An 18 pdr long gun with a charge of 5lb of powder was capable
of penetrating nearly 2 feet six inches into oak at a range of 400
yds. and over 1 foot at 1000 yds.
By ricochet firing ranges could be increased considerably :-
At 1deg elevation the 800 yds for a 32lb long gun could be increased
to 2900 yds after 15 grazes. Contemporary notes add:- Ricochet firing
requires a perfectly smooth sea. The closer the gun is placed to the
water, the farther it ranges the shot. It might be advisable to heel
the ship over by running in the opposite guns. Ricochet firing is not
used for shells because the fuzes are always extinguished when so
used.
The carronade was a short gun developed by the Carron
Company, a Scottish ironworks, in 1778. Half the weight of an
equivalent long gun, it could throw a heavy ball over a limited
distance as shown in the following table
This lack of range was frequently a disadvantage, allowing an
opponent with conventional guns to stand off and fire without the
British vessel being able to reply.
Mails for the West Indies were made up twice monthly at the General
Post Office in London - namely - on the first Wednesday for Jamaica
and the Leeward Islands and on the third Wednesday for the Leeward
Islands only. They were taken to Falmouth by mail coach to arrive on the
Saturday evening and the packet vessels sailed as soon as weather and
tide permitted.
Similarly mails for Halifax, Quebec and New York were made up in London
on the first Wednesday of every month throughout the year and for Surinam
and Demerara on the second Wednesday, for Lisbon every Tuesday, Cadiz every
second Tuesday, Brazils and Madeira on Tuesday, Mediterranean and Malta
every third Thursday.
The mails for Jersey and Guernsey were made up
every Friday night for Weymouth and the packets sailed from there
about four or five o'clock on Saturday afternoons and returned the
following Thursday or Friday.
Other packets sailed between Yarmouth in Norfolk and the Elbe; Harwich and
Hamburg, Helgoland and the Baltic; Holyhead in North Wales and Dublin,
and Milford in South Wales and Waterford.
Nineteen packet boats are listed at Falmouth in 1797. For the West Indies,
USA and Canada:- Halifax, M.Stanhope; Roebuck, John Servante; Princess of
Wales, C.Deake; Countess of Leicester, R.Dodd; Princess Royal, J.Skinner;
Swallow, J.Sharpe; Sparrow (cutter)*, Lieut. Piers; Prince Edward, R. Causzar;
Westmorland, J.Wolfe; Carteret, A.Taylor; Portland, J.Rogers; Prince Ernest,
A.Schuyler; Jane, J.Dillon; Grantham, J.Bull; Chesterfield, R.Jones.
* While most packets were chartered by the Post Office for the public
service, some, like Sparrow, were Royal Navy vessels. She was purchased in
1796 and broken up in 1805. 123 tons burthen, 66.5 x 22.5 feet, armed with
10 x 12pdr. carronades and 2 x 6pdr. long guns.
In 1818 33 packets commissioned by the Admiralty are shown as based at Falmouth
and 12 at Harwich. They were a standard design of 179 tons burthen.
The Packet Service was taken over completely by the Admiralty in 1823. By 1850
Falmouth had been abandoned in favour of Dover, Portpatrick, Pembroke, Holyhead
and Liverpool
Treasure, in the form of gold, silver and jewels, could be shipped by
special order on board Royal Navy ships. An act which came into force on
8 April 1819 laid down that such freight would be charged at rates between
0.75% and 1% of value for treasure belonging to the Crown, depending on
distance, and between 1.75% and 2.5% in peace or 2% and 3% in war, for all
other parties. The amount of freight payment received was to be divided into four
and distributed thus:- One part to the Admiral or Admirals commanding the
station or squadron to which the ship receiving treasure might belong, two
parts to the to the captain or officer commanding the ship and one part to
the Royal Naval Hospital at Greenwich. In 1831 the distances were divided into
three - up to 600 leagues, 600 to 2000 leagues and over 2000 leagues. The
rates for other parties were altered slightly to between 0.75% and 1.5%
for gold and jewels and between 1% and 2% for silver in both peace and war.
Many placenames have changed over the last 150 years. This is
particularly true of the Aegean and the eastern coast of the Adriatic and it
is often difficult to follow the progress of a voyage or campaign before
1914 using a modern atlas.
Zante, Cephalonia and Cerigo were occupied by Britain in 18OO, Santa
Maura in 181O, Paxo in 1814 and Corfu in 1815. They were formed into
the United States of Ionia under British protection until 1863 when
they were ceded to Greece.
Vourla Road, a British anchorage in the Aegean during the 183Os, lies
inside some islands on the south side of the Izmir Korfezi (or Gulf of
Smyrna) some 2O miles west of Smyrna (Izmir) in Turkey. Vourla Skala
was on the coast while Vourla itself lies a mile or two inland. It is
shown on modern maps as Urla.
French ships threatening British lines of communication with Wellington`s
army in the Iberian Peninsular operated from the Basque Roads but the
reader consulting a modern atlas will seek the Basque Roads in vain.
It is the stretch of
water on the Biscay shore of France sheltered from the Atlantic by the
Isle d'Oleron on the west and Ile de Re to the north. In the middle is
the small Ile d'Aix. The important city of La Rochelle is in the
north-east corner and Rochefort lies a few miles inland on the river
Charente which enters the sea between Port-des-Barque and Fouras. The
northern entrance, some 14 miles wide, is the Pertuis d'Antioche and
the narrower strait between Oleron and the mainland is the Pertuis de
Maumusson. A major attack on French ships in the Basque Roads began on
11 April 18O9.
In the Indian Ocean:- Isle de France is now Mauritius and the
island of Bourbon is now Reunion.
Originally the size of a vessel was quoted as Builder`s Measurement
or bm based on the number of tuns or casks of wine that could be fitted
into the hull. This was also known as the burthen or tons burthen.
and was used for calculation of import duty and harbour dues.
Tons Burthen can be calculated from:-
In 1775 an Act of Parliament defined this more closely, with L equal to
the length along the rabbet of the keel (where the lower planks of the
bottom terminate) from the fore side of the stem beneath the bowsprit
to the aft side of the stempost.
This method of measurement was used for warships up until the late 1870s
when it was replaced by displacement tonnage.Merchant ships are
quoted by gross or deadweight tonnage.
Muzzle-Loading Naval Guns - some data.
Long Gun
Carronade
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Weight Weight Length Diam. Charge Range at elevation (yds)
of ball (cwt) Bore lb oz 1deg 2deg 3deg 5deg
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Long guns
32 56 9'6" 6.41" 6 0 800 1220
18 42 9' 5.29" 6 0 600 993 1335 177O
18 22 7`6" 5.18" 2 0 500 800 1030 1540
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1cwt (hundredweight)= 112lb. Test firings aboard HMS Excellent.
To allow for irregularities and lack of roundness in cannon
balls and the difficulties in boring out long cannon there was always
a large gap between the ball and the bore. This was known as "windage"
and could be almost 0.2" in a 32 pdr. long gun. The Carron Company
managed to reduce the windage to 0.073" in their 32 pdr carronades
with a corresponding increase in efficiency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Weight Weight Length Diam. Charge Range at elevation (yds)
of ball (cwt) Bore lb oz 1deg 2deg 3deg 5deg
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Carronades
42lb 22 4'6" 6.84" 3 8 430 700 900 1200
32 17 4' 6.25" 2 8 380 600 800 1170
24 13 3'9" 5.68" 2 0 360 580 770 1120
18 10 3'4" 5.16" 1 8 340 550 745 1050
12 6 2'8" 4.52" 1 0 310 520 715 970
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mail Packets
English mail services in the late 18th-early 19th century.
For Lisbon:- Walsingham, C.Couse; King George, E. Yescombe; Prince Adolphus,
J. Boulderson; Prince of Wales, L.Todd.Conveyance of Treasure in H.M. Ships.
PLACE NAMES
Note - This section is being rewritten to extend the list of names and correct errors
Adriatic Greece and Turkey
Old name New name Old name New name
Brazza Is. Brac Bel Pulo Is. Parapola
Buccari Bakar Cephalonia Is. Kefallinia
Cataro Kotor Cerigo Is. Kithira
Cherso Is. Cres Cerigoto Is. Andikithira
Curzola Is. Korcula Chios Is. Khios
Fiume Rijeka Corfu Is. Kerkira
Incoronata Kornat Karabonu (Cape) Kara Buren
Lesina Is. Hvar Lemnos Is. Limnos
Lissa Is. Vis Missolonghi Mesolongion
Lunga or Grossa Is. Zut Navarin(o) Pilos
Meleda Is. Molat Paxo Paxoi
Melita Is Mljet Samothrace Is. Samothraki
Pago Is. Pag Santa Maura Is. Levkas
Parenzo Porec Santorin Is. Thira
Pelagosa Is. Palagruza Scardamoula Kardamili
Pola Pula Smyrna Izmir
Ragusa Dubrovnik Thermia Is. Kithnos
Rovigno Rovinj Zante Is. Zakinthos
San Andrea Is. Sv. Andrija Zea Is. Kea
Sebenico Sibenik
Spaleto Split
Valona, Bay of Gjiu i Vlores
Veglia Is. Krk
Zara Is. Zadar
Zena Senj
Zuri Zirje
Tonnage
(L - 3/5 B) x B x 1/2 B where L is the length
------------------------- = bm B is the maximum beam
94
Building Yards
-- for Small Royal Navy Warships
BARNSTABLE 1804 Espiegle.
BERMUDA 1796 Driver. 1804 Ballahou, Capalin, Grouper,
Herring, Mackerel, Pike, Pilchard, Snapper, Whiting.
1805 Haddock, Laura, 1806 Adonis, Alban, Alphea,
Bacchus, Barbara, Cassandra, Fierce, Olympia, Sylvia,
Vesta, 1807 Bream, Chubb, Cuttle, Mullet, 1808
Atalante, Bramble, Juniper, Martin, Shamrock,
Thistle. 1809 Holly, Mistletoe. 1812 Morgiana, Sylph
1827 Pickle, Pincher, Skipjack. 1828 Firefly. 1829
Minx.
BERWICK 1805 Forward. 1808 Rover.
BIDEFORD 1806 Mutine. 1807 Carnation, Comet, Myrtle. 1808
Acorn. 1812 Fairy. 1813 Mastiff, Pelter, Swinger.
1814 Cyrene.
BLACKWALL 1794 Aimwell. 1795 Pelican, Star, Swallow 1797
Eclipse, Flamer, Furious, Furnace. 1801 Aggressor,
Archer, Bold, Escort. Ferreter, Jackall. 1804 Beagle,
Biter, Raven, Rifleman. Saracen. 1806 Challenger,
Goshawk. 1808 Leveret. 1809 Cherokee. 1846 Recruit.
BOMBAY 1814 Victor. 1815 Sphynx, Zebra. 1816 Camelion.
BRIDPORT 1804 Attentive, Cheerly. 1805 Intelligent,
Inveterate, Fly. 1806 Indignant, Frolic, Philomel.
1807 Egeria, Minstrel. 1812 Conflict, Contest.
Curlew, Saracen. 1813 Mohawk, Pelter, Plumper,
Swinger. 1830 Curlew.
BRIGHTLINGSEA 1804 Sparkler, Thrasher, Tickler. 1805 Kite,
Protector, Raven, Sharpshooter. 1806 Redwing,
Ringdove. 1807 Eclair, Sparrowhawk.
BRISTOL 1809 Albicore.
BRIXHAM 1806 Sealark, Widgeon.
BROADSTAIRS 1805 Desparate.
BUCKLER'S HARD 1796 Bittern. 1798 Snake. 1801 Snipe, Starling,
Vixen. 1804 Fervent, Growler. 1808 Columbine. 1813
Carron. 1814 Tay.
BURSLEDON 1795 Diligence. 1802 Borer, Doterel. 1804 Fly. 1808
Trinculo. 1812 Bold.
CHAPEL 1804 Attack. 1805 Dapper, Savage. 1806 Sabrina.
CHATHAM 1791 Rattlesnake, 1798 Valorous. 1808 Merope. 1809
Muros. 1812 Bacchus. 1818 Bustard. 1822 Basilisk,
Procris. 1823 Weazle. 1824 Aetna, Hearty, Lapwing.
1825 Harpy. 1826 Calypso. Espoir. Fairy. 1829
Algerine, Delight. 1831 Hornet. 1832 Forester,
Griffon. 1826 Sulphur. 1828 Cruizer. 1831 Seagull,
Viper. 1832 Forester, riffon, Hornet, Rover, Scout.
1835 Spider, Wanderer. 1836 Wolverine. 1837 Dasher,
Widgeon. 1838 Hydra. 1839 Fantome. 1843 Espiegle.
1844 Mutine 1845 Calypso. 1847 Arab, Heron.
CHESTER 1804 Contest, Defender. 1813 Levant.
COWES 1808 Chanticleer. 1809 Persian, Viper, 1811 Nimble,
Swan. 1826 Cracker. 1832 Comus. 1835 Linnet. 1844
Osprey. 1846 Contest.
DARTMOUTH 1804 Staunch, Turbulent, Wolf. 1805 Star, Swallow,
Virago. 1806 Ferret, Thais. 1807 Pigmy (ex-Racer)
1809 Partridge. 1810 North Star. 1816 Brisk.
DEPTFORD 1793 Hart, Hawke. 1794 Firm, Teazer, 1795 Sylph. 1796
Merlin, Stork, Termangant. 1797 Adder, Blazer,
Clinker, Contest, Cracker. Spiteful. 1801 Conflict,
Constant, Charger, Mallard, Starling. 1802 Calypso.
1804 Amaranthe, Harrier, Haughty, Kingfisher, Manly,
Pelter, Plumper, Teazer, Tigress. 1805 Arrow,
Turbulent, Wrangler 1808 Cadmus, Calliope, Parthian,
Rinaldo. 1808 Britomart, Lyra, Parthian. 1810 Dart,
Portia. 1813 Pandora. 1817 Quail. 1818 Alacrity. 1820
Ariel. 1821 Vigilant. 1823 Algerine. 1826 Erebus.
1827 Carron. 1829 Briseis, Thunder. 1835 Express.
DOVER 1778 Sprightly. 1782 Speedy. 1795 Zephyr. 1796 Harpy
1797 Echo. 1798 Bulldog, 1799 Weazle. 1803 Scorpion.
1804 Espoir, Kingfisher, Moselle. 1805 Resolute. 1806
Belette, Cheerful, Forester, Foxhound, Seagull
Surley. 1807 Cherub, Eclipse.
ELING 1808 Goldfinch. 1805 Dexterous. 1808 Goldfinch. 1813
Spey.
FALMOUTH 1805 Avon.
FISHBOURNE 1810 Decoy. 1812 Satellite.
FRINDSBURY 1794 Attack, Conquest, Hazard, Peterel. 1797 Hecate.
1804 Firm, Flamer. 1806 Sophie. 1808 Badger, Bermuda,
Crane, Sophie, Wildboar. 1809 Echo, Thracian. 1812
Arab. 1813 Slaney. 1814 Lee.
GILLINGHAM 1808 Opossum.
GRAVESEND 1780 Zebra. 1794 Fearless, Lynx. 1797 Hardy, Haughty.
HALIFAX 1806 Halifax. 1807 Plumper.
HARWICH 1795 Beaver, 1804 Pincher, Fearless
HASTINGS 1806 Racehorse, Rose.
HOWDEN DOCK. 1806 Raleigh.
HULL 1798 Valorous. 1804 Scout. 1805 Oberon, Otter.
HYTHE 1803 Charybdis. 1804 Steady. 1805 Rebuff. 1806
Sheldrake. 1813 Griper.
IPSWICH 1778 Savage. 1783 Spitfire. 1797 Cruizer. 1804
Daring. 1805 Hearty, Imogen, Orestes. 1806 Julia,
Peacock, Sappho. 1807 Barracouta. 1808 Drake, Hope,
Jasper, Fly, Harlequin, Harrier, Jaseur, Onyx. 1814
Falmouth
ITCHENOR 1806 Richmond. 1808 Pelorus.
JAMAICA 1815 Speedwell. 1823 Renegade, Union. 1826 Magpie,
Monkey. 1829 Kangaroo.
JARROW 1807 Coquette.
LEITH 1797 Mastiff, Meteor, Minx, Pincher, Pouncer,
Rattler, Ready. 1805 Earnest.
LIMEHOUSE 1794 Ranger. 1797 Courser, Defender. 1831 Flamer.
1832 Serpent, Snake.
LITTLEHAMPTON 1807 Tweed.
LYME REGIS 1812 Snap.
LYMPSTONE 1804 Urgent.
LYNN 1798 Victor. 1804 Furious, Griper. 1805 Kangaroo,
Minorca. 1807 Sapphire. 1808 Zenobia. 1812 Shamrock.
1813 Halcyon, Penguin. 1814 Bellette, Gannet, Larne.
MILFORD 1804 Nautilus. 1813 Myrmidon.
MISTLEYTHORNE 1779 Thorn. 1796 Plover. 1804 Electra. 1806 Clio,
Wanderer. 1807 Nautilus.
NEWCASTLE 1804 Acute. 1805 Emulous, Starling, Strenuous. 1806
Alacrity, Skylark. 1808 Shearwater, Woodlark.
NORTHAM 1795 Rattler. 1805 Encounter. 1806 Rhodian. 1806
Paulina. Redpole, Tyrian. 1807 Pilot.
NORTHFLEET 1794 Force, Lark. 1797 Gallant, Grappler, Griper,
Osprey. 1801 Mariner, Minx. 1804 Blazer, Bruizer,
Clinker. Cracker. 1808 Rolla. 1813 Alert.
PEMBROKE 1818 Racer. 1820 Falcon, Frolic. 1821 Reynard. 1823
Meteor, Zephyr. 1825 Sheldrake 1826 Erebus, Satellite
Skylark. 1827 Spey, Variable (renamed Pigeon 1929)
1828 Comus (Comet), Snipe, Sparrow, Speedwell,
Speedy. 1829 Lightning, Partridge, Raven, Starlng.
Thais. 1830 Wizard. 1831 Fly, Harrier. 1832
Cockatrice. 1834 Tartarus. 1836 Dido, Harlequin. 1837
Gorgon, Lily. 1838 Daphne, Grecian, Medusa. Merlin,
Penguin, Peterel. 1840 Persian. 1843 Helena. 1844
Flying Fish. 1845 Kingfisher. 1846 Mariner. 1847
Britomart.
PLYMOUTH 1800 Pickle. 1807 Derwent. 1808 Crocus. 1809 Jalouse.
1813 Anacreon. 1819 Eclipse, Emulous. 1821 Lyra,
Martin. 1822 Bramble, Partridge. 1823 Netley. 1824
Hope. 1825 Nightingale, Mutine. 1829 Hyacinth,
Reindeer, Rolla. 1830 Savage. 1831 Saracen. 1832
Rhadamanthus, Scorpion. 1833 Ringdove. 1837 Sappho.
1838 Acorn, Pilot. 1840 Ferret. 1842 Philomel. 1847
Arachne.
PORTSMOUTH 1789 Serpent. 1793 Swift. 1808 Brazen, Podargus, 1809
/GOSPORT Zephyr. 1810 Primrose. 1812 Childers. 1813
Grasshopper. 1814 Icarus. 1819 Cygnet, Delight. 1820
Britomart, Jasper. 1821 Ferret, Martin, Plover, Rose.
1823 Arrow, Gossamer, Philomel, Royalist. 1824
Champion, Orestes. 1825 Leveret, Musquito, Myrtle.
1826 Columbine, Wolf. 1827 Sylvia. 1829 Favourite.
Rapid, Recruit. 1830 Seaflower. 1831 Charybdis. 1833
Lynx. 1834 Buzzard. 1835 Hermes. 1836 Volcano. 1837
Electra, Hazard. 1838 Termagant. 1839 Stromboli 1840
Bittern, Driver, Rapid. 1842 Albatross, Firebrand,
Frolic, Thunderbolt. 1843 Sealark. 1844 Daring,
Osprey, Scourge. 1846 Rifleman. 1848 Plumper.
REDBRIDGE 1796 Dart, Redbridge. 1797 Millbrook. 1813
Challenger, Elk, Snapper
RINGMORE 1805 Wizard. 1806 Landrail, Rook.
ROCHESTER 1795 Albatross. 1801 Monkey. 1805 Martial. 1805
Martial. 1812 Epervier, Thistle. 1813 Confiance.
ROTHERHITHE 1779 Terror. 1793 Albicore. 1794 Borer, Favorite,
Hornet. Plumper, Pylades. 1795 Kangaroo, Racoon,
Seagull. 1797 Acute, Asp, Biter, Boxer, Bruizer. 1801
Basilisk, Bloodhound, Censor, Locust. 1804 Reindeer.
1835 Alert, Ranger.
SANDGATE 1782 Pluto, 1810 Dwarf, Racer.
SANDWICH 1782 Falcon. 1796 Hound. 1806 Recruit, Satellite.
1807 Royalist. 1808 Arachne, Castilian. 1812 Manley.
1813 Argus.
SHEERNESS 1776 Atalanta. 1798 Fairy. 1801 Opossum. 1822 Onyx
1830 Quail. 1832 Salamander. 1836 Bonetta, Dolphin,
Gipsy. 1837 Megaera. 1839 Prometheus, Vesuvius. 1847
Dart.
SHORHAM 1798 Pheasant
SOUTHAMPTON 1805 Confounder, Dapper. 1806 Blossom. 1807
Prometheus, (fire- ship) 1813 Carnation
SOUTH SHIELDS 1807 Rosemond.
TEIGHNMOUTH 1807 Talbot
TOPSHAM 1804 Piercer, Rapid, Safeguard. 1805 Bustler,
Swinger, Wolverene. 1806 Adder, Fawn, Tartarus,
Weazle. 1808 Rapid. 1809 Scylla. 1812 Pelican. 1804
Piercer. 1805 Conflict, Swinger. Wolverene. 1806
Weazle. 1808 Rapid. 1809 Scylla. 1812 Pelican, Wasp.
1813 Adder, Clinker. 1814 Hind
UPNOR 1808 Briseis, Cordelia, Ephira, Helicon, Renard (or
Reynard). 1809 Rifleman. 1810 Pioneer, Pigmy,
Pioneer. 1812 Dispatch, Heron (ex-Rattlesnake).
WARSASH 1808 Peruvian.
WEARMOUTH 1804 Gallant, Hardy.
WIVENHOE 1782 Inspector.
WOOLWICH 1790 Martin. 1808 Apelles. 1810 Banterer. 1813 Lynx
(cancelled 1818) 1813 Wolf. 1820 Barracouta, Beagle.
1822 Hart. 1823 Kingfisher. Magnet. 1824 Pylades.
1826 Echo, Tyrian. 1830 Curlew, Lightning, Nautilus.
1831 Pluto. 1832 Dee, Firefly, Phoenix. 1833 Medea.
1834 Spitfire. 1835 Star. 1839 Crane. 1840 Cygnet.
1841 Heroine. Siren.
YARMOUTH 1801 Cygnet. 1804 Helena. Musquito. 1805 Exertion,
Havoc, Redbreast, Sparrow. 1806 Ariel, Crane, Cuckoo,
Fancy, Pandora, Pidgeon, Quail. 1807 Cephalus,
Procris. 1808 Racoon.