Taking a French warship into British service involved substantial alterations. The Royal Navy rerigged the vessel and changed its provision for supplies, sometimes modifying the framing to accommodate more stores. French guns could be replaced with British weapons and sent for melting down. Dockyard experience with those changes helped explain why a British design based on French lines still required a designer's judgment.
Notable Point · 29:34-30:24
French captures adapted for British service
Captured French ships needed changes to rigging, stores, framing, and guns before serving British requirements.