What is the panel's favorite third-rate ship of the line?
Short answerHMS Africa is Dr. Clarke's choice, while another panelist favors the exceptionally long-lived 74 whose stern survives at Greenwich.
NotesDr. Clarke selects HMS Africa, a 64-gun third rate remembered for fighting apart from the main British line at Trafalgar. Another panelist favors the long-lived 74-gun ship whose surviving stern is held at the maritime museum in Greenwich. The exchange contrasts affection earned through a dramatic battle record with affection earned through longevity and preservation. It also underlines the variety hidden inside the broad third-rate category, from 64-gun ships to the many successful 74s.