Exhausting routine punctuated by moment of terror. This was the life on a British man-of-war during the Napoleonic War. The new Russell Crowe movie, "Master and Commander," gives a glimse into a world where a life centered around a narrow area between two 12-pound guns where you strung your canvas hammock and ate from a table suspended from the crossbeams.
Note: All salaries are from 1793 records
The crew
Although the Royal Navy was the envy of most European countries it was constantly operating with a short supply of manpower. The majority of the crew members were enticed by enlistment bonuses and the promise of prize money. The remainder were captured foriegn sailors, men from debtors prisons and a small number of individuals brought in by press gangs.
Daily life
Life aboard a man-of-war was usually monotonous drudger. The day began at dawn with battle stations drill and ended the same way. The time in between was taken up with adjusting sails and rigging to reduce wear, cleaning the ship (decks, metal, etc.) and manning watches, looking after livestock. Junior officers took sighting for ships navigation.
Actual crews could go months without experiencing any type of combat.
Swimming
Few sailors in the 18th century Royal Navy ever learned to swim.
Landsman
Unskilled seaman, performed meanial deck duties,haul ropes, manned bilge pumps and attended to livestock.
Annual salary: £10.60
Able seaman
Could perform any job on board including manning the helm, artillery duty, making sails and taking depth measurements.
Annual salary: £14
Officers
Petty officers (NCOs)
Supervised the crew and oversaw the artillery batteries. These men included skilled professions that were vital to running the ship (caulker, sail maker, cooper and carpenter) Petty officers had a reputation of being spies for the captain. The Bosun's mate was a petty officer (in charge of keeping order on board and administering punishment). Petty officers were appointed by the captain.
Annual salary: £20-27
Lieutenant
A lieutenant had to be at least 20 with six years at sea. All vessels had a least one and some as many as six.He may be put in command of a smaller vessel. All appointments of lieutenant and above were made by the Admiralty. Unless well connected or distinguished in action a lieutenant could remain his rank for his entire career.
Annual salary: £100
Marine
Marines usually made up 20 percent of the total crew. Their role was to act as snipers, participate in board parties and shore operations and be a deterrent against mutinies. Marines were loooked upon as as lazy and therefore scorned by the rest of the crew.
Powder monkey
Boys went to sea as young as eight to become midshipmen or perform other meanial ship duties. Young boys were subject to bullying and pranks. During battle powder monkeys carried powder cartridges to gum batteries.
Midshipman
By age 15 a boy could become a midshipman. He was expected to learn the workings of the ship and take command when a lieutenant was not available. Some spent 30 years at this position.
Women
Women on board a man-of-war was quite common. Most were wives of officers and NCOs. Military units of the time were usually alotted some many women as cooks and laundresses. (a company of marines was alotted five women.) When hostilities broke out they were usually draft by the surgeon. Women were present at every major naval engegement of the time.
The captain
Annual salary: £400
The captain was either a benevolent dictator or the cruelest of masters. His word was final in running the ship and disciplining it's crew. They were expected to finance each voyages with their own money (Expense that were later re-embursed by the Admiralty). These included enlistment bonuses. A captain was expected to purchase his own uniforms, weapons and any luxuries his crew might receive. The position of captain was looked upon with admiration in 18th century England.
Capt. Jack Aubrey
Russell Crowe
The rank of master and commander was a position between lieutenant and captain given to those commanding smaller vessels. Although not captains they were address as captain.
The ships
Ships in the Royal Navy (Beelzebub's grand arsenal) were classified into six categories. The largest, like the HMS Victory, Nelson's flags ship. It boasted over 100 cannon and 875 men. The smallest, a 125-foot sloop, was armed with 24 guns and 150 crew members.
Year
1793 15,000 men
1813 150,000 men
Note: Population of England in the late 18th century was 10 million.
The head or toilet was an open area located at the bow of the ship. Holes with seats depositted waste directly into the ocean.
The cannons
Cannons ranged in size from 2-pounders to massive 32-pounders.* Gun carraiges where placed on tracks with pullies to facilitate moving them back and forth.
Water
Water stored in barrels generally went brackish (green) after a few days. To make it palitable it was mixed with one part rum to create grog. Named for the fact that too much made a sailor groggy. Drunkeness was a frequent problem.The tradition of a daily rum ration in the Royal Navy started in 1655 and ended in 1970. A sailor was also provided with one gallon of beer a day although extra beer was availble from a communal barrel.
Food
Food preservation was virtually unknown. Hard biscuits were a staple. (sailors banged them against a hard surface to remove weevils) Other staples included oats, cheese, butter peas and potatoes. A sailor was alotted six pounds of salted beef or pork a week. Fresh meat from livestock on board was reserved for offficers.
Flogging
Administered by trhe bosun's mate. Punishment could be for everything from inefficiency to disobedience depending on the captain.
Battle
Although battle was infrequent when it did happen casualties could exceed 150 men. Engagements were so bloody that sand was spead on the deck to prevent sailors from slipping. In battle opposing vessels would position themselves in lines going opposite directions and place themselves as close as possible to deliver a broadside. If a ship wasn't disabled a boarding parties would be dispatched.
Royal Navy casualties in all major fleet actions
5,000 killed in action
70,000 killed from disease
The surgeon
Naval surgeons of the time had a reputation for incompetance and drunkeness. The most frequent treatment for an injury was amputation, a proceedure most surgeons became quite skilled at. A severed limb was usually sealed with pitch. If a victim survived an amputation his chance of survival were slim because of the possibility of gangrene or blood poisoning.
Prize money
If a crew captured a merchant vessel or other ship the captain and crew were entitled to the money from the sale. One quarter was divided among the seamen, one quarter to the captain, one eighth among the officers, one eighth among NCO's and midshipmen, one eighth to the warrant officers and one eighth went to he admiral.
Sources: 'Hornblower's Navy," by Steve Pope and Fighting Sail,' 'Cross-Section Man-of War'