#fourth rate

The fourth rate is a two decker line ship with 46-60 guns. If you look at it closely, they only really appear from the middle of the 17th century onwards, but they also existed from 1626 onwards. However, the ships there were not rated according to their guns but according to their crew size and it is therefore difficult to regard a fourth rate as such. But already at the beginning of the 18th century the admiralty noticed that the fourth rate could not keep up with the other ships of the line.

Model of a fourth rate, with 60 guns, made by unknown c. 1660 (x)

And so the 60-gun class almost disappeared completely by the end of the 18th century. The 50 gun class also had its difficulties, but remained on the Admiralty's books until the end of the 18th century with 16 examples. And six new ones were even taken into service.

Early in 1807, an incident occurred in Chesapeake Bay when several British sailors, some of American descent, abandoned their ships besieging French vessels and joined the crew of the USS Chesapeake. The commander of HMS Leopard, a fourth rate, Captain Salusbury Pryce Humphreys, then demanded permission from the American frigate under the command of Commodore James Barron to search that ship in order to arrest and punish the deserters. When Barron refused, Humphreys opened fire. Taking the Americans completely by surprise, Barron surrendered and a British boarding party began searching the frigate, apprehending four deserters - three of whom were Americans, the fourth, Jenkin Ratford, was British. The prisoners were taken to Halifax, where Ratford was tried and hanged. The Americans were originally sentenced to 500 lashes, but the execution was suspended and they were offered to be returned to the United States. The incident had some political consequences and almost resulted in a war between the United States and Britain. Painted by Ronny Moorgat (x)

The Antelope, Diomede and Grampus 1798-1802 and finally three more for the War of 1812, from 1813-15, the Salisbury, Romney and the Isis. The Navy also had East India ships rebuilt in 1795, but more out of necessity because of a lack of ships than because they liked them so much.

The Earl of Abergavenny was actually an East Indiamen which became a fourth rate with 56 guns between 1803-1804 and served as a privateer to the Admiralty. Before she was returned to the East India Company.Painted by Thomas Luny 1801 (x)

As they were now rather unsuitable as ships of the line, even if they carried two decks. They were used as patrol ships or flagships for frigate squadrons. But one or the other also cut a good figure as a privateer. And they could also be used in the rather low water conditions of the Baltic Sea. Their armament was usually around 22, 24pdr on the main gun deck and 24, 12pdr on the upper gun deck. Unfortunately, her sailing characteristics were rather poor and therefore she was a rather unpopular command.

A contemporary full hull model of a 36 to 40-gun two-decker frigate (circa 1660) built plank on frame in the Navy Board style.

The name ‘The Shearnes 1660’ is carved into a panel on the lower stern counter. However, no ship of this name, either spelt ‘Shearnes’ or ‘Sheerness’, or of this date is known to have existed. The type of ship depicted by this model was very much like the ‘frigates’ of 32-34 guns, built from 1646-50, or the fifth rates of 1666-71, with longer and narrower hulls.