Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the public for several reasons. That’s quite a pity while these books contains useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor accessible.
P. 117: “The western cruising of Sir Edward Codrington’s squadron terminated by their arrival in the Downs on the 9th ult. The motions of this squadron since their departure from Spithead, were limited wholly to the English coast. During the first week after sailing Sir Edward confined himself to the neighbourhood of Torhay; for several days after this his ships were performing various evolutions between the entrance to Devonport and the -Eddystone; subsequently, and to the end of July, the squadron were either off Falmouth or near the Lizard; night and day the land was kept close on board, thereby giving confidence to the officers and snowing them what might be done with ships of the greatest magnitude. On one occasion, when standing in shore, on a line of bearing, the leading ship, thinking herself quite close enough, asked permission “to tack immediately;” and, perhaps, no line-of-battle ship ever approached so close before to that part of the coast. On another occasion, the Caledonia stood in and tacked in Babicombe Bay. In these, and other occurrences of a similar nature, the gallant Admiral manifested great confidence and judgment (together with local knowledge) in the management of his squadron. On the 30th of July and 1st of August, the ships were in Mount’s Bay; on the last-mentioned day they ran within a few miles of Penzance, then hauled out and stood to the northward, passing between the Wolf Rock and Longships ; thence within two or three miles of the Seven Stones, and so on to about twelve or fifteen leagues to the south-west of Scilly. Here they remained until the 5th, when the whole squadron were within a mile or two of St. Mary’s Sound. On the following day the Charybdis joined company from Falmouth with despatches, and in an hour after the Admiral bore up, and made all sail to the eastward. We understand that during Sir Edward’s cruize, the attention of the squadron has been chiefly directed to the sailing in lines, and the performing such evolutions as may be judged most essential to the good management of a fleet; consequently there has been very few, and those not decisive, trials of the qualities of individual ships. A brief sketch of the ships composing this quadron may not be uninteresting.The Caledonia, 120, of 2712 tons, was rebuilt at Plymouth dock-yard, with an additional breadth of beam, to enable her to carry a greater weight of metal.The Prince Regent, 120, is 2614 tons, and from the same lines as the Caledonia, with the exception of being one foot less in breadth.The Asia, 84, of 2289 tons, is from the model of the Canopus, one of the celebrated trophies of the Nile; a ship of great capacity and excellent qualities.The Revenge is 1954 tons. In every respect a noble man-of-war. She is the production of Sir John Henston, formerly a surveyor of the navy.The Donegal, of 1901 tons, is a French-built ship; she was captured in 1798, in the act of conveying troops to Ireland. During the last war she was constantly employed, and was always considered a crack ship.
p. 118: The Wellesley, of 1746 tons, was built from the reduced lines of the Christian the Seventh, a Danish 84-gun ship.The Talavera is one of the smallest line-of-battle ships in our navy, being only 1718 tons; she is of a class produced by Sir William Rule, which were always found fast sailers; the Repulse and Venerable were of the same model.The Barham, 50, of 1761 tons, and Alfred, 40, of 1763 tons, were seventy-fours; a pair of the “notorious forty,” designed by the Surveyors of the Navy. The Curacoa, a corvette of 26, is 953 tons, and was a 42-gun frigate; she is one of a very numerous class which proved fast-sailing vessels, and which were likewise the production of Sir Wm. Rule. The Euryalus, Belvidera, and Barrosa were of the number. The Pearl, 20, was built by a Mr. Sante, in a private yard near Colchester, and is 558 tons. The Stag, 46, is upwards of 1200 tons, formed from the lines of the late President, a French model, but with a foot increase of breadth.The Caledonia is armed with long thirty-twos throughout; the Regent, Asia, Donegal, Revenge, and Stag, have thirty-twos and twenty-fours; the Barham and Alfred have each fifty long thirty-twos, the Curacoa has also thirty-twos of a new construction. The Wellesley and Talavera are the only ships which have 18-pounders on board. Should the Britannia join the squadron, it will be the first time that England ever saw three such first rates in company equipped for war; and, perhaps, it is not saying too much to assert, that three such ships never yet met under the same flag of any nation.The squadron have been highly favoured during their cruise with fine weather. They were only once with top-gallant yards on deck, or more than two reefs in the top-sails. Much attention was shown by the Admiral to the private convenience of the officers and crews, in making known every opportunity for sending and receiving letters; on the other hand, the vigilance of the Commander-in-chief was always in play; and rarely was a ship at all out of her station but she was reminded of her duty, and frequently a gun accompanying the admonition kept all on the look-out. We are informed that not one of the captains of this squadron has before commanded a ship sailing in a fleet; and few of the lieutenants, from their standing on the list, can have ever had charge of a watch, in order of sailing or in line of battle. The advantages of thus affording our naval officers opportunities of becoming familiar with such important points of their professional duty are obvious.”
Source
Henry Colburn. The United Service Journal and Naval and Military Magazine. London, 1831, Part 3.
