achievement of American fighting men and ships.


Constitution put to sea on 22 July 1798, commanded by Captain Samuel Nicholson, the first of many illustrious commanding officers. Following her trial runs in August, she was readied for action in the Quasi-War with France and ordered to patrol for French armed ships between Cape Henry and Florida. One year later she became flagship on the Santo Domingo station, making several captures including the 24-gun privateer Niger, the Spender, and the letter-of marque Sandwich. At war's end, Constitution returned to the Charleston Navy Yard where she was placed in ordinary.


In 1803 amid growing demand for tribute and increasing seizures by the Barbary pirates, Constitution was recommissioned under Captain Edward Preble and sailed as flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron on 14 August. Preble took command of the squadron and vigorously brought the war to Tripoli, executing well-laid plans with brilliant success. On Constitution's decks tactics for destroying the captured frigate, Philadelphia, were laid as well as those for blockading and assaulting the fortifications of Tripoli. The small United States fleet on 3 and 7 August 1804 bombarded the enemy's ships and shore batteries with telling results.


Commodore Samuel Barron and later Captain John Rodgers were next to command the squadron and Constitution, continuing to blockade and take prizes. Naval action thus generated a favorable climate for the negotiation of peace terms with Algiers, ending for a time our tribute payments. After the Tunisians agreed to similar terms in August, Constitution spent 2 years patrolling in maintenance of the peace. She sailed for home under Captain Hugh Campbell and arrived Boston in November 1807. Placed out of commission, the frigate was repaired in the succeeding 2 years.


In August 1809 she was recommissioned and became flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron, Commodore J. Rodgers, and in 1810 Isaac Hull was appointed her captain. The following year she carried U.S. Minister, Joel Barlow, to France and returned to Washington in March 1812 for overhaul. War with Britain impended and Constitution was readied for action. On 20 June 1812 the declaration of war was read to her assembled crew and on 12 July she took the sea under Captain Hull to rejoin the squadron of Commodore J. Rodgers.


On 17 July Constitution sighted five ships in company; supposing them to be Rodger's squadron, Hull attempted to join up. By the following morning, however, the group was identified as a powerful British squadron which included the frigates Guerriere and Shannon. The wind failed, becalming within range of the enemy who opened fire. Disaster threatened until Captain Hull astutely towed, wetted sails, and kedged to draw the ship slowly ahead of her pursuers. For 2 days all hands were on deck in this desperate and successful attempt at escape, a splendid example of resolute command, superior seamanship, and indefatigable effort.


During the war, Constitution ran the blockade at Boston on seven occasions and made five cruises ranging from Halifax, Nova Scotia, south to Guiana and east to Portugal. She captured, burned, or sent in as prizes nine merchantmen and five ships of war. Departing Boston on 2 August she sailed to the coast of Nova Scotia, where she captured and destroyed two British trading ships. Cruising off the Gulf of St. Lawrence on 19 August, she caught sight of Guerriere, a fast British frigate mounting 49 guns. Guerriere opened the action, pouring out shot which fell harmlessly into the sea or glanced ineffcetively from the hull of Constitution whose cheering crew bestowed on her the famous nickname "Old Ironsides," which has stirred generations of Americans. As the ships drew abreast, Hull gave the command to fire and successive broadsides razed Guerriere's mizzen mast, damaging her foremast, and cut away most of her rigging. Guerriere's bowsprit fouled the lee rigging of Constitution, and both sides attempted to board, but the heavy seas prevented it. As the ships separated Guerriere fired point blank into the cabin of Constitution and set it on fire, but the flames were quickly extinguished. Guerriere's foremast and mainmast went by the board and she was left a helpless hulk.


The flag of Guerriere was struck in surrender and when the Americans boarded her they found her in such a crippled condition that they had to transfer the prisoners and burn her. It was a dramatic victory for America and for Constitution. In this battle of only half an hour the United States "rose to the rank of a first-class power"; the country was fired with fresh confidence and courage; and union among the States was greatly strengthened.


Constitution, Commodore William Bainbridge, again stood out from Boston on 29 December 1812 to add to her conquest the British 38-gun frigate, Java, whom she engaged off the coast of Brazil. Despite loss of her wheel early in the fighting, Constitution fought well. Her superior gunnery shattered the enemy's rigging, eventually dismasting Java, and mortally wounding her captain. Java was so badly damaged that she, too, had to be burned. The seemingly invincible "Old Ironsides" returned to Boston late in February for refitting and her wounded commander was relieved by Captain Charles Stewart.


Constitution departed on 31 December for a cruise in the Windward Islands. On 16 February she seized and destroyed the schooner, Pictou, and 9 days later chased the schooner, Pique, who escaped. She also captured three small merchantmen on this cruise, characteristically successful despite a close pursuit by two British frigates along the coast of Massachusetts. Constitution moored safely at Boston only to be bottled up for nearly 9 months by the vigorous British blockade.


In December 1814 Constitution braved the forces of the enemy, and headed southeast. She seized the merchant brig Lord Nelson and later captured Susannah with a rich cargo on 16 February 1815. Four days later she gave close chase to the frigate Cyane and the sloop Levant bound for the West Indies. Constitution opened the action firing broadsides; as the contestants drew apart she maneuvered adroitly between the two, fighting each separately and avoiding raking by either. In less than an hour Cyane struck her colors and soon thereafter Levant surrendered. Sailing in company with her prizes, Constitution encountered a British squadron which gave chase but was able to retake only Levant. En route to New York, she received confirmation of the ratification of peace terms and on 15 May arrived, confident in her success as protector of freedom of the seas.


Ordered to Boston, she was placed in ordinary for 6 years, undergoing extensive repair. In May 1821 she returned to commission, serving as flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron, under Commodore Jacob Jones, and guarding United States shipping until 1823. A second cruise on that station lasted from 1823 through July 1828, with a succession of commanding officers including Captain Thomas Macdonough and Daniel Patterson.


A survey in 1830 disclosed Constitution to be unseaworthy. Congress, considering the projected cost of repairs, relegated her for sale or scrapping. Public sentiment, engendered partly by the dramatization of her history in Oliver Wendell Holmes' memorable poem, elicited instead an appropriation of money for reconstruction which was begun in 1833 at Boston where once again she was captained by the redoubtable Isaac Hull.


Returned to commissioned status in 1835, she served well in the ensuing 20 years in a variety of missions. In March 1835 she sailed to France where she embarked the U.S. Minister to France, Edward Livingston, for return to the States. In August she entered upon a 3-year tour as flagship of Commodore Jesse Elliott in the Mediterranean protecting trade and maintaining good relations. She served as flagship for the South Pacific Squadron from 1839 to 1841; and for the home station from November 1842 to February 1813. In March 1844 she began a memorable 30-month circumnavigation of the globe while under the command of Captain John Percival.


The fall of 1848 brought a resumption of duty as flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron, Commodore W. C. Bolton. Decommissioned briefly in 1851 she sailed under Captain John Rudd in 1852 to patrol the west coast of Africa in quest of slavers until June 1855.


Five years of decommissioned status followed. In August 1860 she was assigned to train midshipmen at Annapolis, and during Civil War at Newport, R.I. Among her commanding officers in this period are listed Lieutenant Commanders David D. Porter, and George Dewey.


In 1871 Constitution underwent rebuilding at Philadelphia; she was commissioned again in July 1877 to transport goods to the Paris Exposition.


Once more she returned to duty as a training ship cruising from the West Indies to Nova Scotia with her youthful crews. In January 1882 she was placed out of commission and in 1884 was towed to Portsmouth, N.H. to become a receiving ship Celebration of her centennial year brought her to Boston in 1897 where she was retained in decommissioned status.


A public grateful for her protective services once again rescued her from imminent destruction in 1905 and she was thereafter partially restored for use as a national museum. Twenty years later, complete renovation was initiated with the financial support of numerous patriotic organizations and school children.


On 1 December 1917, Constitution was renamed Old Constitution to permit her original name to be assigned to a projected battle cruiser. Given first to CC-1 (renamed Lexington (q.v.) ) then to CC-5 (originally named Ranger (q.v.)), the name Constitution was restored to "Old Ironsides" on 24 July 1925, after the battle cruiser program had been canceled under the Washington naval treaty. Constitution (CC-5) was some 13.4 percent complete at the time of her cancellation.


On 1 July 1931, amid a 21-gun salute, Constitution was recommissioned. The following day she sailed on a triumphant tour of 90 United States' ports along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts, where thousands of Americans saw at first hand one of history's greatest fighting ships. On 7 May 1934 she returned to Boston Harbor, the site of her building. Classified IX-21 on 8 January 1941, Constitution remains in commission today, the oldest ship on the Navy List, proud and worthy representative of the Navy's great days of fighting sail, and symbol of the courage and patriotic service of generations of Americans at sea where much of the Nation's destiny will always lie.

There are websites that depict the movements of yachts in a race. Are there similar one that depict the movements of sailing ships at war ?

This is the only poem to a frigate that I am aware of. I had to learn this and recite it in front of the class in 6th grade


OLD IRONSIDES
By Oliver Wendell Holmes
September 16, 1830

Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon's roar;
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more.

Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!

Oh, better that her shattered bulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave;
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning and the gale!


http://seacoastnh.com/Maritime_History/Old_Ironsides/Old_Ironsides/

Acquiunk, it will suffice, oh archaeological wonder. You must read the ship of pearl by the only justice that I know who could write poetry with the spirit of the law.

Setanta is on a roll and here we interrupt his thread just to sit and watch two years before the mast.

I can still recite most of it, I'm a little hazy on the last stanza.

The Frigate today:


USN OLIVER HAZARD PERRY Class Guided Missile Frigate USS INGRAHAM (FFG 61)

General Characteristics:
Mission: Protection of Shipping/Anti-Submarine Warfare
Keel Laid: March 30, 1987
Christened: June 25, 1988
Commissioned: August 5, 1989
Builder: Todd Pacific Shipyards Co., Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, Ca.
Propulsion system: two General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines, two 350 Horsepower Electric Drive Auxiliary Propulsion Units
Propellers: one
Blades on each Propeller: five
Length: 453 feet (135.9 meters)
Beam: 45 feet (13.5 meters)
Draft: 24,6 feet (7.5 meters)
Displacement: 4,100 tons
Speed: In excess of 30 Knots
Aircraft: two SH-60 Sea Hawk (LAMPS 3)
Armament: one Mk 13 guided missile launcher (36 Standard (MR) and 4 Harpoon missiles), one Mk 75 76mm/62 caliber rapid firing gun (ERGM-Capable), 6 MK 32 ASW torpedo tubes (two triple mounts), one Phalanx CIWS
Crew: 17 Officers and 198 Enlisted
Homeport (2004/2005): Everett, Wash.

The final PERRY Class built, INGRAHAM is the last of the PERRY line. As they reach the end of their commission life, the Navy's PERRY Class Frigates are being replaced by the multi-role ARLEIGH BURKE Class (AEGIS) Guided Missle Destroyers.

How does Drakes Golden Hynde fit in the picture?

Thanks, Big Bird, you have saved me the trouble. I was searching everywhere for an image of the Dubya-Dubya Too vintage of Canadian ASW frigates.


EB, the Golden Hinde is still afloat--in the form of a ship built in 1973 as a replica--and is now a museum.



At a burthen of 120 tonnes (i.e., she displaces 12,000 cubic feet--when discussing tonnage of naval shipping, one is referring to hull capacity, not weight), she is larger than a snow, and just smaller than the frigates of the day. At about 20 guns, she was armed as a Dutch frigate of the day would be. When Drake left Plymouth, his flag was in Pelican, and he was followed by four other ships. By the time he reached the Straits of Magellan, he had lost two of them. He then rechristened Pelican as Golden Hinde. His principle financial backer used the golden hind as a motif in his coat of arms. The ship pictured above resembles a Dutch fluyt, and may be a transitional stage between the snow and the frigate. It is not known how Drake acquired Pelican--she may have been a prize acquired while raiding at sea, and may have been Dutch built.

Cheers, Miss Flyer, thank you for your kind words.