Another, of 80 guns, had been launched in and the fifth, launched in , had sunk with all hands in Once her frame had been constructed, the ship would normally have been left for a few months for the wood to season. Work began again in the autumn of and she was launched at last on May 7th, It was not until , in the American War of Independence, that the new Victory was needed and brought out of reserve, with Admiral Augustus Keppel hoisting his flag in her.
They are thought to be the only surviving iron masts of the 19th century still in use. Structural analysis has calculated the stresses in the mast from the lift and allowed us to develop a method to keep them within allowable, safe levels. We then needed a clear three-day window for both the and tonnes cranes to manoeuvre the mast from the ship, hoist it aloft 42 metres, and then place it safely alongside where we can analyse it further and agree on the next steps.
The National Museum of the Royal Navy museums and attractions are now open - please check museum pages for opening times. Pre-booking is essential and we encourage visitors to wear masks for their safety and the safety of others.
HMS Caroline remains temporarily closed. In the years to come, over an unusually long service, she would gain renown leading fleets in the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic War. In she achieved lasting fame as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Nelson in Britain's greatest naval victory, the defeat of the French and Spanish at the Battle of Trafalgar. For Victory, however, active service did not end with the loss of Nelson.
In she was recommissioned to lead the fleet in the Baltic, but four years later she was no longer needed in this role, and she was relegated to harbour service - serving as a residence, flagship and tender providing accommodation. In she was saved for the nation and placed permanently into dry dock where she remains today, visited by 25 million visitors as a museum of the sailing navy and the oldest commissioned warship in the world. Over a period of 34 years, between and , HMS Victory took part in five naval battles.
Trafalgar is not only the most famous of these but also the last. The battle was indecisive, and led to political dispute in both Britain and France. A relatively small British Fleet of 12 ships of the line intercepted a French convoy in poor weather and succeeded in capturing 15 transport ships, soldiers and seamen. The British fleet of 35 ships of the line had succeeded in resupplying Gibraltar for the third time in the course of the three-year-long Great Siege when it met with the combined fleets of France and Spain, consisting of 46 ships of the line.
The following battle again proved indecisive. The smaller British fleet of 15 ships of the line engaged an enemy numbering 27 ships of the line and succeeded in capturing 4 ships and Spanish seamen. The allies were soundly defeated, total losses reaching 22 ships without the Royal Navy losing one. These were stored in casks or bread bags in the Hold, but inevitably some went bad as barrels leaked, were infested by maggots or eaten by rats.
In harbour the diet was better and more varied, with soft bread and fresh meat. By the time of Trafalgar the disease of scurvy — which we now know is caused by a lack of vitamin C in the diet — had largely been overcome by efforts to provide regular fresh vegetables and add lemon juice to the rum ration.
Overall the diet was generous and provided approximately 5, calories per day, vital to sustain the crew in their hard, physical work.
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