1719 Establishment facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Class overview
Operators:	Royal Navy
Preceded by:	1706 Establishment
Succeeded by:	1745 Establishment
Built:	1720–1750

The 1719 Establishment was a set of rules for building warships for the Royal Navy. These rules were a must for any ship that could carry more than 20 naval long guns. The main goal was to make all ships more alike. This helped save money and made sure ships performed as expected at sea.

These rules applied to all types of warships, from the largest (first-rate) to the mid-sized (fifth-rate). The 1719 Establishment took over from an older set of rules from 1706. The older rules only covered some ship sizes.

The 1719 rules were very detailed. They didn't just say how big a ship should be. They also set out how thick the wood (called "scantlings") should be for different parts of the ship.

The 1719 Establishment was updated in 1733 and again in 1741. However, these updates didn't completely replace the 1719 rules. A brand new set of rules, the 1745 Establishment, finally came into effect in 1745.

Before 1745, each ship's design was usually handled by the Master Shipwright at the dockyard where it was built. This meant ships built to the same rules could still look a bit different. They weren't like modern "classes" of ships that are all identical. The only exception was when private companies built ships. For these, the Navy's main designer, the Surveyor of the Navy, created one common design. This usually happened during wartime.

Why Were These Rules Created?

When the 1706 Establishment was introduced, British ship design became very traditional. The main idea behind these "Establishments" was to make all ships in the fleet more standard. This helped to lower the costs of keeping Britain's large navy running. A side effect was that new ideas in ship design almost stopped until the rules were removed in the 1750s.

When King George I became king in 1714, the Royal Navy's main groups, the Board of Admiralty and the Navy Board, changed. The Admiralty became more involved in politics. The Navy Board was filled with people who had learned their skills during the time of these building rules. A big reason the 1719 Establishment lasted so long was that the years 1714–1739 were very peaceful for Britain.

Another reason for the new rules was a change in how guns were assigned to ships in 1716. Before, each ship might carry different guns, even if they were the same size. The 1716 gun rules aimed to make all ships of a certain type (like 70-gun ships) carry the same weapons. The Navy Board realized some older ships couldn't carry the new guns. So, they decided to rebuild ships to common designs to fit the new gun rules.

What Did the 1719 Rules Include?

The new building rules, finalized in December 1719, were much more detailed than the earlier ones. The 1706 rules only set basic sizes like length and width. But the 1719 Establishment specified everything, from the length of the keel (the backbone of the ship) to the thickness of the wooden planks on each deck.

These new rules also covered more types of ships. They now included the largest "first-rate" ships. Their sizes were based on a very successful ship called HMS Royal Sovereign. The rules also covered smaller ships, down to "sixth-rate" and 30-gun "fifth-rate" ships. This meant all ships with 20 guns or more were now covered. The sizes for other ship types were adjusted based on what they had learned from ships built under the 1706 rules.

How Did the Rules Change in 1733?

Over time, British shipbuilding didn't change much. Meanwhile, other countries, especially France, kept improving their ships. Eventually, the Navy Board had to notice. British ships were often smaller than their foreign rivals. This was partly because the Royal Navy had different needs. Also, Britain wanted a large fleet and needed to keep costs low.

By 1729, people worried that ships built to the 1719 rules might be too small. So, two new ships, HMS Centurion and HMS Rippon, were built with slightly changed sizes.

In 1732, the Admiralty (the Navy's leaders) asked the main shipbuilders in each Royal dockyard for ideas to improve ships. Their suggestions were small, mostly minor adjustments. There wasn't much agreement. In May 1733, Sir Jacob Ackworth, the Surveyor of the Navy, suggested increasing the width of 50-gun and 60-gun ships. The Admiralty accepted these ideas, and similar changes for other ship types followed. These new sizes became the unofficial new standard, even though they didn't officially replace the 1719 rules. There was no official "1733 Establishment." The Admiralty likely wanted bigger changes, but they didn't have shipbuilding experts on their board to make it happen.

How Did the Rules Change in 1741?

The real problem with British ship design became clear when the War of Jenkins' Ear started. In April 1740, three British 70-gun ships (HMS Kent, HMS Lennox, and HMS Orford) fought a Spanish 70-gun ship called Princessa. The fight lasted six hours, even though Princessa was missing a mast. She was much larger, almost the size of a British 90-gun ship. This made her more stable, and her strong build helped her withstand the British ships' attacks for a long time.

To fix this, the Navy decided to increase the firepower of their ships. Heavier guns meant bigger ships were needed. So, Sir Jacob Ackworth made new proposals for larger ship sizes. These changes were more significant this time. The new gun rules also changed the types of ships the Navy would have. For example, 70-gun ships became 64-gun ships, but with heavier guns.

The war also changed how ships were "rebuilt." Before the war, ships were often rebuilt to keep the fleet strong without asking Parliament for new ships. In reality, many "rebuilds" were almost entirely new ships, with little of the old ship remaining. Rebuilding took a long time and cost more than building a new ship. During the war, drydocks (where ships are repaired) were needed for urgent repairs. So, rebuilding old ships became a low priority.

This is when the British started converting old ships into "hulks." These were old vessels that could still float but were used for storage in harbors instead of being broken up. This saved effort and drydock space. Few rebuilds started after 1739, and none after 1742.

Different Types of Ships and Their Rules

The 1719 Establishment set different rules for each size of warship. Here's a quick look at some of them:

First Rates (100 guns)

These were the largest ships. The 1719 rules for these ships were based on the successful Royal Sovereign. The 1733 update only slightly increased their depth. The 1741 update made them much bigger. Only one ship, the Victory, was built to the 1733 rules.

Second Rates (90 guns)

These were also very large ships. The 1719 rules changed their sizes from the 1706 rules. Several ships were rebuilt to these new sizes. Both the 1733 and 1741 updates made these ships even larger.

Third Rates (80 guns)

These were the smallest "three-decker" warships. The 1719 rules set their sizes, and many ships were rebuilt to this standard. The 1733 and 1741 updates increased their size. Some of these ships were later changed into 66-gun ships.

Third Rates (70 guns, later 64 guns)

The 1719 rules set the dimensions for these ships. Many were rebuilt or newly built to these specifications. The 1733 and 1741 updates made them larger. In 1743, these ships were re-armed to carry 64 guns, but with more powerful weapons.

Fourth Rates (60 guns, later 58 guns)

The 1719 rules set the sizes for these ships. Many were built or rebuilt following these rules. The 1733 and 1741 updates increased their size. In 1743, their gun setup changed, making them 58-gun ships with heavier guns.

Fourth Rates (50 guns)

The 1716 gun rules changed these ships from 54 to 50 guns, giving them heavier weapons. The 1719 rules then set their dimensions. Many ships were rebuilt to these rules. The 1733 and 1741 updates made them bigger. Many of these ships were built by private companies.

Fifth Rates (40 guns)

The 1716 gun rules changed these ships to 40 guns with heavier weapons. Many ships were rebuilt to the 1719 rules. The 1733 update kept the gundeck length similar but increased the width and depth. The 1741 update made them even larger. By the late 1730s, these ships were seen as too small for big battles but too slow for general cruising.

Fifth Rates (30 guns)

The 1719 Establishment planned for a 30-gun ship, but none were actually built to this rule. This type of ship soon disappeared.

Sixth Rates (20 guns)

The 1719 rules for these smaller ships were based on a successful ship called Dursley Galley. Many ships were newly built or rebuilt to these rules. The 1733 and 1741 updates made them larger.