Age of Sail
TheAge of Sailis a period in European history that lasted at the latest from the mid-16th (or mid-15th)[1]to the mid-19th centuries, in which the dominance ofsailing shipsinglobal tradeandwarfareculminated, particularly marked by the introduction ofnaval artillery,and ultimately reached its highest extent at the advent ofsteam power.Enabled by the advances of the relatedAge of Navigation,it is identified as a distinctive element of theearly modern period[2]and theAge of Discovery.[1]
Periodization
[edit] | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(July 2021) |
Like mostperiodic eras,defining the ageis inexact and serves only as a general description. The term is used differently for warships and merchant vessels.
By the 14th centurynaval artillerywas employed in Europe, documented at theBattle of Arnemuiden(1338). The 15th century saw theIberiannaval ventures all the way along the African Atlantic coast and across the Atlantic Ocean, starting theAge of Discovery.
For warships, the age of sail runs roughly from theBattle of Lepantoin 1571, the last significant engagement in whichoar-propelledgalleysplayed a major role, to the development ofsteam-poweredwarships.[3]
Golden Age of Sail
[edit]The period between the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, when sailing vessels reached their peak of size and complexity (e.g.clippersandwindjammers), is sometimes referred to as the "Golden Age of Sail".[4]
Decline
[edit]The second sea-goingsteamboatwas Richard Wright's first steamboatExperiment,an ex-Frenchlugger;she steamed fromLeedstoYarmouthin July 1813.[5][6]The first iron steamship to go to sea was the 116-tonAaron Manby,built in 1821 byAaron Manbyat theHorseley Ironworks,and became the first iron-built vessel to put to sea when she crossed theEnglish Channelin 1822, arriving inParison 22 June.[7]She carried passengers and freight to Paris in 1822 at an average speed of 8 knots (9 mph, 14 km/h).
The first purpose-built steam battleship was the 90-gunNapoléonin 1850.[8]Multiple steam battleships saw action during theCrimean war,especially the Allied (British, French and Ottoman) fleet Bombardment ofSevastopolas part of theSiege of Sevastopol (1854–1855).The first ironclad battleship,Gloire,was launched by theFrench Navyin November 1859.[9]In the March 1862Battle of Hampton Roads,theironcladCSSVirginiafoughtUSSMonitor,making this the first fight between ironclads.
TheSuez Canalin the Middle East, which opened in 1869, was more practical for steamships than for sailing ships, achieving a much shorterEuropean-Asian sea route,which coincided with more fuel-efficient steamships, starting withAgamemnonin 1865.[10][a]
By 1873, the Age of Sail for warships had ended,[citation needed]withHMSDevastationcommissioned in 1871.Devastationwas the first class of ocean-going battleships that did not carry sails.
Sailing ships continued to be an economical way to transport bulk cargo on long voyages into the 1920s and 1930s, though steamships soon pushed them out of those trades as well. Sailing ships do not require fuel or complex engines to be powered; thus they tended to be more independent from sophisticated dedicated support bases on land. Crucially though, steam-powered ships held a speed advantage and were rarely hindered by adverse winds, freeing steam-powered vessels from the necessity of followingtrade winds.As a result, cargo and supplies could reach a foreign port in a fraction of the time it took a sailing ship.
Sailing vessels were pushed into narrower and narrower economic niches and gradually disappeared from commercial trade. Today, sailing vessels are only economically viable for small-scale coastal fishing, along with recreational uses such asyachtingand passenger sail excursion ships.
In recent decades, the commercial shipping industry has been reviving interest inwind assisted shipsas a way to conserve fuel in the interest ofsustainability.[citation needed]
Legacy
[edit]ANew Age of Sailhas been predicted by some experts to occur by 2030, driven by a revolution inenergy technologyand a desire to reducecarbon emissionsfrommaritime shippingthroughwind-assisted propulsion.[13]The bookTrade Winds: A Voyage to a Sustainable Future for Shippingdiscusses the potential of a return to wind propulsion through the firsthand experiences of Christiaan De Beukelaer, who spent five months aboard a sailing cargo ship in 2020.[14]
See also
[edit]
- Age of Discovery
- Columbian Exchange
- Indian Ocean trade
- Maritime Silk Road
- Maritime timeline
- Naval history
- Sailing ship tactics
- Sea lane
Notes
[edit]- ^The distance from London to Fuzhou via the Cape of Good Hope is 13,358 nmi (24,739 km), compared to 10,120 nmi (18,740 km) via the Suez canal.[11]Sailing vessels going around the south of Africa would typically sail over 14,000 nmi (26,000 km) as their routes were adjusted to find favourable winds.[12]: 31
References
[edit]- ^abGaynor, Jennifer L. (2013). "Ages of Sail, Ocean Basins, and Southeast Asia".Journal of World History.24(2). Project Muse: 309–333.doi:10.1353/jwh.2013.0059.ISSN1527-8050.S2CID161330041.
- ^"The Age of Sail".HMS Trincomalee.Archived from the original on 2016-03-16.Retrieved12 April2016.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^"The 74—the Perfect Age-of-Sail Ship".U.S. Naval Institute.2019-02-01.Retrieved2022-10-05.
- ^"Sailing Ship Rigs"Archived2010-12-28 at theWayback Machine.Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
- ^Malster, R (1971),Wherries & Waterways,Lavenham, p. 61
{{citation}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link). - ^Stephen, L. (1894).DNB.Smith, Elder, & Company. p. 399.Retrieved2017-12-28.
- ^"The First Steamboat Services in Europe".The Artist as Witness: Images of Technology. 2002. Archived fromthe originalon 5 November 2004.Retrieved21 July2021.
- ^Lambert, A. "The Screw Propellor Warship", in GardinerSteam, Steel and Shellfirepp. 30–44.
- ^Sondhaus, Lawrence.Naval Warfare 1815–1914ISBN0-415-21478-5,pp. 73–74.
- ^Jarvis, Adrian (1993). "9: Alfred Holt and the Compound Engine". In Gardiner, Robert; Greenhill, Dr Basil (eds.).The Advent of Steam – The Merchant Steamship before 1900.Conway Maritime Press. pp. 158–159.ISBN0-85177-563-2.
- ^maritime data systems."Sea Routes".m.classic.searoutes.com.Retrieved18 August2021.
- ^MacGregor, David R. (1983).The Tea Clippers, Their History and Development 1833–1875.Conway Maritime Press Limited.ISBN0-85177-256-0.
- ^"New age of sail looks to slash massive maritime carbon emissions".Mongabay Environmental News.2021-03-15.Retrieved2021-06-07.
- ^Christiaan De Beukelaer (2023).Trade Winds: A Voyage to a Sustainable Future for Shipping.Manchester University Press.ISBN978-1-5261-6309-7.