Spanish designers enlarged major warships upward, while the French more often lengthened them. Santísima Trinidad entered service from Havana in 1769 as a 120-gun three-decker and later became a nominal 140-gun four-decker. The additional deck and weapons made her exceptionally imposing but did not make her an effective sailor. Her clumsy handling exposed the cost of adding decks and guns without preserving the qualities a line-of-battle ship needed at sea.
Notable Point · 1:35:52-1:36:29
Santísima Trinidad and the limits of upward growth
Spain enlarged Santísima Trinidad upward into a nominal 140-gun four-decker, gaining spectacle and armament at the cost of handling and sailing quality.