The Eyes of the Fleet

(click to embiggun)

Top: Broadside of the 38-gun frigate HMS Shannon.

Bottom: Broadside of the razee frigate HMS Saturn. Originally laid down as a 74-gun third rate ship of the line, in 1813 the Saturn was cut down to a 50-gun razee frigate to deal with the large French and American frigates such as the 44-gun USS Constitution.

Frigates were the smallest ships (three masted square rigged vessels) in the Royal Navy. They were popularly referred to as the "Eyes of the Fleet" for their scouting and reconnaissance capabilities, but were still save, ships of the line, the most powerful batteries afloat. The fledgling United States Navy relied entirely upon frigates and smaller vessels until after the War of 1812 when the USS Independence, 90-guns, was launched late in 1814 as the first US ship of the line.