the.com/sloopofwar
the smallest warship that still talked back, all bite and no battleship.
means A sloop-of-war was a small, fast sailing warship carrying its guns on a single deck, more nimble than a frigate but far smaller than a ship of the line.
from From "sloop" plus "of war." The word "sloop" came into English from Dutch "sloep," a small boat — itself possibly related to the verb "sluipen," to glide or slip along, fitting for a light, quick vessel. "Of war" simply marked it as a fighting ship rather than a merchant or pleasure craft, the same way "man-of-war" and "ship of the line" carved up the naval pecking order. So the name is honest accounting: a sloop, but one built to bite.
- gun deck
- Carried 10 to 18 guns on one deck
- need for speed
- Built fast to escort, scout, and raid
- USS Constellation
- Last all-sail warship the US Navy built
- rank trick
- Defined by guns, not by sail rig
- giant slayer
- Outmaneuvered ships far heavier than themselves
uss wasp — american sloop-of-war that captured hms frolic in 1812 off bermuda
hms beagle — british naval sloop-of-war that carried charles darwin around the world, 1831-1836
uss cyane — american sloop-of-war that captured british frigate hms levant in 1815