Richard Harding's force figures divide the fleets into line-of-battle ships and smaller cruising warships. Treating third rates and larger ships as 'battleships' and fourth rates and smaller vessels as 'cruisers' is a rough interpretation for strategic comparison, with an explicitly uncertain cutoff. French and allied cruising strength peaked at roughly 144 vessels in 1796, fell to about 90 by 1800, and reached 71 by 1805. Britain maintained roughly 158 to 160 cruising ships from 1796 to 1805. By 1805 Britain also had about 136 commissioned third rates and larger ships, against 96 for France and its allies. Losing five cruising vessels together removed trained crews and scarce ships needed for scouting, escort, and communications from a navy already short of them.
Chapter · 53:51-56:43
Why five cruising ships mattered
France and its allies lost five scarce cruising ships and their crews while Britain's strength in smaller warships remained comparatively steady.