Social science 

UK shipbuilding industry. British shipyards under threat Naval tactics

If as a child you read nautical adventure novels, dreamed of sailboats and Captain Nemo's submarine, or dreamed of the glory of famous naval commanders, you should definitely visit the shipyard in Chatham, just 30 miles from London.

For more than 400 years it was the most important center of military shipbuilding in the country. Between 1579 and 1984, more than 400 military vessels left its slipways. Today it is the best preserved shipyard from the age of sail in the world and an absolutely fantastic museum.

The first building you enter, because the museum's ticket office is located here, is a former mast-making workshop built in the mid-18th century. This is where they were kept. The length of some of them reached 27 meters. The material for future masts came from a nearby mast pond, where the mighty spruce trunks were soaked for several years before being used.

When you enter the museum square, the first thing you will probably notice is the beautiful sloop with the flying name “Cormorant” ( HMS Gannet). It was launched in 1878 in Shirnes, located 16 kilometers downstream of the Medway River. This is a ship of the transitional period: it has a wooden keel with a metal frame, and it could sail not only under sail, but also using a steam engine if necessary.

"Actions, not words." HMS Gannet (1878) © Anastasia Sakharova

Next to the graceful 19th-century sailing ship in dry dock number 3, the submarine Ocelot, one of 57 submarines launched at Chatham between 1908 and 1966, soars like a strange bird and surveys the surrounding area through its periscope.

Submarine "Ocelot" (1962) © Anastasia Sakharova

During times cold war she served in the waters of the Arctic, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Baltic seas, and now serves as entertainment for non-claustrophobic tourists. A 30-minute tour of her womb leaves an absolutely indelible impression.

Submarine "Ocelot" © Anastasia Sakharova

I was horrified to learn that there were no showers on board, even a sink was found in only one of the latrines! It is not surprising that submariners wore trousers, turning them weekly, first on one side, then on the other, and checked the cleanliness of their socks by throwing them against the wall - if they stuck, it’s time to wash them, if not, you can continue to wear them. The last captain of the submarine, in order to earn a larger pension, once went sailing for a whole year. I guess the socks and pants didn't make it back to the port. By the way, only with him on board instead of one of the latrines was a fire extinguisher installed. And this despite the fact that smoking was allowed!

A destroyer proudly rises next to the Ocelot HMS Cavalier, launched in 1944. In 1759-65, the famous ship Victoria was built in the dock he now occupied, on which Admiral Nelson won the victory in 1805. Battle of Trafalgar. Did you know that in English the wardroom is denoted by the same word as disorder, confusion, confusion - mess. I wonder why?

There are more than a hundred buildings and structures on the territory of the Chatham Shipyard, but one of them is a real masterpiece of architecture, under the arches of which I literally “stole my breath from my throat” with admiration.

It's just a covered slipway, but how beautiful it is! And under its amazing wooden arches, a collection of a wide variety of equipment is displayed - from drilling machines and tractors to pontoons and rescue boats.

Another completely unforgettable experience is a tour of the rope factory. Its building was at one time considered the longest brick building in Europe. The fact is that, according to the regulations of the maritime department, the length of the anchor rope had to be 300 meters; When twisting, inevitable “shrinkage” occurs, so the length of the rope workshop is 46 meters longer. Just imagine: the total length of the rigging of Nelson's Victoria was 50 kilometers!

Until 1836 the process was entirely manual. More than 200 workers were required to create a 20-inch rope. First, the hemp was ruffled on a kind of comb, then they were spun into threads; To prevent rotting, these threads were then resinized.

Afterwards, these threads were twisted in threes into the so-called. strands or strands, which in turn formed cables, and from several twisted cables ropes were obtained. At the second stage, i.e. when twisting a strand, a thread of a certain color was woven into it - each shipyard had its own. In the event of an emergency, the shipowner always knew who to blame for the losses.

By the way, during an absolutely wonderful tour of this rope-twisting factory that continues to this day, I was lucky enough to take part in the creation of several meters of a man-made hemp miracle. And get a piece as a souvenir.

I must admit, we spent the whole day in Chatham, and managed to explore, at best, half of its treasures. However, we will be happy to return, especially since the entrance tickets are valid for the whole year.

Many years have passed since the colonial era, when “the impregnable walls of Britain were the wooden sides of its ships,” but the close connection of this island state with the sea is not interrupted. Hundreds of articles have been written about the English yachting industry, its shipyards and exhibitions, including in our magazine, so in this short review we will touch only on the latest trends.

Text Anton Cherkasov, Motor Boat & Yachting UK, International Boating Industry

N Several years ago, the development curve of the British yacht market reached a plateau and has not yet tended to rise. Due to the strengthening of the euro, expensive brokerage boats moved to the other side of the English Channel, to continental Europe, and many yachtsmen began to switch to smaller yachts and put their vessels up for sale at a deliberately low price to get rid of the costs of maintaining them. And in general, the number of those who are willing to spend a lot of money on yachts has noticeably decreased in the country. This hit manufacturers: some shipyards went bankrupt, others were bought over, and others suspended work until better times.

Meanwhile, the surviving players have learned a useful lesson from the current situation and have emphasized semi-custom offerings: now almost any British motor yacht can at least be furnished to suit your taste without large additional costs. Hard times forced manufacturers to change their approach: if earlier the shipyard, when creating boats, relied primarily on its own vision of what people need, now the time has come to listen sensitively to the wishes of these same people. Even small shipyards meet customers halfway and offer different colors of gelcoat and finishing materials, without requiring additional money for this.

The pause in orders has forced many companies to reconsider manufacturing process and improve labor efficiency. The renewal of the machine tool fleet and investments in new models were facilitated by record low interest rates on loans. Today, the position of the "big three" - Princess, Sunseeker and Fairline - looks quite strong, since these well-known brands enjoy global popularity and receive the main profit from sales of large models abroad.

Following its successful entry into the superyacht sector, Princess Yachts continues to make significant investments in a targeted manner
in the M-Class, in parallel with yachts of 30–40 meters in length, producing 19 models from 39 to 98 feet. The company, owned by French group LVMH and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, was ranked 107th among the 250 most successful UK private companies in its cluster. Princess Yachts is actively exploring foreign markets and last summer entered into a partnership with Pacific Leisure Boat Ltd to further increase sales in China and other Asian countries. Although Princess already has a fairly high percentage of returning customers (up to 70%), the shipyard consistently continues to build close relationships with customers, ensuring that they have access to high-quality service anywhere in the world.

Low loan rates allowed producers to take time out

Fairline is doing much better compared to 2013, which was full of radical changes: in 2015, the shipyard hopes to regain its previous position in the motor yacht market and show a profit. Last year, private equity firm Better Capital bought a minority stake from RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) and became Fairline's sole owner. This allowed it to convert £48.8m of shipyard loans into fixed income shares worth a total of £6.4m. By the end of the year, Fairline was able to sell off the stock it was tying up and was concentrating on creating eight new models to be launched. within three years. Currently, the shipyard's order book is booked six months in advance for yachts up to 50 feet in length and nine months in advance for larger ones.
cruisers.

Small boat manufacturers like Williams Performance Tenders are also doing well. The young family company recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and has no problems with orders. For record short term she managed to ensure that people associate the word “tender” with Williams water-jet RIBs, and large shipyards initially design garages for motor and sailing yachts for models of this brand. This is partly due to the fact that Williams offers customization of even the smallest boats, which includes choosing the appropriate color scheme, installing underwater lighting and audio systems.

Superyacht ecosystem

Superyacht UK estimates that total turnover in the sector for 2013–14 was amounted to £492 million, showing an increase of 7.1% compared to the previous period. Almost half of the companies reported an increase in income, a third expanded their staff; as a result, employment grew by 4.1%, reaching 3,700 employees.

This is a definite success, but it is not entirely correct to believe that English shipyards are filled with superyachts under construction, and order books are filled out years in advance. Of course, Princess, Sunseeker and, for example, Pendennis produce large yachts, but the demand for them is not as high as for the “Dutch”, which, along with the “Italians” and “Turks”, are leaders in this area. England ranks sixth in the world by volume of the superyacht segment, with new boat construction accounting for only 20% of the business, with the rest coming from service, equipment manufacturing and related services. The situation is unlikely to change in the near future - the cost of entry into the manufacturing sector is extremely high and is accompanied by serious risks, and few wealthy people order expensive boats from unknown young brands. You need to spend money in such matters carefully, so the client’s choice almost always falls on existing companies with a rich history and solid reputation.

However, British designers and constructors are highly respected: their ideas, designs and knowledge are widely used at a global level, and it is perhaps difficult to find a superyacht built without the participation of “islanders”. A strong talent pool in itself provides Britain with a high chance of growth in the superyacht segment and, together with a developed ecosystem and the ability to sell boats, can one day tip the balance in favor of the British.

By the way, large English yachts have always been very popular in Russia, and British shipyards knew about this. However, according to Sunseeker Yachts founder Robert Brightwhite, the introduction of economic sanctions against a number of Russian companies, officials and businessmen has had a negative impact on the UK yachting industry.

Sailing sector

According to BMF (British Marine Federation) statistics, of the 2.8 million British people who are interested in yachting, 329,000 people travel on sailing yachts middle length; another 106,000 are involved in yachting, and this does not include those who go on dinghies (388,000 people!). Profits from the sale of new sailing yachts in England account for just 3.4% of total industry profits (less than £100 million), and the shipyards employ just over a thousand people. Interestingly, British sailboat builders largely focus on expensive luxury yachts and are targeting customers who have outgrown the mass-produced European models and are looking for boats to match their villas and cars. In addition, some shipyards also began to build motor yachts in order to retain customers - fans of the brand, whose age suggests more comfortable walks on a flat deck.

There are about 1,300 sailing coaches in England

Wooden sailboats are very popular in England, and the number of people and companies refitting, restoring and building classic yachts is constantly growing. It is noteworthy that now wood is coming back into fashion not only as a finishing material, but also as a structural material. Modern machines make it possible to produce clinker cladding and set elements with great precision, and high-quality resins and paints increase practical properties wooden buildings, which now do not require complex maintenance.

One of Britain's most famous sailing yards, Oyster, has almost completed a three-year reorganization after being acquired by Dutch HTP Investments in 2012. The three-phase process included relocating the headquarters and expanding production capacity at two factories that build sailboats ranging from 47 to 115 feet in length. Thanks to the entry of investors from the Netherlands into the game, Oyster got rid of debts, updated its lineup and secured orders for the near future.

Equipment and related products

The UK yachting equipment market has begun to pick up pace in the past year, mainly due to increased exports to the US. European OEMs are gradually returning to the islands, although their British suppliers and smaller companies still feel some instability.

To maintain this position, a number of companies have begun to move into non-yachting areas, but almost all market participants unanimously recognize that the key to future success lies in the development of new products. Businesses are well aware that as soon as they reduce research and marketing activity, following pessimistic sentiments, brand awareness will fall and by the time sales begin to grow, competitors will inevitably take the lead. The result is clear: more than a quarter of the awards at the last Design Award METS, which is held as part of Europe's largest marine equipment exhibition, went to companies from the United Kingdom. Among the DAME winners were the companies Exposure Marine (an automatic flashlight for searching for a person overboard) and Seabung (a device for replacing kingstons on the water), and the young brand Bluefin LED, which entered the market just a year ago and produces sets of “smart” underwater hull lighting, received the Product of the Year award from the British Marine Electrical and Electronics Association (BMEEA).

Equipment manufacturers plan to grow by 15–30% this year

In general, equipment manufacturers are weathering the global economic turmoil a little better than shipyards, as people continue to invest money in refits and upgrades while refusing to purchase new yachts. Many UK companies' internal forecasts for 2015 are for growth of 15–30%, driven by new, unique and high-quality products.

Yachting vocational schools

Many British politicians in their election campaigns generously promise to increase the number of jobs for young people and insist on the need to develop vocational education for school leavers. In this regard, the English yachting industry has something to be proud of: in 2014, 218 people began training at BMF. The government has welcomed this contribution and industry is working directly with the Department for Education to optimize standards educational programs lasting up to four years. Their main purpose is to give students the opportunity to get a job: more than 90% of young masters get jobs, while among university graduates this is only 70%.

There are many opportunities to undergo vocational training in the field of shipbuilding in England - more than 15 colleges across the country offer their programs to teenagers who have completed school. Students spend only one day a week in classes, while the rest of the time they practice at shipyards such as Princess, Broom, Williams, Pendennis, Berthon and the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). According to statistics, 62% of BMF member companies annually hire at least one young specialist, while the national average is only 20%.

It is also important that colleges pay during the training period: the minimum hourly rate is £2.73, by the fourth year it reaches £8.50. As they progress through their careers, the annual income of a third-level worker is £77,000 higher than that of young people who do not continue their education after school. Of course, by English standards this is not a lot of money, but it is better to earn it while studying than to take out a loan of £27,000 to pay for university.

The stereotype of perception, according to which the apprentice only does dirty work for his mentor, is hopelessly outdated. In the 21st century, almost everything necessary for the design, construction and operation of a ship can be learned in those very “vocational schools” that are treated with such contempt by many in our country. Young carpenters learn to work with teak at Cockwells, fiberglass specialists practice at Princess, and the most active employer is perhaps Berthon. This Leamington shipyard, recently featured in state program Business is Great, manufactures and restores a variety of vessels - from classic wooden sailing ships to RNLI lifeboats. Now there are 28 students employed there, including electricians, mechanics, painters, and engineers. All of them will get a job with a 90% probability, and every second Berthon manager also began his professional career as a worker.

More than a quarter of the DAME 2014 awards went to companies from England

“Over the last 10 to 15 years, our industry has lost ground on attracting young people,” says Keith Longman, apprentices manager at Berthon. 

“We had to literally beg other companies to reintroduce training programs, and now they see their benefits. In any case, the skills acquired over four years of study are irreplaceable. You simply won’t find college graduates with the same practical experience.”

British companies that managed to survive the 2008 crisis and adjusted their strategy in time began to work more efficiently and feel confident. While the Kingdom's yachting industry is showing signs of stability, remaining at the same level, business is warily awaiting the results of the parliamentary elections in early May. It is because of them that at the end of 2014, buyers of large yachts became a little more active: possible changes in domestic policy may promise an increase in taxes for the wealthy part of society. One way or another, half of the market players remain optimistic and are betting on development. And every second one is already strength!

From which the ship was made, it’s time to move on to the issues and difficulties of ship construction itself at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 19th century. By this time, the shipyards had become a major industrial center in Great Britain, exerting a significant influence on the country's economy. Let's figure out how ships were built for Royal Navy and how many pounds unscrupulous contractors could save on nails for Royal Navy.

Shipbuilding in the metropolis and colonies

At the beginning of the 17th century, there were six royal shipyards in England. The oldest of these was founded in Plymouth in 1496. In the 1510s, shipyards appeared in Woolwich and Deptford, and a little later a shipyard was founded in Erif ( Erith) near Greenwich. However, by the mid-1600s these shipyards were little used. The fact is that they were constantly silting, that is, they were filled with silt and sand. In addition, by the time the Anglo-Dutch wars began - and this is the middle of the 17th century - the size of ships had increased significantly, and now the existing shipyards were too small and had insufficient depth.

New shipyards were built at Chatham, Harridge and Sheerness. In the 17th century they became the largest shipbuilding facilities in the country. In 1690, a large shipyard was created in Plymouth, and then shipyards began to open in the colonies: in 1675, the Jamaica shipyard was founded, in 1704 - the Gibraltar shipyard, in 1725 - the shipyard in Antigua, and in 1759 - in Halifax (Canada). After the American Revolutionary War and the loss of the North American colonies, the largest British shipbuilding site in the New World was the Bermuda Shipyard, founded in 1783. Ships of frigate class and below were created here. Finally, in 1804, a shipyard opened in Bombay, India.

In addition, at the end of the era that interests us, in 1815, the first shipyard was created in Pembroke, that is, a factory that produced spare parts for the fleet and ammunition for crews.

Shipyards have experienced large-scale reconstruction more than once. By the end of the 18th century, they all had dry docks for the construction and repair of ships, a huge number of warehouse buildings and production facilities. For example, Chatham Dockyard in 1770 occupied a total area of ​​384,000 m², had four large covered dry docks and four launches into the outer roadstead. The shipyard staff included 49 officials, 624 shipwrights and 991 workers, and its boathouses allowed the construction of up to four battleships at the same time.

The Deptford shipyard occupied a slightly smaller area - 300,000 m² - and was used mainly for the construction of rank IV ships and frigates. It had three closed docks and three launchings, that is, three ships could be built on it at the same time.

The Bermuda shipyard initially specialized in light ships: sloops, cutters, schooners and brigs. For example, the Pickle cutter, which took part in the Battle of Trafalgar, was built in Bermuda. However, after the outbreak of war with the United States in 1812, the shipyard in Bermuda was significantly expanded and could already launch frigates, as well as repair battleships.

We can rightfully say that

"British royal dockyards, together with warehouses and hospitals, formed what is arguably the largest industrial center in the pre-industrial era, and its influence on the British economy was proportional to the number of shipyards and their size".

Work organization

The activities of all shipyards were supervised by commission agents from the Supply Department ( Victualling Board) Royal Navy. They oversaw the process of building ships, as well as the supply of supplies and materials to the shipyard.

At the top of the organizational pyramid of a particular shipyard there was a commission agent ( resident commissioner). He controlled the entire operation of the enterprise, the supply of materials, the release of raw materials for the construction of ships, monitored food and supplies, and ensured the availability of workers and means of production.

Next came the chief official of the shipyard ( principal officer of the yard). A characteristic twist of parliamentary-militaristic policy: the chief official did practically the same thing as the commission agent. But if the latter was accountable to the Admiralty, then the main official was responsible for his work to the Maritime Council.

Apparently, this was not enough, because there was also a third level of power - the position of port admiral ( port admiral). At the shipyard, he was in charge of all military and police forces, and also supervised the work of the first two officials - in other words, he controlled them from the military. The port admiral issued military orders to shipyards on behalf of the Admiralty, he also checked the quality of execution of these orders and signed the acceptance certificate for the new ship.

  • shipmaster ( Master-Shipwright), responsible for shipbuilding and ship repair;
  • service master ( Master Attendant), responsible for the launching of ships, the workload of the docks, the movement of ships and boats in and near the shipyard;
  • storekeeper ( Storekeeper), who received, stored and issued Construction Materials;
  • "check" clerk ( Clerk of the Check) - from the name it is clear that he resolved all payment issues;
  • and finally, the clerk-inspector ( Clerk of the Survey), overseeing the accounting of materials and their movement from delivery to production.

Below on the hierarchical ladder there were craftsmen specializing in certain works: master caulker ( Master- Caulker), rope master ( Master- Ropeworker), corps master ( Master- Boatbuilder), mast master ( Master- Mastmaker) etc.

From order to launch

The process of building a warship looked like this. The Admiralty sent an order to the Supply Department for the construction of a particular vessel, indicating its parameters. The commissioner determined the shipyard where construction would be carried out. After this, it was time to develop the future ship. For this purpose, a replica of it was created, reduced several times - say, 1:100. From this replica, the ship's master made drawings, one copy of which was transferred to the Admiralty, and the second - to the hull master. Latest based theoretical drawing he drew out the details of the body on thick parchment in life-size and passed these patterns on to the workers.

The workers' task was to plan or hew out the required part of the hull (beams, keelson, etc.) strictly according to the pattern and give the workpiece to the assemblers, who assembled the parts of the ship into a single whole. After assembling the main body kit, it had to be left for some time: the wood needed to settle and dry out. Workers then covered the ship with planks and boards inside and out.

At the beginning of the 18th century, parts of the hull were connected mainly by wooden dowels (dowels), which tended to swell in water and thereby strengthened the joints. However, by the end of the century, shipbuilders were already using nails on a large scale.

Ships ready for launch at Blackwall Dockyard

The fully assembled hull of the ship was launched into the water. After this mast work, the craftsmen installed masts on it, the ropemakers and sailmakers equipped the ship with spars and rigging, the finishers laid the decks and decorated the hull with sculptures and wood carvings, and the dyers painted the hull. Next, the ship was equipped with weapons and supplies and, finally, with the help of boats it was towed to the naval parking lot. The entire process of building a ship at the beginning of the 18th century took 2-3 years, and by early XIX century was reduced to one and a half to two years.

Particular attention was paid to protecting the underwater part of the ship from rotting, since this directly affected the service life of the vessel. Before copper plating of the underwater part of the hull came into use, the navy had the following methods of protecting the underwater and surface parts of a ship.

First, the underwater part of the vessel was usually coated with a mixture of resin, linseed oil and turpentine to prevent rotting of the hull and to prevent fouling. However, shellfish and other marine life actually drilled through this layer to get to the tree.

There was a second method: the bottom was covered with a mixture of fish or whale oil, sulfur and turpentine. Toxic sulfur slowed down the penetration of plankton into the wood. Due to exposure to sulfur, the wood of the bottom acquired a whitish tint. And finally, the third method: the underwater part of the ship was treated with a hot mixture of resin and tar, sometimes with the addition of sulfur.


East India Company Dockyard at Deptford

The parts of the ship located above the water were treated with a mixture of turpentine, oil, tar and ocher. Turpentine was used as a solvent for wax and resin, and ocher or tar acted as dyes. Until 1749, shipyards mainly used red ocher, but the very next year shipbuilders switched to yellow, as it was cheaper. In 1788, ocher was replaced by red lead, causing the previously yellow soundboards to become white.

IN White color Most often, the bases of decks and yards were also painted. For this, lead white or a mixture of lead acetate, linseed oil and berite was used. Such surface coatings prevented the hull and spar elements from cracking and rotting due to changes in temperature conditions.

In addition, the ship always had reserves of the so-called “ship's ointment” - a mixture of sulfur, lard, white lead or red lead, vegetable and fish oil and other ingredients. White ointment was considered the best ointment. It was needed to process the cleaned bottom after careening. Note that in the 18th century in Russia, copper sulfate was included in the composition for treating the bottom. Thanks to him, after 1736, the underwater part of Russian battleships was green-blue, sky blue or sea green - depending on the concentration of copper sulfate in the mixture.

Since the 1770s, plating with copper sheets came into widespread use to protect the underwater part of a ship's hull ( Copper sheathing). The first copper-clad ship was the frigate Alarm, which during testing showed a record speed of 13 knots (24 km/h). It turned out that due to oxidation when interacting with water, copper not only protects the hull well, but also makes its underwater part smoother - accordingly, the speed of the ship increases.

The use of iron nails to secure the copper sheathing was problematic at first. Iron and copper in salt water formed a galvanic couple - a kind of “battery”, the electrochemical reaction in which led to rapid rusting and destruction of nails. Because of this, ships simply lost copper plates while moving. This problem was solved only in 1768, when brass nails came into use. The steering wheel mount was also made of copper. Of course, copper plating greatly increased the cost of building ships, but the Admiralty valued the benefits of its introduction much higher.

Human factor

It should not be surprising that the “three-headed” power system existing at the shipyards provoked not only scandals and showdowns between officials, but also corruption. Corruption flourished in the Admiralty, but in the shipyards it was no less - and perhaps even greater. Just look at the “copper nails” case that flared up in 1788.

It all started with the fact that the battleship Royal George began to lose its copper plating right in the roadstead. When they began to figure out what was going on, it turned out that the caulking masters, in agreement with the port admiral, reduced the standard length of the nail by no less than seven times. In fact, parts of the ship were fastened not with nails or bolts throughout the entire thickness of the hull, but with peculiar brass buttons that barely fit into the outer plating. Naturally, with any load on the body, the copper sheets simply began to fall off.

Another 13 ships of the squadron were urgently examined. On four of them the commission found the same thing.


London Embankment near the Tower

A standard brass nail was 59% copper, another 40% zinc, plus small amounts of tin and lead. It was 76.2 mm in length and 18-25 mm in diameter. If 1.5 tons of nails were used on a standard 74-gun ship, then 4 tons of brass were stolen for a total of £336 (based on a purchase price of £84 per ton of brass). The amount was not exorbitant, but such actions endangered the ships and crews Royal Navy, so the culprits suffered severe punishment.

There are enough examples of corruption in shipyards, but they fought against it using both force and administrative measures. The fleet is the strategic force of the state - this is precisely what the Lords of the Admiralty proceeded from when making decisions on corruption cases in the Supply Department.

Literature:

Coad , Jonathan. The Royal Dockyards, 1690-1850. - Scolar Pr; 1st (scarce) edition, 1989.

The 17th century was a rich period in the history of shipbuilding. Ships have become faster, more maneuverable, and more stable. Engineers learned to design the best examples of sailing ships. The development of artillery made it possible to equip battleships with reliable, accurate guns. The need for military action determined progress in shipbuilding.

The most powerful ship at the beginning of the century

The beginning of the 17th century marks the dawn of the era of battleships. The first three-decker was the British HMS Prince Royal, which left the Woolwich shipyard in 1610. The British shipbuilders took the prototype from the Danish flagship, and subsequently rebuilt and improved it several times.

Four masts were installed on the ship, two each for straight and lateen sails. The three-deck, originally 55-gun, ship in its final version in 1641 became 70-gun, then changed its name to Resolution, returned the name, and in 1663 already had 93 guns in its equipment.

  • Displacement about 1200 tons;
  • Length (keel) 115 feet;
  • Beam (midship) 43 feet;
  • Interior depth 18 feet;
  • 3 full artillery decks.

As a result of battles with the Dutch, the ship was captured by the enemy in 1666, and when they tried to recapture it, it was burned and scuttled.

The most powerful ship at the end of the century

The French Soleil Royal was built by shipbuilders at the Brest shipyard 3 times. The first 1669 three-masted with 104 guns, created as an equal opponent to the British "Royal Sovereign", died in 1692. And in the same year, a new battleship was already built, armed with 112 guns and had:

  • Guns 28 x 36-pounders, 30 x 18-pounders (on the middeck), 28 x 12-pounders (on the forward deck);
  • Displacement 2200 tons;
  • Length 55 meters (keel);
  • Width 15 m (midship frame);
  • Draft (interior) 7 m;
  • A team of 830 people.

The third was built after the death of the previous one, as a worthy heir to the glorious traditions associated with this name.

New types of ships of the 17th century

The evolution of past centuries has shifted the emphasis of shipbuilding from the need to simply move safely across the seas, from the merchant ships of the Venetians, Hanseatics, Flemings and, traditionally, the Portuguese and Spaniards to overcome significant distances, to asserting the importance of dominance at sea and, as a result, defending their interests through military means actions.

Initially, merchant ships began to be militarized to counteract pirates, and by the 17th century, a class of only warships was finally formed, and a separation of the merchant and military fleets took place.

The shipbuilders and, of course, the Dutch provinces succeeded in building the navy. The galleon, the basis of the power of the squadrons of Spain and England, originated from the Portuguese shipbuilders.

17th century galleon

Shipbuilders in Portugal and Spain, who played a significant role until recently, continued to improve traditional ship designs.

In Portugal at the beginning of the century, 2 types of ships appeared with new hull proportions in the ratio of length to width - 4 to 1. These are a 3-masted pinnace (similar to a flute) and a military galleon.

On galleons, guns began to be installed above and below the main deck, highlighting battery decks in the design of the ship, port-cells for guns were opened on board only for combat, and were battened down to avoid flooding with waves of water, which, given the solid mass of the ship, would inevitably flood it; warheads were hidden in holds below the waterline. The displacement of the largest Spanish galleons of the early 17th century was about 1000 tons.

The Dutch galleon had three or four masts, up to 120 feet long, up to 30 feet wide, 12 feet low. draft and up to 30 guns. For ships with such a proportion of long hulls, speed was added by the number and area of ​​sails, and additionally by foils and underlisels. This made it possible to cut the wave steeper into the wind compared to rounded hulls.

Linear multi-deck sailing ships formed the backbone of the squadrons of Holland, Britain, and Spain. Three- and four-deck ships were the flagships of squadrons and determined military superiority and advantage in battle.

And if battleships constituted the main combat power, then frigates began to be built as the fastest ships, equipped with a small number of guns of one closed firing battery. To increase speed, the sail area was increased and the curb weight was reduced.

The English ship Sovereign of the Seas became the first classic example of a battleship. Built in 1637, armed with 100 guns.

Another classic example was the British frigate - reconnaissance and escort of merchant ships.

Actually, these 2 types of ships became an innovative line in shipbuilding and gradually replaced the European galleons, galliots, flutes, and pinnaces, which were obsolete by the middle of the century, from shipyards.

New technologies of the navy

The Dutch for a long time maintained the dual purpose of the ship during construction; shipbuilding for trade was their priority. Therefore, regarding warships, they were clearly inferior to England. In the middle of the century, the Netherlands built the 53-gun ship Brederode, similar to the Sovereign of the Seas, its flagship of the fleet. Design parameters:

  • Displacement 1520 tons;
  • Proportions (132 x 32) ft.;
  • Draft - 13 ft.;
  • Two artillery decks.

Flute “Schwarzer Rabe”

At the end of the 16th century, the Netherlands began to build flutes. Due to the new design, the Dutch flute had excellent seaworthiness and had:

  • Shallow draft;
  • Fast sailing rig that allowed steep sailing to the wind;
  • High speed;
  • Large capacity;
  • A new design with a length-to-width ratio starting from four-to-one;
  • Was cost effective;
  • And the crew is about 60 people.

That is, in fact, a military transport ship to transport cargo, and on the high seas to repel an enemy attack, and to quickly break away.

Flutes were built at the beginning of the 17th century:

  • About 40 meters long;
  • About 6 or 7 m wide;
  • Draft 3÷4 m;
  • Load capacity 350÷400 tons;
  • And a weaponry of 10÷20 guns.

For a century, flutes dominated all seas and played a significant role in wars. They were the first to use a steering wheel.

From the sailing running equipment, topmasts appeared on them, the yards were shortened, the length of the mast became longer than the ship, and the sails became narrower, more convenient to control, and small in size. Sails of the main, foresails, topsails, topsails on the main and foremasts. On the bowsprit there is a rectangular blind sail, a bomb blind. The mizzen mast has a slanting sail and a straight cruising sail. A smaller upper crew was required to operate the sailing rig.

17th century warship designs

The gradual modernization of artillery pieces began to allow their successful use on board a ship. The important characteristics in the new battle tactics were:

  • Convenient, quick reloading during the battle;
  • Conducting continuous fire with intervals for reloading;
  • Conducting targeted fire over long distances;
  • An increase in the number of crew, which made it possible to fire during boarding conditions.

Since the 16th century, the tactics of dividing combat missions within a squadron continued to develop: some of the ships retreated to the flanks to conduct long-range artillery fire on a concentration of large enemy ships, and the light vanguard rushed to board the damaged ships.

British naval forces used these tactics during the Anglo-Spanish War.

The wake column during the review in 1849

Ships are classified according to the purpose of their use. Rowing galleys are being replaced by sailing cannon ships, and the main emphasis is transferred from boarding to destructive gunfire.

The use of heavy large-caliber weapons was difficult. Increased number of artillery crews, significant weight of the gun and charges, destructive recoil force for the ship, which is why it was impossible to fire salvos simultaneously. The emphasis was on 32...42-pound guns with a barrel diameter of no more than 17 cm. For this reason, several medium guns were preferable to a pair of large ones.

The most difficult thing is the accuracy of the shot in conditions of pitching and recoil inertia from neighboring guns. Therefore, the artillery crew needed a clear sequence of salvos with minimal intervals, and the training of the entire crew of the team.

Strength and maneuverability have become very important: it is necessary to keep the enemy strictly on board, not allow them to go to the rear, and be able to quickly turn the ship around on the other side in case of serious damage. The length of the ship's keel was no more than 80 meters, and in order to accommodate more guns, they began to build upper decks; a battery of guns was placed on each deck along the side.

The coherence and skill of the ship's crew were determined by the speed of maneuvers. The highest manifestation of skill was considered to be the speed with which a ship, having fired a salvo from one side, managed to turn its narrow bow into the oncoming salvo of the enemy, and then, turning on the opposite side, fired a new salvo. Such maneuvers made it possible to receive less damage and inflict significant and rapid damage to the enemy.

Worth mentioning are the numerous military rowing vessels used throughout the 17th century. The proportions were approximately 40 by 5 meters. Displacement about 200 tons, draft 1.5 meters. A mast and lateen sail were installed on the galleys. For a typical galley with a crew of 200 people, 140 oarsmen were placed in groups of three on 25 banks on each side, each with his own oar. The oar bulwarks were protected from bullets and crossbows. Guns were installed at the stern and bow. The purpose of the galley attack is boarding combat. Cannons and throwing weapons began to attack, and when they approached, boarding began. It is clear that such attacks were designed for heavily loaded merchant ships.

The most powerful army at sea in the 17th century

If at the beginning of the century the fleet of the winner of the Great Spanish Armada was considered the strongest, then later the combat effectiveness of the British fleet fell catastrophically. And failures in battles with the Spaniards and the shameful capture of 27 English ships by Moroccan pirates finally diminished the prestige of British power.

At this time, the Dutch fleet takes a leading position. This is the only reason why its rapidly growing neighbor encouraged Britain to build up its fleet in a new way. By the middle of the century, the flotilla consisted of up to 40 warships, six of which were 100-gun. And after the Revolution, combat power at sea increased until the Restoration. After a period of calm, towards the end of the century Britain was again asserting its power at sea.

From the beginning of the 17th century, flotillas European countries began to be equipped with battleships, the number of which determined their combat strength. The first 3-deck linear ship is considered to be the 55-gun ship HMS Prince Royal of 1610. The next 3-deck HMS “Sovereign of the Seas” acquired the parameters of the production prototype:

  • Proportions 127 x 46 feet;
  • Draft - 20 feet;
  • Displacement 1520 tons;
  • Total number 126 guns on 3 artillery decks.

Placement of guns: 30 on the lower deck, 30 on the middle deck, 26 with a smaller caliber on the upper deck, 14 under the forecastle, 12 under the poop. In addition, the superstructures have many embrasures for the guns of the remaining crew on board.

After three wars between England and Holland, they united in an alliance against France. By 1697, the Anglo-Dutch alliance was able to destroy 1,300 French naval units. And at the beginning of the next century, led by Britain, the alliance achieved an advantage. And blackmail naval force England, which became Great Britain, began to determine the outcome of the battles.

Naval tactics

Previous naval wars were characterized by disorderly tactics, there were skirmishes between ship captains, and there were no schemes or unified command.

Since 1618, the British Admiralty introduced ranking of its warships

  • Ships Royal, 40...55 guns.
  • Great Royals, about 40 guns.
  • Middle Ships. 30...40 guns.
  • Small Ships, including frigates, less than 30 guns.

The British developed linear combat tactics. According to its rules were followed

  1. Peer-to-peer formation in wake columns;
  2. Building an equal-strength and equal-speed column without breaks;
  3. Unified command.

What should ensure success in battle.

The tactics of equal-rank formation excluded the presence of weak links in the column; the flagships led the vanguard, the center, the command and brought up the rear. A unified command was subordinate to the admiral, and a clear system for transmitting commands and signals between ships appeared.

Naval battles and wars

Battle of Dover 1659

The first battle of the fleets a month before the start of the 1st Anglo-Dutch War, which formally gave it its beginning. Tromp with a squadron of 40 ships set off to escort and protect Dutch transport ships from English corsairs. Being in English waters close to a squadron of 12 ships under command. Admiral Burn, the Dutch flagships did not want to salute the English flag. When Blake approached with a squadron of 15 ships, the British attacked the Dutch. Tromp covered a caravan of merchant ships, did not dare to get involved in a long battle, and lost the battlefield.

Battle of Plymouth 1652

Took place in the First Anglo-Dutch War. de Ruyter took command of the Zeeland squadron of 31 troops. ship and 6 fire ships in defense of the trade caravan convoy. He was opposed by 38 soldiers. ships and 5 fire ships of the British forces.

When the Dutch met, they divided the squadron; some of the English ships began to pursue them, breaking the formation and losing the advantage in firepower. The Dutch, using their favorite tactic of shooting at masts and rigging, disabled some of the enemy ships. As a result, the British had to retreat and go to the ports for repairs, and the caravan safely left for Calais.

Battles of Newport 1652 and 1653

If in the battle of 1652 Ruyter and de Witt, having united 2 squadrons of 64 ships into a single one - the vanguard of Ruyter and the center of de Witt - the squadron, gave an equal battle to Black's 68 ships. Then in 1653, the squadron of Tromp, who had 98 ships and 6 fire ships against the 100 ships and 5 fire ships of the English admirals Monk and Dean, was significantly destroyed when trying to attack the main forces of the British. Ruyter, rushing into the wind as a vanguard, attacked the English. the vanguard of Admiral Lauzon, he was energetically supported by Tromp; but Admiral Dean managed to come to the rescue. And then the wind subsided, an artillery exchange began until darkness, when the Dutch, having discovered a lack of shells, were forced to quickly leave for their ports. The battle showed the superiority of the equipment and weapons of the English ships.

Battle of Portland 1653

Battle of the First Anglo-Dutch War. Convoy under command. Admiral M. Tromp of 80 ships was accompanied in the English Channel by a returning caravan of 250 merchant ships loaded with colonial goods. Having met with a fleet of 70 British ships under command. Admiral R. Blake, Tromp was forced into battle.

For two days of fighting, changing winds did not allow groups of ships to line up; The Dutch, pinned down by the defense of transport ships, suffered losses. And yet, at night, the Dutch were able to break through and leave, ultimately losing 9 military and 40 merchant ships, and the British 4 ships.

Battle of Texel 1673

Victory of de Ruyter with admirals Bankert and Tromp over the Anglo-French fleet at Texel in the third Anglo-Dutch war. This period was marked by the occupation of the Netherlands by French troops. The goal was to recapture the trade caravan. 92 ships and 30 fire ships of the Allies were opposed by a Dutch fleet of 75 ships and 30 fire ships.

Ruyter's vanguard managed to separate the French vanguard from the British squadron. The maneuver was a success and, due to the disunity of the allies, the French chose to keep the flotilla, and the Dutch managed to crush the British center in a brutal battle that lasted many hours. And as a result, having ousted the French, Bankert came to reinforce the Dutch center. The British were never able to land troops and suffered heavy losses in manpower.

These wars of advanced naval powers determined the importance of tactics, formations and firepower in the development navy and the art of warfare. Based on the experience of these wars, classes of division into ranks of ships were developed, the optimal configuration of a linear sailing ship and the number of weapons were tested. The tactics of combat between enemy ships was transformed into a combat formation of a wake column with coordinated artillery fire, quick formation and unified command. Boarding combat was becoming a thing of the past, and strength at sea influenced success on land.

17th century Spanish fleet

Spain continued to form its armadas with large galleons, the unsinkability and strength of which were proven by the results of the battles of the Invincible Armada with the British. The artillery the British had was unable to inflict damage on the Spaniards.

Therefore, Spanish shipbuilders continued to build galleons with an average displacement of 500 ÷ 1000 tons and a draft of 9 feet, creating an ocean-going ship - stable and reliable. Such ships were equipped with three or four masts and about 30 guns.

In the first third of the century, 18 galleons with up to 66 guns were launched. The number of large ships exceeded 60 against 20 large royal ships of England and 52 of France.

The features of durable, heavy ships are their high resistance to staying in the ocean and combating water elements. Installing straight sails in two tiers did not provide maneuverability and ease of control. At the same time, the lack of maneuverability was compensated by excellent survivability during storms in terms of strength parameters, and the versatility of galleons. They were used simultaneously for trade and military operations, which were often combined during an unexpected meeting with the enemy in the vast waters of the ocean.

The extraordinary capacity made it possible to equip ships with a decent number of weapons and take on board a large crew trained for combat. This made it possible to successfully carry out boarding - the main naval tactics of battles and capture of ships in the arsenal of the Spaniards.

17th century French fleet

In France, the first battleship "Crown" was launched in 1636. Then the rivalry with England and Holland at sea began.

Ship characteristics of a three-masted two-deck "" 1st rank:

  • Displacement more than 2100 tons;
  • Length on the upper deck is 54 meters, along the waterline 50 m, along the keel 39 m;
  • Width 14 m;
  • 3 masts;
  • Mainmast 60 meters high;
  • Sides up to 10 m high;
  • The sail area is about 1000 m²;
  • 600 sailors;
  • 3 decks;
  • 72 different-caliber guns (14x 36-pounders);
  • Oak body.

The construction required about 2 thousand dried trunks. The shape of the barrel was matched to the shape of the ship part by matching the bends of the fibers and the part, which gave special strength.

The ship is famous for eclipsing the Sovereign of the Seas, the British masterpiece Sovereign of the Seas (1634), and is now considered the most luxurious and beautiful ship of the sailing era.

Fleet of the United Netherlands Provinces of the 17th century

In the 17th century, the Netherlands fought endless wars with neighboring countries for independence. The maritime confrontation between the Netherlands and Britain had the character of internecine rivalry between neighbors. On the one hand, they were in a hurry to control the seas and oceans with the help of the fleet, on the other, to oust Spain and Portugal, while successfully carrying out robbery attacks on their ships, and on the third, they wanted to dominate as the two most militant rivals. At the same time, dependence on corporations - the owners of the ships, which financed shipbuilding, overshadowed the importance of victories in naval battles, which stopped the growth of the Dutch maritime industry.

The formation of the power of the Dutch fleet was facilitated by the liberation struggle with Spain, the weakening of its strength, and numerous victories of Dutch ships over the Spaniards during the Thirty Years' War by its end in 1648.

The Dutch fleet was the largest, numbering 20 thousand merchant ships, and a huge number of shipyards operated. Actually, this century was the Golden Age of the Netherlands. The Netherlands' struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire led to the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648). After finishing liberation war Seventeen provinces under the rule of the Spanish monarchy, there were three Anglo-Gol wars, a successful invasion of England, and wars with France.

3 Anglo-Dutch wars at sea tried to determine a dominant position at sea. By the beginning of the first, the Dutch fleet had 75 warships along with frigates. The available warships of the United Provinces were scattered around the world. In case of war, warships could be chartered, or simply hired from other European states. The designs of the “pinnace” and “Flemish carrack” were easily upgraded from a merchant vessel to a military vessel in case of war. However, apart from Brederode and Grote Vergulde Fortuijn, the Dutch could not boast of their own warships. They won battles through courage and skill.

By the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1665, van Wassenaar's squadron was able to assemble 107 ships, 9 frigates and 27 lower ships. Of these, 92 are armed with more than 30 guns. The number of crews is 21 thousand sailors, 4800 guns.

England could oppose 88 ships, 12 frigates and 24 inferior ships. A total of 4,500 guns, 22 thousand sailors.

In the most disastrous battle in the history of Holland, the Battle of Lowestoft, the Flemish flagship, the 76-gun Eendragt, was blown up along with van Wassenaar.

17th century British fleet

In the middle of the century, there were no more than 5 thousand merchant ships in Britain. But the navy was significant. By 1651, the Royal Navy squadron already had 21 battleships and 29 frigates, with 2 battleships and 50 frigates being completed on the way. If we add the number of free-hire and chartered ships, the fleet could reach up to 200 ships. The total number of guns and caliber were unrivaled.

Construction was carried out at the royal shipyards of Britain - Woolwich, Davenport, Chatham, Portsmouth, Deptford. A significant part of the ships came from private shipyards in Bristol, Liverpool, etc. Over the course of the century, growth gradually increased with the predominance of the regular fleet over the chartered one.

In England, the most powerful battleships were called Manovar, as the largest, with the number of guns exceeding a hundred.

To increase the multi-purpose composition of the British fleet in the middle of the century, more combat ships of smaller types were created: corvettes, bombards.

During the construction of frigates, the number of guns on two decks increased to 60.

In the first Battle of Dover with the Netherlands, the British fleet had:

60-push. James, 56-push. Andrew, 62-push. Triumph, 56-push. Andrew, 62-push. Triumph, 52-push. Victory, 52-push. Speaker, five 36-guns, including President, three 44-guns, including Garland, 52-guns. Fairfax and others.

What the Dutch fleet could counter:

54-push. Brederode, 35-push. Grote Vergulde Fortuijn, nine 34-guns, the rest of lower ranks.

Therefore, the reluctance of the Netherlands to engage in open water combat according to the rules of linear tactics becomes obvious.

Russian fleet of the 17th century

As such, the Russian fleet did not exist before Peter I, due to the lack of access to the seas. The very first Russian warship was the two-deck, three-masted "Eagle" built in 1669 on the Oka River. But it was built at the Voronezh shipyards in 1695 - 1696 from 23 rowing galleys, 2 sailing-rowing frigates and more than 1000 ships, barques, and plows.

Ship "Eagle" 1667

The parameters of the 36-gun frigates “Apostle Peter” and “Apostle Paul” are similar:

  • Length 34 meters;
  • Width 7.6 m;
  • 15 pairs of oars to ensure maneuverability;
  • Flat-bottomed body;
  • The anti-boarding sides are curved inward at the top.

Russian masters and Peter himself in 1697 The frigate Peter and Paul was built in Holland.

The first ship to sail into the Black Sea was the Fortress. From the shipyard at the mouth of the Don in 1699:

  • Length - 38 meters;
  • Width - 7.5 m;
  • Crew - 106 sailors;
  • 46 guns.

In 1700, the first Russian battleship “God's Predestination”, intended for the Azov flotilla, left the Voronezh shipyard, and it was rebuilt by Russian craftsmen and engineers. This three-masted ship, equal to IV rank, had:

  • Length 36 meters;
  • Width 9 m;
  • 58 guns (26x 16-pounder guns, 24x 8-pounder guns, 8x 3-pounder guns);
  • A team of 250 sailors.

Shipbuilding is one of the oldest industries in Great Britain and occupies an important place in the military-economic plans of the country's militaristic circles.

A significant role is given, first of all, to the continuous development of shipbuilding, which contributes to the further strengthening of the navy - the main instrument of the reactionary policy of the British imperialists. Command armed forces Great Britain, using the country's powerful shipbuilding base, constantly introduces modern ships armed with the latest weapons systems into its fleet.

According to foreign experts, the British economy is almost entirely dependent on imports various types strategic raw materials and, to a large extent, from the export of finished products to other countries. The overwhelming majority of all transportation, including military transportation, is carried out by sea. Therefore, much attention is also paid to the construction of ships for the merchant fleet.

The modern English shipbuilding industry is an integral part of the country's military-industrial potential. Its production base developed mainly during the Second World War, when it was in second place among capitalist states in terms of the volume of merchant shipbuilding and military shipbuilding.

In the late 40s - early 50s, this branch of English industry occupied a leading position in world shipbuilding, but later its share was constantly declining. Thus, over the decade, the UK’s share in the total tonnage of ships built annually in the world decreased from 10.9% in 1965 to 3.6% in 1974, although the volume of their construction in the country was approximately at the same level (1.2 -1.3 million gross-reg. tons per year).

Over the past five years, in terms of the volume of merchant shipbuilding, the UK was inferior to Japan and Sweden, and in some years to Spain. The number and tonnage of ships built in English shipyards in 1970-1974 are shown in the table.

According to foreign experts, one of the reasons for the weakening of Great Britain’s position in global shipbuilding was the lack of sufficient capital investments to ensure an increase in the level of technology and organization of production at enterprises in the industry. As a result, the country was unable to provide strong competition to other countries in terms of the cost of building ships and the timing of orders.

In the context of intense competition in the world market, inflation and the rapid rise in the cost of shipbuilding materials, the government, concerned about the declining role of the English shipbuilding industry, created a special committee in the mid-60s, which was entrusted with the task of studying the situation in the industry and developing measures to improve it competitiveness. Since 1966, based on the recommendations of this committee, measures have been taken to reorganize the shipbuilding industry. They provide for the merger of private shipbuilding and ship repair companies into large associations, the liquidation of unprofitable enterprises, the provision of financial assistance to firms from the government, an increase in government investment, and the specialization of shipyards in the construction of ships of certain types and classes. The process of restructuring the industry continues to this day. The implementation of these measures led to the concentration of production capacity, an increase in the importance of the public sector in the industry, and a change in the role of individual shipyards and firms in military shipbuilding and merchant shipbuilding.

In 1974, over 70 firms were engaged in the construction and repair of warships and merchant ships in the UK. However, foreign experts include 11 large companies and associations among the leading ones: Vickers Shipbuilding Group, Vosper Thorneycroft, Yarrow Shipbuilders, Cammell Laird Shipbuilders, Scott Lithgau Group, Soane Hunter Shipbuilders, Harland & Wolfe ", "Court Shipbuilders", "Govan Shipbuilders", "Austin & Pigersgill Group", "Robb Caledon Shipbuilders". The enterprises of these companies account for up to 90-95% of all shipbuilding and ship repair work. These enterprises employ about 70 thousand people.

According to foreign press reports, 46.7% of the shares of Harland & Wolfe, 50% of Cammell Laird Shipbuilders and 100% of Govan Shipbuilders belong to the state. The nationalization of the entire UK shipbuilding industry in 1976 is currently being discussed.

In the 60s, up to 10-11 large shipyards took part in the construction of warships, and in the 70s their number was reduced to six. In particular, the construction of ships at the shipyards of the British Admiralty ceased. Some private shipyards, previously engaged in military shipbuilding, were repurposed to build merchant ships.

In 1974, the government decided to concentrate shipbuilding at shipyards in Barrow-in-Furness (Vickers Shipbuilding Group), Southampton (Vosper Thornycroft) and Glasgow (Yarrow Shipbuilders). At the same time, the shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness will become the leading enterprise in English military shipbuilding. The construction of nuclear submarines and large surface ships is concentrated on it. Other shipyards currently building ships for the British Navy are expected to be exempt from fulfilling orders from the British Ministry of Defense.

Even before this decision was made, significant reconstruction work was carried out at these three shipyards to increase production capabilities for the construction and repair of warships. From 1967 to 1971, total capital investments for these purposes amounted to 4.47 million pounds sterling, which were directed towards the construction of covered slipways (slipways), the purchase of the latest production equipment (including special equipment for the construction of nuclear submarines), and the expansion of technical capabilities for the completion of ships afloat, the creation of metalworking shops and steel warehouses that meet the requirements modern technology shipbuilding.

In terms of the volume of military shipbuilding, Great Britain ranks second after the United States among capitalist countries. English shipyards can build ships of all classes, including attack aircraft carriers and nuclear missile submarines. During the period from 1971 to 1975, 12 warships were built for the country's Navy, with a total displacement of more than 35 thousand tons, including four nuclear torpedo submarines, two guided missile destroyers and six frigates. According to foreign press reports, by the end of 1975, British enterprises had orders for the construction of four nuclear torpedo submarines, an anti-submarine cruiser, seven guided missile frigates, as well as patrol boats and auxiliary vessels for various purposes. In 1975/76 financial year(begins April 1) £386 million has been allocated for naval re-equipment. A significant part of this amount is intended for the construction of these ships.

As British experts note, until recently, the cost of building a nuclear missile submarine (type) at our own shipyards amounted to 37.5 - 40.2 million pounds sterling, a nuclear torpedo submarine (type) - 35 million, a guided missile destroyer (type "Sheffield") - 23 million, frigate ("Amazon" type) - 16.8 million pounds sterling. The cost of building an anti-submarine cruiser (planned to be introduced into the fleet in 1978) is expected to be 65 million pounds sterling.

Due to financial and economic difficulties great importance for Great Britain acquires the construction of ships for export. Thus, according to orders from the Navy of various states, diesel submarines, guided missile destroyers, patrol boats, and auxiliary vessels are being built at its shipyards. In terms of the volume of export orders for the construction of ships, the country occupies one of the leading places in the capitalist world.

The military sector of the modern English shipbuilding industry includes:

  • British Admiralty naval shipyards;
  • three private shipbuilding firms, which concentrate the country's military shipbuilding;
  • other large private shipyards that build ships or have extensive experience in building them;
  • small private shipyards where mainly military boats for various purposes are built.
The British Admiralty owns four naval shipyards in the cities of Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Rosyth. During the Second World War, first three shipyards built cruisers and submarines, and in post-war period- frigates and diesel submarines.

The Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth facilities currently repair, modernize, refit and maintain the nation's Navy ships and support vessels. They have at their disposal a variety of ship-lifting facilities (37 dry and five floating Docks, as well as other equipment), which allow them to carry out dock repairs of ships of all classes.

The Rosyth shipyard carries out major repairs and recharges of the nuclear reactor cores of the British fleet's nuclear missile submarines. In addition, the Admiralty operates three dry repair docks at Gibraltar Naval Base.

Vickers Shipbuilding Group is a branch of one of the UK's largest monopoly associations, whose activities are largely related to the development and production of modern weapons systems. In 1972, this association ranked 74th among English monopolies in terms of capital turnover.

The company's shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness is a leading British naval shipbuilding enterprise, specializing primarily in the construction of nuclear submarines and large surface ships. It also has a test pool in St Albans (Hertfordshire).

In the 70s, a significant reconstruction of this enterprise was carried out. Currently, it has five slipways ranging from 130 to 327 m in length. Production equipment allows the construction of ships of all classes and merchant ships with a carrying capacity of up to 150 thousand tons. The number of employees is over 8 thousand people. There is a design bureau at the shipyard.

According to the foreign press, at the end of 1975, four nuclear torpedo submarines (Superb, Sceptre, Spartak and Severn), the anti-submarine cruiser Invincible, and the guided missile destroyer Cardiff were being built in Barrow-in-Furness "for its own fleet, as well as for export - four diesel submarines (one for the Brazilian Navy, three for the Israeli Navy) and a guided missile destroyer (for the Argentine Navy). Submarines of the type (with a surface displacement of 2000 tons) are being built for Brazil, and for Israel - submarines of Project 206 (420 tons), developed by the Vickers company together with the West German company IKL. From 1963 to 1975, the shipyard built two nuclear-powered missile submarines and seven nuclear-powered torpedo submarines for the British Navy and two diesel submarines for the Brazilian Navy.

"Vosper Thornycroft" belongs to the large English company David Brown Corporation, which in terms of capital turnover in 1972 was one of the 150 largest English monopolies. The company is engaged in the design and construction of guided missile destroyers, frigates, mine-sweeping ships, military boats, as well as the repair and modernization of merchant ships and warships, the production of various ship equipment, including pitch stabilizers and steering devices.

The company's shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, which employ over 5 thousand people, are located in Southampton and Portsmouth. Southampton is home to the company's largest shipyard (Walston Yard) and a powerful ship repair complex. In the 70s, it was reconstructed: three covered slipways were built, two of them 137 m long and one 45 m long. Now it has four slipways. As evidenced by foreign press, in 1974-1975 it built two Amazon-class frigates for the British Navy. At the end of 1975, the frigate Active for the British Navy and four guided missile destroyers of the Niteroi type for the Brazilian Navy were under construction (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Construction of Niteroi-class destroyers at the Vosper Thorneycroft shipyard in Southampton

The ship repair complex includes three dry repair docks and two slips with a lifting capacity of up to 1,500 tons. The dry dock, accommodating ships up to 350 m in length, is the largest repair dock in the country.

The construction of small displacement ships (mine sweeping ships, patrol boats and hovercraft) is concentrated in Portsmouth. Production equipment includes stocks up to 60 m long and slips with a lifting capacity of up to 400 tons. In 1974, the country's first minesweeper with a plastic hull was built here. According to foreign press reports, Vosper Thornycroft is currently negotiating the construction of a series of mine-sweeping ships of a new design with a hull made of reinforced plastic.

Jarrow Shipbuilders, part of the independent private company Yarrow, owns a large shipyard in Glasgow. It is mainly engaged in military shipbuilding and the manufacture of ship boilers. The company carries out large military orders for the British Navy and other countries. Production capacities allow the construction of ships and vessels up to 160 m in length. The number of employees is about 5 thousand people.

According to the plans of the British military leadership, the shipyard in Glasgow is planned to be used mainly for the construction of destroyers and frigates. According to the British press, in 1974 it completed the construction of two frigates for the Navy, and in 1975 - two auxiliary ships for the Embassade frigate for the national Navy. At the end of 1975, it had orders for the construction of six frigates for the English fleet, including four types"Amazon" and two types of "Broadsword". In 1975, negotiations were underway with Ecuador for a contract (worth £50 million) for the construction of two frigates of the class and with Greece for the construction of two Amazon-class frigates (worth £60 million).

"Cammell Laird Shipbuilders"(the number of employees is about 6 thousand people) belongs to the Laird Group association. The company owns one of the country's largest shipyards in Birkenhead, where large surface ships, nuclear submarines and merchant ships with a carrying capacity of up to 125 thousand tons can be built. The shipyard is currently being reconstructed, during which the stocks and hull shop are being refurbished, and a production line is being created for assembly of ship structures, the latest production equipment is installed (including machines with program controlled) and more powerful crane equipment.

In the post-war period, the shipyard played an important role in military shipbuilding. In particular, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal (1955), two nuclear-powered missile submarines and one nuclear-powered torpedo submarine were built on it. At the end of 1975, two Sheffield-class guided missile destroyers (Birmingham, Coventry) were under construction. This shipyard becomes the leading enterprise in the industry in question for the construction of tankers.

Scott Lithgau Group unites several shipbuilding and ship repair companies with enterprises in the area of ​​Greenock, Glasgow, Port Glasgow, as well as a ship engine plant in Greenock.

The Scott Shipbuilding shipyard in Greenock is engaged in military shipbuilding. It has seven slipways up to 213 m long. Ships with a carrying capacity of up to 50 thousand tons, surface ships and diesel submarines can be built on it. The shipyard carries out orders for the construction of Oberon-class submarines for the navies of foreign countries. In particular, in 1974, the construction of two submarines for the Chilean Navy was completed, and as of the end of 1975, two submarines were under construction for.

Swan Hunter Shipbuilders is part of the large private association Swan Hunter Group. The company has large shipbuilding and ship repair yards in Newcastle upon Tyne (Walksend Shipyard), Wallsend (Wallsend Shipyard), Hebburn (Hebburn Shipyard), South Shields (Redhead Yard, South Shields Shipyard), Bellingham (Haverton Hill Shipyard). The most significant production capacities are located at the shipyards in Newcastle upon Tyne and Wallsend, where large-tonnage and large-displacement ships can be built.

The company's management plans to spend £12 million on modernizing its shipyards. In particular, the modernization program provides for the creation of a large shipbuilding complex in Hebburn on the basis of the existing 280 m long dock, the installation of two cranes with a lifting capacity of 180 tons at the Wallsend Shipyard shipyard, and the construction of a repair wall at the Redhead Yard shipyard for ships with a lifting capacity of 30 thousand. T.

The Wallsend Shipyard is also involved in military shipbuilding. As the foreign press testifies, at the end of 1975, it was building two Sheffield-class guided missile destroyers (Newcastle and Glasgow) for its own fleet and a tanker for the Iranian Navy. Warships can also be built at Walker Shipyard and Hebburn Shipyard.

Harland & Wolfe Firm owns the UK's largest shipyard in Belfast ( Northern Ireland), which has extensive experience in military shipbuilding. During the Second World War, aircraft carriers were built on it, and after its end - destroyers and frigates. Currently, it only builds merchant ships. The shipyard has four slipways up to 300 m long and a dock in which tankers with a carrying capacity of up to 1 million tons can be built. The shipyard is currently being modernized, the cost of which will be 35 million pounds sterling.

Other large associations (Austin and Pickersgill Group, Govan Shipbuilders, Court Shipbuilders) carry out orders for the construction of merchant ships only.

Some English shipbuilding firms build military boats for various purposes for the British Navy and other countries. These include Brooke Marine (at Lowestoft), James Lamont and Sons (at Port Glasgow), Ailsa Shipbuilding Company (at Troon), Richard Dunston (at Hull), etc.

Thus, despite the reduction in the share of the British shipbuilding industry in world shipbuilding, this industry has large production capacities, and its capabilities in the construction of warships and experience in military shipbuilding are second only to the United States.