All Questions
Tagged with 19th-century naval
18 questions
4
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0
answers
546
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When was Red Sea rig introduced into British Royal Navy?
Red Sea rig is a mess dress uniform variant. It is used by some naval officers in the (UK) Royal Navy and other navies, that inherited its traditions (Canadian, Indian, ...). In general, it is similar ...
- 141
4
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1
answer
1k
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Where did France build up its fleet in 1805-1814?
I was reading about The Battle of Trafalgar and found this interesting section about the consequences:
Napoleon instituted a large-scale shipbuilding programme that had produced a fleet of 80 ships ...
- 17.3k
0
votes
0
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154
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Did the Chinese aim guns above ships in 19th century?
I have read some things that don't seem true about the Chinese opposing English and other western forces during the 19th century and early 20th. What seems to be true is that China was very aware of ...
- 2,350
5
votes
1
answer
678
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Why did water stored on premodern ships "go brackish" or "go bad" while at sea?
I have read in several Napoleonic historical fiction novels that water stored on ships would somehow spoil over time. The water is described as completely unpalatable if not undrinkable, and alcohol (...
- 199
3
votes
1
answer
874
views
How long would it take to sail from New Orleans to Belize in late Summer 1867?
I’m writing a story where the characters need to travel by sea from New Orleans to Belize. The event takes place in late Summer 1867. I need to figure out the following:
What route they would take
...
- 367
5
votes
1
answer
696
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Did Empress Cixi divert funds for the Beiyang Fleet to build the Summer Palace?
There is a popular story that Empress Dowager Cixi diverted funds originally intended for the Beiyang Fleet in order to upgrade the Summer Palace. This is significant because the amount - approx. 22 ...
- 14.5k
16
votes
1
answer
1k
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How many British navy officers were from lower classes at the end of 18th century?
Helping my daughter with a presentation about Cook, I looked for English sources about his biography and was surprised to read that he was a son of a farmer hand - practically, the bottom of the lower ...
- 7,275
4
votes
1
answer
236
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British Warships and Their Crew In Hawaii in the Mid-1800s
I am researching British warships which arrived in the Hawaiian Islands, particularly Hawaii Island a.k.a. The Big Island, in or about 1839. I am unable to find comprehensive lists of ships and crew. ...
- 41
16
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5
answers
2k
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Why did ramming reappear then disappear in 1800s shipborn warfare?
This question is twofold. First, why the resurgence of naval ramming and return of rams to naval designs in the second half of the 1800s? Second, why the end to ramming in the 1900s?
Can one ...
- 1,353
2
votes
1
answer
929
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Two ships named "Mary Celeste" -- concidence or not?
I know about the famous Mary Celeste ship which was found with no one on board in 1872. Sank in 1885. Let's nickname it "the Ghost ship".
Today, while watching some National Geographic movie about ...
- 139
16
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6
answers
2k
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What does a "boat crimper" do?
Working with Census data and other 19th century sources, I occasionally come across the occupation of "boat crimper." I can't figure out what these boat crimpers do.
Based on the definition of "...
- 18.3k
4
votes
1
answer
484
views
What type of provisions would seafarers use in the mid 19th century?
What was the composition of seafarers' provisions in the mid-19th century? What types of items would they have taken with them for a long trip?
For example — for just travelling on a light trip from ...
- 153
10
votes
5
answers
3k
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Where is the Nemesis?
Where is the Nemesis today? Is it simply 'lost at sea', at a museum somewhere, or more likely (as it was an EIC vessel), was it sold for scrap?
I did a brief search (of the web), but couldnt find it. ...
- 202
11
votes
2
answers
3k
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Did Perry's Black Ships attack Edo harbour during his expedition to Japan?
Matthew C. Perry commanded the U.S. Navy expedition that forced Japan to abandon its policy of isolation, triggering the eventual overthrow of the Shogunate's and the Meiji Restoration. Perry arrived ...
- 97.6k
19
votes
7
answers
7k
views
Bow shape of WW1 warships
As ship's bow is designed to break the waves, the physics (something like hydrokinetics) makes it should look like a wedge. And it really is, if we look from above. This should be also kept if look ...
- 7,151
14
votes
1
answer
991
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What did the sympathies lie of the US Navy around the time of the American Civil War?
Around the time of the American Civil War the land military (that is the Army) had its sympathies on the cause of the Confederacy, in my opinion, due to the make up of the military officers of the ...
- 7,547
23
votes
2
answers
4k
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Why did the Monitor and Merrimac (aka Virginia) have such radically different designs?
This is something that's always baffled me. You have one ship that appears to sit just above the water with one little canon on a turret (the Monitor) and a second that sits high and is brimming with ...
- 1,067
18
votes
8
answers
9k
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When did aircraft carriers eclipse battleships as the "King of the seas"?
During the 19th century and into the early 20th century, battleships were the Kings of the Sea, and every naval power of note had at least one. When did they lose this title to the aircraft carrier, ...
- 3,667