The standard frigate form put one complete battery on a full-length gun deck, with lesser armament divided between the upper works. Adding more guns would reduce the buoyancy needed for long passages across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Speed and manoeuvrability mattered in the Niger-class design, but the ship also had to withstand the constant punishment of weather. The hull plan shows how much volume sat below the waterline. Everyday survival at sea mattered more often than the armament carried into a battle.
Notable Point · 5:53-8:21
A frigate hull built to survive the sea
A fifth rate traded extra gun decks for a single full-length battery, buoyancy, speed, and the endurance needed for distant cruising.