Strategic insurance after a lost fleet battle

Availability figures support a strategic reserve role for second rates in ordinary. The ships could be stored with their guns aboard, leaving powder, stores, and crews as the main requirements for activation. Emergency crews might contain more inexperienced landsmen than first rates usually received, yet several second rates could still put a formidable concentration of three-decker firepower to sea. The Royal Navy had 14 of its 25 first and second rates operational in 1794 and 15 of 25 in 1814, even though it owned five more first rates by the latter date. Keeping both rates gave Britain a heavy fleet core without requiring 25 first rates. Second rates therefore acted as strategic insurance, ready to reinforce a fleet or help recreate one after a defeat.