[jyl]

A long time ago I enjoyed the "Master and Commander" series of books by Patrick O'Brian. If you are not familiar with these, they follow a British naval captain and a civilian doctor, starting in 1800, as they explore, plunder and battle across the oceans. A cracking good read, every one. The movie of the same name is a good introduction to the series.

Anyway, I wondered at the time, and wonder now, how much better the naval ships of 1800 could have been, given the ideas and experience of today but limited by the technology of 1800.

In other words, no postulating nuclear reactors, guided missiles, or satellite navigation. But you'd be otherwise free to redesign the ships, subject to the materials technology of the day.

For example:
- Rotating and elevating platforms seem like they'd be a big advantage, versus the fixed guns used in warships of 1800. True? Could you do that, with the materials available to the shipyards of the time?
- Rifled, breech loading guns for those turrets would be killer, literally. In 1800, did the metal technology exist to make such things? If not, could you work around it? If rifling on such a scale was impossible then, perhaps a finned sabot round fired from a smooth bore?
- Or, with the experience of 200 subsequent years, would you equip your ship with rockets instead of cannon?
- The projectiles of 1800 were cannon balls, shot, and chain. Could you improve on these, for your rotating cannon or rocket launcher? Would the technology then have allowed explosive warheads? Incendiary warheads?
- What about the vessel? The British Navy in 1800 used heavy wooden single hulled sailing ships. Would you introduce catamarans? Steam powered propellers? Metal armored ships? Remember the ships had to survive heavy weather in the open ocean, sail for weeks or months without resupply, and be repaired "in the field" by the crews. And the first steam engines had just been introduced 20 years earlier and they were only 10 HP.
- What about tactics? With your new ships, which would presumably be scarce in number, how would you engage a dozen French ships of the line?

Thoughts welcomed, especially from any who've read "A Connecticutt Yankee In King Arthur's Court".