Royal Navy keywords Flashcards
blockade
tactic of blocking ships from leaving port
broadsides
once the ship lines up adjacent to the enemy ship, all guns on one side of the ship are fired
cat-o’ Nine Tails
a whip which had 9 knots
used to punish sailors for disobedience
Comptroller of the Navy
Chief of the Navy Board
in charge of building and maintaining the Navy
coppering
copper plating if the hull of a ship to prevent salt water degrading the wood
helps ships last longer (HMS Victory)
forecastle
raised deck at the front of a ship
frigates
small fast moving ships in the Navy (were more manoeuvrable)
was less armed than a Ship of the Line
grapeshot
small cluster round shots packed into a canvas and fired from a cannon
delivered a powerful spread of fire which dealt damage to enemy ships
gunlock
mechanism of how a gun explodes
speeds up the firing process of a gun
impressment
method of press gangs
landsmen
men with no experience at sea
lanyard
short piece of rope
marines
soldiers of the Royal Navy
merchant men
trading ship sailors
Ordnance Board
board responsible for arms + munitions
prize money
money given to French sailors who captured British sailors
scurvy
disease caused by a lack of Vitamin C
common at sea
slowmatch
slow burning rope used to fire a gun
senior service
what the Royal Navy were reffered to as because they were the oldest service in the British Armed Forces
Ships of the Line
naval warship designed for ‘line of battle’ naval tactics
closed blockade
main fleet sails near to the enemy port
open blockade
main fleet remains in home port
frigates patrol near enemy port and inform main fleet when enemy fleet moves
