Frigates were the eyes of the fleet. They scouted, escorted convoys, and covered the many everyday duties that lay outside a fleet battle. Ships of the line formed the battle fleet, while frigates supplied the working presence around it. The Royal Navy's recurring shortage of frigates reflects how many operations depended on those smaller cruisers.
Notable Point · 11:59-12:32
Frigates as the eyes and working fleet
Frigates made a navy effective beyond fleet battles by scouting, escorting convoys, and covering the service's many everyday duties.