Did a navy order a frigate by supplying money, gun requirements, or detailed drawings?
Short answerA navy normally specified a rated gun requirement and the desired fast, maneuverable frigate hull, then relied on its constructor to produce the design.
NotesThe Royal Navy could begin with one of its established gun ratings, while French practice also worked from defined requirements. The customer then specified a frigate hull because speed and maneuverability mattered. The design logic comes down to usable combat power: a heavily armed ship achieves little if opponents can simply avoid it. Procurement language therefore connected the constructor's work directly to the intended tactics.