A heavy frigate offered concentrated power when a navy could not afford both numerous cruisers and a battle fleet. The Royal Navy used regular frigates for economical cruising work and third rates for heavier combat at important blockade stations. An American frigate that engaged the smaller blockading ships would lose speed and freedom to maneuver, giving a supporting 74-gun ship time to catch it. Tribal-class destroyers and battlecruisers provide later comparisons for designs expected to perform some duties of larger warships. Such a design could be useful without becoming an equal substitute in a direct fight.
Notable Point · 43:02-48:29
Heavy frigates could not replace a balanced fleet
American heavy frigates were formidable individual ships, but British blockading squadrons combined ordinary frigates with enough ships of the line to deny them safe access to the sea.