1668 - Advent of Giant Vessels

The three-deckers have multiplied lately. They also tend to inflate up to tremendous sizes. Their design and building remain quite intricate though. Ironically, this year, four giant vessels have been launched, one in Sweden and three in France, in two countries which have not developed blatant competencies in shipbuilding so far. They have even hired foreign shipwrights to build warships.

Six years ago, if we leave aside the surviving English galleons heightened twenty years ago, there were only three genuine three-deckers afloat, all flying English ensign, the 80-gun Royal Charles (ex-Naseby, 1655), the 92-gun Royal Prince (ex-Prince Royal, ex-Resolution, 1610, rebuilt in 1641 then in 1663) and the 100-gun Royal Sovereign (1637, rebuilt in 1660), famous as the most extravagant warship under her original name of Sovereign of the Seas. Ruinous and unemployed originally, the latter has finally met a prime role after having been offloaded from much decoration and superfluous superstructures.

'‘We rode to Rochester and Chatham to see the Soveraigne, a monstrous vessel so called, being for burthen, defence, and ornament, the richest that ever spread cloth before the wind. She carried 100 brass cannon, and was 1,600 tons, a rare sailer, the work of the famous Phineas Pett.’

John Evelyn, in his diary for 1641

Royal Charles captured by the Dutch

Since then, England added four other three-deckers, two in 1664, the 76-gun Royal Oak and the 84-gun Royal Katherine, and two in 1666, the 92-gun Loyal London and the 82-gun Victory. Of those seven vessels, the Dutch captured one and burnt three during the war which ended last year. Seven new three-deckers, including three 100-gun vessels, were ordered at once to replace the four losses, the earliest being the 96-gun Charles. Clearly, the Dutch and the Britons focused on these vessels which they see as capital ships, the first to destroy them, the second to deploy them. We can take stock of the situation in regard to English three-deckers :

length breadth depth tonnage guns

Royal Charles (1655) 131 42½ 18 1260 80 captured by the Dutch in 1667

Royal Sovereign (1660) 127 47½ 19¼ 1600 100

Royal Prince (1663) 132 45¼ 18¾ 1430 92 burnt by the Dutch in 1667

Royal Oak (1664) 121 39¾ 17 1020 76 burnt by the Dutch in 1667

Royal Katherine (1664) 121 40 17¼ 1110 84 scuttled to prevent capture then refloated

Loyal London (1666) 127 41¾ 17 1240 92 burnt by the Dutch in 1667

Victory (1666) 121 40 17½ 1030 82

Charles (1668) 128 42½ 18½ 1230 96

From the previous ones, none seems to have surfaced as the prototype of a future lineage yet. Royal Sovereign has established a reference for the first-rate ships, not a model. Even in their birth country, the three-deckers remain tentative, and their construction a venture.

Sweden & France enter the Scene

That year 1662 saw the appearance of a first Swedish three-decker, the 96-gun Svärdet, the largest ship in the world then, built under the supervision of Jacob Voss (†1665), a Dutch shipwright in the service of Sweden, master in Stockholm dockyard. In a context of rivalry with its neighbours, the 1.4-million folk prepared for a possible next turn of the Northern war which saw in 1660 its victory against a grand coalition of Russia, Denmark-Norway, Poland-Lithuania, Brandenburg-Prussia, the Holy Roman Empire and the Duchy of Curland. Controlling Baltic sea is vital to link its mainland with its territories in Finland, Estonia, Livonia, Pomerania and around Bremen.

In 1663, three new vessels were launched:

- one in France, the 78-gun Saint-Philippe, designed by Rodolphe Gédéon, a Dutch shipwright in the service of France, which marks the beginning of a frantic naval construction in this country ;

- one in Sweden, the 84-gun Riksäpplet, said to be a copy of English Naseby, built by Francis Sheldon, 56, an English shipwright established in Sweden in 1659 as two other English experts – as the Dutch turn now to Denmark ;

¤ Sheldon was a Phineas Pett’s apprentice in Chatham dockyard. He was later involved under Peter Pett II, Phineas’ grandson, in the building of Naseby at Woolwich dockyard.

- a Portuguese galleon, the amazing 144-gun Padre Eterno, perhaps the biggest ship in the world then, even if her right dimensions are unknown, built in Rio de Janeiro as per the will of Captain-General Salvador Corrêa de Sà e Benevides, 74 by now, for the purpose of transporting precious freight of the Companhia Geral de Comércio do Brasil, founded in 1649.

¤ Portugal was living under a twofold threat then. It was still at war with Spain for its liberation – what they call the Acclamation war has just ended this very year. Also the Dutch GWC’s attempt against Portuguese assets in Brasil was still fresh in the memories even if it halted in 1654 but the Dutch threat still seemed very high.

¤ The Dutch, the Portuguese and the Spaniards already built very large merchant ships, of 1,000 to 1,500 tons, meant to the long and perilous to and fro travels between Europe and respectively Batavia, Goa and Manila but, so far, none reached the dimensions of the new floating fortress, clearly designed so as to be impregnable.

Two years ago, the Swedes launched their third three-decker, the 86-gun Nyckeln. And this year, Sheldon has launched the fourth Swedish three-decker, a giant vessel, Kronan, said to carry 126 guns when completed. She is not the biggest ship in the world for an ever larger one was launched in France.  

Royal Louis

The Royal dockyard of Toulon launched two tremendous three-deckers, the 120-gun Royal Louis and the 100-gun Dauphin Royal, as well as the smaller 84-gun Monarque, while the Royal dockyard of Brest launched another giant, Royal Duc, carrying 104 guns. An even larger vessel, named Soleil Royal, is to be launched there next year. She should carry 110 guns.

Royal Louis has been designed and built under Gédéon’s direction. Dauphin Royal, five feet shorter and a bit less sizeable than Royal Louis – a matter of precedence indeed –, was designed by François Pomet, previous Gédéon’s assistant and, prior to this, so far designer of the 44-gun Sirène (1664) and 60-gun Thérèse (1665). The Monarque was designed by Laurent Coulomb, 46 years old, designer of the only 42-gun Cheval Marin (1664).

Larger than Royal Louis as designed, the Soleil Royal will certainly be the largest ship in the world. She was designed by Laurent Hubac, a veteran about 60 years old, who already designed and built Royal Duc and the 72-gun Vendôme (1651). Five other three-deckers are under construction, two in in Brest, two in Toulon and one in Tonnay on the Charente river, upstream of the future dockyard of Rochefort currently under construction.

King Louis XIV

¤ Young King Louis was portrayed there at the age of 24, six years ago. On the diplomatic scene, he was still a challenger then. Some fierce will is legible on his traits. This young man had already decided to have an army stronger than the Habsburgs and a navy stronger than the Stuarts. As for the fleet, he had a 72-gun ship, Vendôme, and a few 30s, 40s and 50s around - almost nothing. He is now building large vessels at a frantic pace and his navy is already the third.

¤ The Swedish ruler is young Queen Hedwig Eleonora, King Charles XI's mother, two years older than Louis. She is regent since 1660. She is facing threats all around the Baltic sea.

Here are the Swedish and French three-deckers built within this arms race :

length breadth depth tonnage guns

Svärdet (1662) 132 47½ 19¼ 1700 96

Riksäpplet (1663) 130 42½ 18 1400 84

Saint-Philippe (1663) 129 38½ 19¼ 1450 78

Nickeln (1666) 130 36¾ 18¼ ? 86

Kronan (1668) 140 43½ 20½ ? 126

Royal Louis (1668) 143¾ 47 22¼ 2100 120

Dauphin Royal (1668) 138½ 46 21¼ 2000 100

Royal Duc (1668) 139 44¾ 20¼ 1900 104

Monarque (1668) 135 46 20¼ 1700 84

Soleil Royal (const) 151¼ 47 22¼ 2400 110

(dimensions in English feet for comparison purpose)

Everybody can notice that there is no sameness in ship features. Those ships are all tentative. For some reason, it seems to the Frenchmen and to the Swedes that sea power depends on three-deckers despite ascertained evidence that the Dutch won the last war being fitted with two-deckers. Until now, the level-headed Dutch have besides abstained from building three-deckers. Design of such large ships is a leap into uncharted waters, even for seasoned masters as Gédéon or Sheldon, especially for the French shipwrights who, save Laurent Hubac, have a limited background in shipbuilding. This is a bold venture to follow English tracks. Bold or foolhardy ?  

Upheaval in Sea Power Instruments

The Dutch supplied France with warships under King Louis XIII. Even the ones built in French harbours had a Dutch shipwright until 1646, when Hubac, around 36 years old then, built the 42-gun Dragon. The Dutch still provided the French with a series of six outstanding two-deckers two years ago during the late Anglo-Dutch war. Building ten three-deckers in a single batch over two years is the sign of an early emancipation of French shipbuilders from their masters – almost a denial of their principles at the same time, which is strange enough. This is also a political gesture of challenge, typical of the king of France. It marks a diplomatic change in Europe. It also applies for Sweden, which is, at its own fashion, as brisk as the United Provinces with approximately the same size.

¤ It was said that the shipwrights Charles Morieu and Mathieu Casteau, responsible for the 72-gun two-decker Couronne (1637), an especially great vessel in her days – 120 feet in length, 46 in breadth, 16 in depth – had Dutch shipwrights to help them. It is difficult to check but the ratio of breadth against depth suggests a Dutch influence.

¤ Strange enough, a French style in hull shape has emerged at once in the rush. Liberated from the Dutch help, it seems that the French shipwrights design very large warships on the model they developed for small ones, which did not surface till today. The ships especially come out with deep hulls, at Brest as at Toulon, whoever, Hubac, Pomet or Coulomb, designs them. Simultaneously, the same French shipwrights build flutes for auxiliary services in an obvious Dutch style - slayed flanks and flat bottom.

What is the point of building such warships?

There is of course some obvious matter of prestige. Royal Louis’ motto delivers the programme :

Je Suis l’Unique dessus l’Onde

Et mon Roy l’est dedans le Monde 

Most comments come from courtiers in great awe. They blissfully insist on ship decoration as if it were a national monument – famous Charles Le Brun, 49, has delivered paintings for her, as Anthony van Dyck (†1641) did for the Sovereign of the Seas. .

On his own, Samuel Pepys, 35 years old, already known as a mainstay at the English Admiralty, considers that the large ships did the service against the Dutch. Effectively they paid a heavy toll. They appealed to enemy’s fire. This is a confirmation of their primary importance. It is therefore decided to rebuild three first-rate and four second-rate ships. We may add that the line of battle requires even larger ships to stand heavy battering.

One can understand why Pepys wants to endow flagships with much force so as to :

• Create strongholds in their squadrons;

• Bridge any breach that might occur in the line;

• Smash their vis-à-vis so as to generate chaos in enemy line;

• Break the enemy line as a consequence when possible.

The second and fourth tasks require manoeuvrability and swiftness. Ponderous ships would not be fit for the role. The great vessel is supposed to fulfil the flagship role completely, which implies her to be a good and handy sailer as well as a mighty combatant – an ideal which is still to be met. This is a requirement of the battle in line.

Let us assume that the French and the Swedes are right in following English tracks to mighty three-deckers. There is nevertheless some herding instinct in this mania, and much haste. Britain will have ten large three-deckers soon, France too and Sweden has already four – an amazing venture. All those constructions will have been made without any prudent hindsight.

There is an issue specific to France in this rush. Even an English master shipwright takes some risk in designing a 90- or 100-gun ship. How French shipwrights having only a 40- or 60-gun ship in background can anticipate the design questions raised by an 110-gun vessel ? Anyway they are daring. And it seems to work to some extent. The prototype Saint-Philippe sails well, for instance. But, beyond the question of ships, we do not know how France will arm them, fit out them, crew them, pilot them, command them, and even moor them, anchor them, sustain them – a series of intricate challenges. This navy rising from nought may perhaps be partly bluff, at least for the time being.

¤ The French have sound establishments in Toulon and Marseilles. On the Western seashore, everything is still to be done. There was 2,000 inhabitants at Brest in 1660 before the start of shipbuilding rush. Neither Rochefort nor Lorient even existed then. They have just been founded for the purpose of the construction of a large fleet for the navy and of a flottilla for the East India company. The ports of Dunkirk and of Le Havre, which have been active for long, have not been elected to house major warships ; as they come, they can host up to 1,000-ton vessels, which turn to be of a light third rank by now. It was the same for the ports of Bordeaux and Nantes, partly invaded by silt after the troubles of the Fronde, operated by the Dutch on a reduced scale for the single purpose of wine trade. Everything comes to depend on Brest, the only place for the three-deckers and the large two-deckers on the Atlantic ocean. It is growing fast but remains unique of its sort.

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LINK WITH A PREVIOUS CHRONICLE

1660 - New Sovereign

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IN RETROSPECT FROM TODAY

NOTE A - About the guns.

Contrary to England and Holland, in France in the 1660s there is no gunfounder able of manufacturing series of large guns. There are only a few 24-pounders and a handful of 36-pounders available in 1668. This industry has also to be established to serve the navy. The large three-deckers have to wait the 1670s to be allocated their full armament of big guns, yet by mixing 24- and 36-pounders at their main battery.

NOTE B - About Royal Louis.

She will only sail for trials, twice probably.  Expert Edmund Dummer, 31 years old then, future Surveyor of the Navy  nine years later, can see her in Toulon in 1683 and reports that she seems for him ‘not of good proportion, nor good workmanship’. There is likely no bias in his expert judgement. Sadly, Royal Louis is both a white elephant and a lame duck.

¤ The Surveyor of the Navy supervises shipbuilding. He establishes the specification for a ship to be built by a private constructor and the general features for a ship to be built by a Royal dockyard. This is an expert position.

NOTE C - About Reine (ex-Royal Duc).

She will see some active service during the campaign of 1673 of the Franco-Dutch war as the flagship of Admiral Jean d’Estrées at the two battles of Schooneveldt and at the battle of Texel. She quickly decays afterwards. She is broken up in 1688.

NOTE D - About the battles of 1676 in the Mediterranean sea.

The two giant vessels of the French fleet of Levant will not put to sea during the Franco-Dutch war, where the major naval battles take place though : Stromboli, Augusta & Palermo (1676). The French fight then with medium-size vessels of 50 to 80 guns. How can we explain that ? The giants require large crews and extraordinary outfit, and everybody knows the difficulty for the French of manning and fitting their many vessels.

NOTE E - About the battles of the 1690s in the Channel.

The Soleil Royal and Dauphin Royal will see some active service then, twenty years after their launch. They prove to be good vessels finally. They face Royal Sovereign and Royal Katherine, still on duty on English side. Soleil Royal will be burnt by a fireship at the battle of La Hougue (1693).

NOTE F - About Kronan.  

She is commissioned in 1672 only, with an armament reduced to 110 guns. Her career is short. She capsizes and blows up during the battle of Öland (1676) – which questions her stability under sail as well as her handling.  Svärdet is burnt by a fireship in the same battle. And Riskäpplet grounds after her return to mooring. A hard blow for the Swedish navy, suddenly deprived of three huge warships.

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SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hayet - Description du vaisseau le Royal Louis - Marseilles, 1677 - available on the Internet

Carl Olof Cederlund - The Regal Ships and divine Kingdom in L'Invention du Vaisseau de Ligne 1450-1700 - Nantes, 1997

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CREDIT

Hyeronymus van Dienst - Royal Charles captured by the Dutch - oil on canvas, circa 1667 - © Rijksmuseum

Charles Le Brun - King Louis XIV - oil on canvas, 1662 - © Musée du Louvre.