Why more gun ports were not always better

Adding a gun port meant cutting into the ship's side. Every opening affected hull strength, while every carriage needed room for its crew, ropes, recoil, and loading tools. Crowding weapons together could prevent several adjacent crews from completing the drill efficiently. The lost working space reduced the effective rate of fire across a whole section of the battery. A ship therefore might be pierced for fewer guns than its apparent deck length suggested because usable firepower depended on structure and human movement as well as raw weapon count.