The 50-Gun Ship

by Rif Winfield

By the end of the sailing era the 50-gun ship had become regarded as a hybrid, too small to stand in the line of battle, and lacking the speed and hardiness of the frigate, so it has often been dismissed as a naval architectural dinosaur left over from an earlier age. This book aims to reveal the crucial role of the 50-gun ship in the development of both the battleship and the frigate, and explains the enduring role which ensured the survival of the type into the 19th century. Charting its origins in the pre-Commonwealth frigates, the author follows the development of the type in the 18th century and its gradual transition from battlefleet to heavy cruiser role, highlighting its revival for the special conditions of colonial warfare during the American Revolution. Thereafter they were employed as peacetime flagships for distant stations, achieving final glory leading small craft in anti-invasion operations during the Napoleonic War. The Leopard is the subject of the cutaway drawings.

Genres: History

128 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mr. Reader Eric Mesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating. The details can get a little muddy, but patience will be rewarded. There are a number of instructive line-drawings, and the book includes a number of illustrations of the HMS Leopard, drawn by John McKay.

The average reader may not find it very interesting, but it is indispensable to anyone interested in naval warfare in the Age of Sail. The history is a bit dull, but descriptions of particulars in the career of a Fourth Rate, such as living quarters, stores, and armament, really make the reality of these behemoths from a bygone age vivid. And if nothing else, one can appreciate the beauty of form and almost poetic dance of oak, canvas, cordage, and iron that make up a sailing man-of-war.

[Vicarage]

Two copies