Navy reforms Flashcards
What year was HMS Victory given a full refit by the Navy?
1799
What was the name of the naval reformer in the 1830s?
➢ Sir James Graham
Can you name the first 2 steam paddle boats launched by the Royal Navy?
➢ HMS Medea & HMS Galdiator
What was significant about the HMS
Warrior and when was it launched?
➢ First Royal Navy “Ironclad” battleship – launched 1860
What was significant about HMS Agamemnon?
First Navy Battle ship to be steam powered.
What was the name of the navy ship set up as a gunnery school by Graham in 1830s?
HMS Excellent
What was significant about HMS Devastation and when was it launched?
Launched 1871, had no masts on deck – entirely steam powered.
How did the increased range of artillery affect the design of ships?
Guns were mounted on turrets on deck rather than in rows below deck, ended broadside attacks
What was the 2 power standard and when was it formally adopted by Britain as foreign policy?
Policy to maintain a navy equal in size to the next 2 largest navies. Formally adopted in 1889.
What was the name of the warship launched in 1906 which significantly outclassed all prior warships and led to a naval race with Germany?
HMS Dreadnought
What was a Royal Navy “ironclad” ship?
Ship with a wooden hull but covered in iron sheets
How many 12 inch guns did HMS dreadnought have on deck, and how far could it fire shells?
10 guns, range of 18000 yards.
How many battleships did Britain have by 1817?
13, most had been decommissioned following the end of the Napoleonic wars.
What was the name of the navy ship set up as a gunnery school by Graham in 1830s?
HMS Excellent
How many years were officers required to have experience before becoming captains after the 1832 Graham reforms?
2 years
How did Graham reorganise the victualising board and the dockyards at Portsmouth and Plymouth?
Transferred control from civilian authorities to the navy.
What was the name of the reforms from the 1780s which required carronades to be fitted onto British Battleships, gun lock firing mechanisms and coppered the fleet?
Middleton reforms
Graham Reforms
1832
First set of changes since Trafalgar
Built new battleships by refitting existing ships
Created Gunnery school HMS Excellent
Starts change from sail to steam
Changes to victualising board - control from civilian authorities to navy
Fisher Reforms
1906-1914
Modernised the navy beyond recognition - made workers on ships train in all roles before choosing a specific job in order to create respect.
Created Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve so that Britain had a large reserve to call upon for the war
Designed new battle cruisers - had a hand in designing the Dreadnoughts and the battle cruisers
Really wanted submarines but was rejected
Put all ships on the atlantic and the channel with German threat in mind
Scraps two power standard
Sells ships to raise money to improve other ones as limited budget
Sail to steam
Deeply conservative sea lords that were suspicious of steam power
Graham oversaw the steam ships
Industrial revolution enables the development of steam power
People hesitant to change as HMS Victory won Trafalgar with sail power
1852 - HMS Agamemnon first steam powered battle ship but still has sails
1871 - HMS Devastation completely steam powered with no sails
Parsons turbine - more power out than what you put in, not that heavy - ship can move faster and leaves room for more weapons and men.
Combat becomes much quicker because battleships are more manoeuvrable
Wood to Iron
When sail to steam developed, due to physics (wooden hulls could only carry their equal weight) wood to iron advances were needed. Guns were also increasing in weight and new high explosive shells could destroy wooden ships.
1860 - HMS Warrior first fully iron clad ship.
Dreadnoughts are made of steel
Changes in weaponry is the biggest reason for wood to iron as ships needed to be stronger to hold in battle.
