Page:The history of yachting.djvu/449

 Rh where the first one was cast. In 1782 the Rainbow captured the French frigate Hebe; and James remarks that this prize "did prove a most valuable acquisition to the service, there being very few British frigates even of the present day (1847) which, in size and exterior form, are not copied from the Hebe." She measured 1063 tons, and mounted 40 guns; twenty-eight 18- and twelve 10-pounders. Between the year 1756 and 1788 were built the 98-gun-ships Barfleur, Duke, Prince George, St. George, Queen, Princess Royal, and between the years 1794 and 1798 the Dreadnought, Neptune, Prince of Wales, and Temeraire, of the same class.

The name Victory has existed almost constantly in the British Navy since the year 1570. The most renowned vessel bearing it was the flagship of Lord Nelson at Trafalgar, in 1805, built at Chatham, and designed by Sir Thomas Slade, in the year 1765. Her length of gun-deck was 186 feet; breadth, 51 feet 6 inches; depth of hold, 21 feet 6 inches; tonnage, 2164 tons; 104 guns; made up of 32-, 18-, 13-, and 12-pounders. In 1714 the Royal Navy consisted of 147 ships and vessels measuring 197,219 tons, manned by 40,000 seamen. In 1760 there were 412 ships and vessels measuring 321,104 tons; and in 1783, 617 ships and vessels measuring 500,781 tons.

During the wars (1793-1800) with France, Spain, and Holland, Great Britain destroyed or captured from the enemy, 86 ships of the line, 209 frigates, 275 sloops and smaller vessels,—total, 570; and lost 5 ships of the line, 13 frigates, 41 sloops and