HMS Victory: Total Guide (1/2)

1805 britain is at war with france the french emperor napoleon bonaparte will soon dominate mainland europe but at sea britain's royal navy reigns supreme that year napoleon wins one of his greatest victories against the russians and austrians at austerlitz but six weeks earlier off the coast of spain the british win a battle of much more lasting strategic significance off cape trafalgar the royal navy inflicts a crushing defeat on the combined fleet of france and spain enemy losses are devastating british naval superiority will not be seriously challenged again for the rest of the war britain goes on to play a leading role in napoleon's eventual defeat its greatest contribution its wooden walls the royal navy britain is the world's largest naval power with 136 ships of the line and 110 000 men at sea the navy protects the homeland from invasion it allows britain to project force into europe with raids and expeditionary forces it cuts off enemy trade while protecting britain's own it isolates and seizes overseas colonies including the vastly profitable sugar islands of the west indies it undermines enemy economies while allowing britain to use its own financial strength to sustain its allies in two decades of war with france britain wins a series of naval battles that ensure it can carry out these war-winning strategies effectively among the royal navy's most formidable warships hms victory a first-rate ship of the line the most powerful class of warship afloat 104 guns 820 men a single broadside from victory packs more weight of iron than every gun in wellington's army at waterloo this is epic history tv's guide to a legendary napoleonic warship this video is sponsored by fabulous the number one self-care app that helps you build better habits and achieve your goals some struggles many of us face on a daily basis staying focused dealing with stress getting enough sleep with more of us now working from home or relying on ourselves for inspiration and motivation 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hms victory lies in dry dock in portsmouth on england's south coast a famous visitor attraction and the world's oldest commissioned warship she's a remarkable survivor from a vanished world of sail-powered warships and global struggles between europe's great empires victory was built to boost british naval power at the height of one of these struggles the seven years war construction began at chatham royal dockyard in 1759 she was designed by sir thomas slade the foremost british naval architect of the age [Music] around 6 000 trees went into victory most were british oak though her lower masts were originally new england pine her keel was elm her upper masts and yards more flexible fur and spruce the result launched in 1765 was soon considered a masterpiece a ship bristling with firepower with the speed and handling of a much lighter vessel victory was not completed in time to take part in the seven years war she first saw action 13 years later in the american war of independence leading the capture of a french convoy of ascent when the revolutionary wars broke out against france hms victory was the british flagship at the allied blockade of toulon then in 1797 she was admiral jarvis's flagship at his great victory over the spanish at capes and vincent victory was by then 32 years old far beyond her life expectancy of 18 years worn out she was briefly threatened with being turned into one of britain's notorious prison ships known as hulk's no one would have guessed that her greatest hour still lay ahead of her because at the last minute victory was reprieved and began a major three-year refit that cost more than she did to build she returned to service in 1803 as vice admiral nelson's flagship two years later she would lead the british attack at trafalgar and win her place in naval legend [Music] by the napoleonic wars a first-rate ship of the line was the world's largest and most sophisticated weapon of war and it needed a huge crew to work efficiently in 1805 victory's complement was around 820 every man and boy with his designated role from the admiral of the fleet to the ship's captain naval lieutenants and marine officers midshipmen warrant officers clerks and stewards petty officers and their mates sailors of the able ordinary and landlubber variety royal marines right down to the 31 ship's boys [Music] before we examine hms victory's arrangement and structure a quick reminder of some common nautical terms the right side of the ship starboard the left side of the ship labored which only became port in 1844 to reduce confusion the back of the ship her stern the front her stem towards the stern was aft or a baft towards the stem was forward or four victory's middle gun deck was 186 feet long the top of her main mast was 205 feet above the water line victory's top speed was 10 knots or 11.5 miles per hour fast for a ship her size in 1780 she received the latest british naval innovation copper sheathing for her hull this protected her timbers from shipworm barnacles and weeds keeping her solid and streamlined victory like all ships of the line was ship rigged meaning she had three masts a foremast main mast and mizen mast and a bow sprit each mast was made up of sections the lower mast secured deep in the ship's hold rose up through the decks to the fighting top which served as a platform for sharp shooters in battle above it the top mast then the cross trees which secured the top gallant mast pronounced tagalant the cross trees was the lookouts position there being no cruise nests in the navy each mast supported several yards to which the sails were fastened or bent victories rigging 26 miles of rope and 786 pulleys in all came in two types standing rigging gave structural support to the masts four stays and backstays kept them braced for and aft [Music] the shrouds secured the masts laterally and their rope steps called rattlins were how you climbed the masts experienced seamen reached the tops by climbing the fattak shrouds on a rolling sea this could mean climbing out over the ocean upside down so novices were advised to use the lubbers hole [Music] the other type of rigging was running rigging used to operate the ship's yards and sails and included halyards bow lines and clue lines victory had 37 sails with which to harness the power of the wind her only real form of propulsion they had a total area of 6500 square yards about the size of a football pitch though not all sales could be set together nor did more sale necessarily mean more speed [Music] her large square sales included the four course four top sail pronounced topsail and four top gallant sail pronounced fortagansel on the main mast the main course main topsail and maine to council the mizon mast carried a four and aft rigged sail known as a spanker or driver as well as mizen topsail and mizentagansel while the bose bridge could carry a variety of four and aft rigged sails most commonly a jib and flying jib another eleven four and a half drinked sails known as stacilles could also be set victory's upper deck or weather deck was actually several decks the foxel waste quarter deck and poop deck the folk soul is a shortened form of forecastle a term dating back to the middle ages when warships carried raised fighting platforms at both ends the folks all housed the belfry containing the all-important ship's bell rung regularly day and night to mark the change of watch it also housed two 12-pounder guns all guns in this period were described by the weight of shot they fired so 12 pounders fired a solid iron ball known as round shot that weighed 12 pounds about the same as a bowling ball the folk saul also mounted two 68-pounder caronades the caronade was another british innovation a short large caliber gun fearsome at close quarters but lacking a cannon's range or accuracy the beak deck gave access to the bow sprit and the head six outdoor toilets for several hundred seamen and marines were emptied straight into the sea below the waist is where four of victory's six boats were stowed all large ships carried several boats they were essential for ferrying men and supplies from ship to ship and shipped ashore for towing or turning the ship in adverse winds and for launching amphibious attacks [Music] the quarter deck was hms victory's command center and housed a total of 12 12-pounder guns from here the ship was steered using the ship's wheel this was the responsibility of one of the ship's eight quartermasters assisted by his mates the ship's wheel was connected by rope to the tiller three decks below which was in turn connected to the rudder the pinnacle just four of the wheel contained the ship's magnetic compasses and a lantern by which to see them cabins for the captain's secretary and the ship's master were located either side of the ship's wheel each shared their small room with a 12 pounder gun the stern area of the quarter deck comprised the captain's cabins a dining room sleeping cabin and at the very stern of the ship his day cabin all sharing space with four 12 pounders the captain also had a private toilet known as the quarter gallery [Music] above the captain's cabins the poop deck which provided good visibility and access to the mizzenmast it also housed the signal locker containing the colored flags used to communicate with other ships and shore the royal navy's signals code had been recently revised by admiral howe his system involved 14 flags which could be arranged in various combinations to convey 340 messages for emphasis a gun might be fired at night signaling was by pre-agreed combinations of gunfire colored lanterns and rockets a napoleonic ship of the line was in essence a giant floating gun battery designed to pulverize enemy warships and shore installations [Music] victory's three largest decks were all about her guns as indicated by their name the upper middle and lower gun deck the upper gun deck housed 30 12 pounder guns 15 on each side forward in the round houses was the head for junior officers rank bringing slightly more privacy and comfort the sick bay was located in the forehead area of the upper gun deck as it got more fresh air and sunlight than the lower decks it was screened off from the rest of the deck by canvas partitions the surgeon's assistants nicknamed boys for the soup they fed to patients also slept here in their hammocks hms victory was a first-rate ship of the line defined as one that carried 100 guns or more they were the most powerful vessels afloat and so admirals often chose them as their flagships the command vessels for a fleet or squadron several renowned british admirals took victory as their flagship at various times including earl howe and allison vincent the most famous of course was vicar nelson an admiral required his own suitably grand quarters located in the stern section of the upper gun deck [Music] these comprised an anti-room and a dining room which also served as a meeting room in the sleeping cabin the admiral usually slept in a suspended cot but nelson preferred a campaign bed like this one easier to get in and out of with only one arm at the very stern lay the admiral's day cabin which served as his office and private space [Music] the admiral would spend much of his day here submerged in the meetings paperwork and administration required in the running of a fleet admirals cabins like all cabins on the gun decks and quarter deck were formed by removable wooden panels this meant when a ship cleared for action before battle the cabins could be rapidly dismantled and carried with furniture and personal items down into the hold [Music] the purpose of this was to allow the gun crews to work their guns without obstruction the middle gun deck housed 28 24-pounder guns heavier guns were lower in the ship for greater stability the ship's galley a kitchen and giant iron stove was where the ship's cook and his mates prepared meals for the crew the stern section was known as the wardroom where commissioned officers dined and slept at night around 300 sailors and marines slept on this deck their hammocks strung up between the guns the deck below was the lower gun deck this housed the victory's heaviest guns her 30 32 pounders and at night more than half the crew around 460 men slept here this plan of hms bedford a contemporary third-rate ship of the line shows how crowded it could be below decks this far down in the ship gun ports were usually kept shut because they were close to the water line with little fresh air and so many men living down here the smells of the lower gun deck could be notoriously challenging the stern area separated by canvas screens was known as the gun room this was where warrant officers dined with screened off sleeping quarters for the master gunner chaplain and two junior lieutenants they shared the gun room with the ship's tiller a large wooden beam connecting the ship's rudder to the ship's wheel via a series of ropes and pulleys the tiller is not currently in situ but the strip of canvas marks its position the beam would swing through the room when the ship turned so anyone dining in the gun room was wise to mind their head below the lower gun deck was the all up deck a warren of small cabins and stores beneath the water line lit only by lanterns the forward section contains store rooms and cabins for the boson and carpenter the more open area by the main mast was known as the cockpit for and aft the midshipmen birthed and messed here but in battle it became the surgeon's operating theater at the battle of trafalgar after vice admiral nelson was shot on the quarter deck by a french sharpshooter he was carried down to the orlov victory's surgeon was unable to save him and this is where he died off the aft cockpit lay a series of cramped compartments including personal store rooms for the captain and first lieutenant the steward's room for issuing rations brought up from the hold the surgeon's cabin and his dispensary and various other cabins and store rooms [Music] forward and aft hanging magazines held ready-made cartridges for the guns sent up from the main magazine the all op deck was surrounded by a passage known as the carpenter's walk which gave the carpenter and his mates easy access to the ship's hull to plug any leaks at the very bottom of the ship lay the hold around 50 000 cubic feet holding provisions for up to six months at sea it was lined with 257 tons of iron ballast to keep the ship stable this was covered by 200 tons of shingle additional ballast which provided a stable bed for the ship's 150 gallon water casks these alone weighed roughly 300 tons at the start of a voyage other barrels contained 50 tons of salt beef 50 tons of salt pork and 45 tons of ship's biscuit various storerooms below contained items such as flower spirits tar and paint the shot locker contained 100 tons of iron shot last but not least the most vulnerable part of the ship the grand magazine holding up to 35 tons of gunpowder in 784 barrels a fire here would cause an explosion that obliterated the ship and anyone aboard or if water got in the gunpowder would be useless in battle therefore elaborate precautions were taken to keep the magazine safe including fire doors fire retardant plaster walls copper sheathing to avoid sparks and keep out moisture and rats the forward section of the magazine was the filling room here loose gunpowder was scooped from this powder bin into cloth bags to make cartridges for the guns lanterns were kept safely behind glass in an adjacent light room until required ready cartridges were stored in racks on either side of the filling room in an age before steam or electrical power all the ship's heavy lifting had to be done by manpower mechanical assistance came from two capstans the main capstan and jeer capstan these were effectively giant winches which extended vertically through the middle and lower gun decks to turn them bars were inserted into the capstone head with up to 10 men pushing each bar using both decks this meant 260 men were working the capstone for the heaviest jobs such as raising the main anchor or hoisting a gun the work was often accompanied by a fiddler a shanty and the stamp of feet victory carried seven anchors in total the heaviest the best power anchor weighed four tons and was rigged at the starboard bow the small bower anchor on the larbit side was only slightly smaller sheet cage and stream anchors served as spares and for keeping the ship stationary in small harbors or rough weather [Music] all wooden ships leak at sea even before hulls are split by cannon balls or hidden reefs victory had four crank operated chain pumps which could pump water out of the ship at approximately 1300 gallons per minute about 300 jerrycans worth she also had two elm pumps for pumping seawater into the ship for washing and putting out fires [Music] in the late 18th century hms victory and ships like her were the most sophisticated and advanced machines in the world massive floating batteries that could remain at sea for six months or more and traverse the globe in the revolutionary and napoleonic wars they battled for naval supremacy most dramatically in giant fleet actions it was a contest that britain won decisively the consequences for napoleon were disastrous but for all victories qualities it was not ship design that gave britain the edge in the war at sea it was the men who sailed her british commanders and crews were experienced capable and aggressive in the next video we'll see how they sailed and fought a ship like victory and how they lived aboard her our deep thanks to the national museum of the royal navy and hms victory for their help in making this series victory is now embarking on an exciting new phase of her long and dramatic history a major 10-year conservation project to ensure her survival far into the future the work is guided by the latest scientific and historical research and will involve removing and replacing rotting timber and other structural repairs and the great news is that the ship remains fully open to visitors throughout visit during the project and you'll even get to see conservation work up close with expert shipwrights on hand to explain what's happening for more information and bookings please visit historic dockyard dot co dot uk thank you to all our patreon members for supporting epic history tv and making videos like this possible if you'd like to support our work get exclusive updates and ad free early access to new videos please visit our patreon page [Music] you

Channel: Epic History

Views: 3,252,154

Keywords: epic history tv, history, epic history, navy, naval, nelson, hms victory, trafalgar, napoleon, napoleonic, military, warships, sailing, cannon, sea battle

Id: 61SYvhojGvg

Length: 27min 54sec (1674 seconds)

Published: Fri Aug 26 2022