From the point of view of war at sea the eighteenth century has largely been a century frigates. For over a hundred years three major powers of Europe were engaged in a military struggle, often in the most remote corners of the globe. The war of the Austrian succession, Seven years war, the war for independence of the North American States, finally, the Napoleonic wars… At every opportunity, England, France and Spain entered the confrontation, hoping the campaign to acquire overseas possessions of the enemy. Of course, when military action occurred over many thousands of miles from Europe, the importance of acquired fleet. And not only ships of the line, formed the basis of combat squadrons, but also smaller vessels — frigates and corvettes capable of a cruising operation as the composition of the group, and alone.
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