“Seventy-four” ship of the line (18th–19th century)

The French began building a number of new battleships in the 1730s. These ships of the line were 170 feet long and were nominally equipped with seventy-four guns. The easily sailed two-decker with heavy armament henceforth formed the backbone of the British, French and Spanish navies. The term “ship of the line” came from the formation in which a squadron sailed and fought: a line in which each vessel followed in the wake of the one ahead. The line of battle was first officially adopted as a tactic in 1653, by the British navy. Each ship fired broadsides at its counterpart in the enemy line, like a duel between gentlemen.

The following information refers to the specific ship represented by the model.

ALEXANDER NEVSKY (1787)

·         Region: Russia (all oceans)

·         Length: 57.50 m

·         Beam: 15.40 m

·         Propulsion: sail

·         Sail area: -

·         Carrying capacity: approx. 1,200 tonnes

·         Speed: approx. 9 knots (~ 17 km/h)