HMS Victor, 20 Guns, 1797. 50 x 80.

This portrait of HMS Victor was made from obtaining drawings of her
hull submitted to the British Admiralty for approval in 1797. By
requesting copies of the original drawings and a small stipend, they
sent me accurate details of the ship. The records can be found at
Whitehall in Box 48, document numbers 3426 to 3428. Also, because
England kept over one thousand ships at sea for 20 years during its
wars with France and Napoleon, all sails, masts and yards were
standardized for each class of ship, and each ship was rated by the
number of guns she carried, starting at 20 guns.The "establishments"
were published by Mr. Steele in 1794, and the length of every part of
a ship's masts and rigging is in direct proportion to the length of
her gun deck, so that the sails and rigging of Victor are in
accordance with Steele's Establishments (Elements of Mast Making, Sail
Making and Rigging, 1794 Edition). Thus, the painting should be an
accurate representation of the spanking new man o' war.

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