THE 74-GUN WOODEN SHIP WAS A MAINSTAY of British and French battlefleets in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This “ship of the line” was heavy enough to fight with the most potent of rivals, yet nimble, too. The length of such a ship was determined by the number of guns required for each deck, allowing enough room for crews to man them. The gun deck was about 170 ft (52 m) long. The decks had to be very strong to carry the weight of the guns. The deck planks have been removed on the vessel pictured below, to show just how close together the beams had to be to make
the hull strong enough. Only timber with a perfect grain was used. The upper deck was open at the waist, but afore and abaft were officers’ cabins. The forecastle and quarterdeck carried light guns and acted as platforms for working rigging and for reconnaissance. The ship’s longboats (launches) were carried on booms between the gangways
