From which the ship was made, it’s time to move on to the issues and difficulties of ship construction itself at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 19th century. By this time, the shipyards had become a major industrial center in Great Britain, exerting a significant influence on the country's economy. We find out how ships were built for the Royal Navy and how many pounds unscrupulous contractors could save on nails for the Royal Navy.

Shipbuilding in the metropolis and colonies

At the beginning of the 17th century, there were six royal shipyards in England. The oldest of these was founded in Plymouth in 1496. In the 1510s, shipyards appeared in Woolwich and Deptford, and a little later a shipyard was founded in Erif ( Erith) near Greenwich. However, by the mid-1600s these shipyards were little used. The fact is that they were constantly silting, that is, they were filled with silt and sand. In addition, by the time the Anglo-Dutch wars began - and this is the middle of the 17th century - the size of ships had increased significantly, and now the existing shipyards were too small and had insufficient depth.

New shipyards were built at Chatham, Harridge and Sheerness. In the 17th century they became the largest shipbuilding facilities in the country. In 1690, a large shipyard was created in Plymouth, and then shipyards began to open in the colonies: in 1675, the Jamaica shipyard was founded, in 1704 - the Gibraltar shipyard, in 1725 - the shipyard in Antigua, and in 1759 - in Halifax (Canada). After the American Revolutionary War and the loss of the North American colonies, the largest British shipbuilding site in the New World was the Bermuda Shipyard, founded in 1783. Ships of frigate class and below were created here. Finally, in 1804, a shipyard opened in Bombay, India.

In addition, at the end of the era that interests us, in 1815, the first shipyard was created in Pembroke, that is, a factory that produced spare parts for the fleet and ammunition for crews.

Shipyards have experienced large-scale reconstruction more than once. By the end of the 18th century, they all had dry docks for the construction and repair of ships, a huge number of warehouse buildings and production facilities. For example, Chatham Dockyard in 1770 occupied a total area of ​​384,000 m², had four large covered dry docks and four launches into the outer roadstead. The shipyard staff included 49 officials, 624 shipwrights and 991 workers, and its boathouses allowed the construction of up to four battleships at the same time.

The Deptford shipyard occupied a slightly smaller area - 300,000 m² - and was used mainly for the construction of rank IV ships and frigates. It had three closed docks and three launchings, that is, three ships could be built on it at the same time.

The Bermuda shipyard initially specialized in light ships: sloops, cutters, schooners and brigs. For example, the Pickle cutter, which took part in the Battle of Trafalgar, was built in Bermuda. However, after the outbreak of war with the United States in 1812, the shipyard in Bermuda was significantly expanded and could already launch frigates, as well as repair battleships.

We can rightfully say that

"British royal dockyards, together with warehouses and hospitals, formed what is arguably the largest industrial center in the pre-industrial era, and its influence on the British economy was proportional to the number of shipyards and their size".

Work organization

The activities of all shipyards were supervised by commission agents from the Supply Department ( Victualling Board) Royal Navy. They oversaw the process of building ships, as well as the supply of supplies and materials to the shipyard.

At the top of the organizational pyramid of a particular shipyard there was a commission agent ( resident commissioner). He controlled the entire operation of the enterprise, the supply of materials, the release of raw materials for the construction of ships, monitored food and supplies, and ensured the availability of workers and means of production.

Next came the chief official of the shipyard ( principal officer of the yard). A characteristic twist of parliamentary-militaristic policy: the chief official did practically the same thing as the commission agent. But if the latter was accountable to the Admiralty, then the main official was responsible for his work to the Maritime Council.

Apparently, this was not enough, because there was also a third level of power - the position of port admiral ( port admiral). At the shipyard, he was in charge of all military and police forces, and also supervised the work of the first two officials - in other words, he controlled them from the military. The port admiral issued military orders to shipyards on behalf of the Admiralty, he also checked the quality of execution of these orders and signed the acceptance certificate for the new ship.

• shipmaster ( Master-Shipwright), responsible for shipbuilding and ship repair;
• service master ( Master Attendant), responsible for the launching of ships, the workload of the docks, the movement of ships and boats in and near the shipyard;
• storekeeper ( Storekeeper), who accepted, stored and issued building materials;
• "check" clerk ( Clerk of the Check) - from the name it is clear that he resolved all payment issues;
• and finally, the clerk-inspector ( Clerk of the Survey), overseeing the accounting of materials and their movement from delivery to production.

Below on the hierarchical ladder there were craftsmen specializing in certain works: master caulker ( Master- Caulker), rope master ( Master- Ropeworker), corps master ( Master- Boatbuilder), mast master ( Master- Mastmaker) etc.

From order to launch

The process of building a warship looked like this. The Admiralty sent an order to the Supply Department for the construction of a particular vessel, indicating its parameters. The commissioner determined the shipyard where construction would be carried out. After this, it was time to develop the future ship. For this purpose, a replica of it was created, reduced several times - say, 1:100. From this replica, the ship's master made drawings, one copy of which was transferred to the Admiralty, and the second - to the hull master. The latter, based on a theoretical drawing, drew out the details of the body on thick parchment in full size and handed these patterns over to the workers.

The workers' task was to plan or hew out the required part of the hull (beams, keelson, etc.) strictly according to the pattern and give the workpiece to the assemblers, who assembled the parts of the ship into a single whole. After assembling the main body kit, it had to be left for some time: the wood needed to settle and dry out. Workers then covered the ship with planks and boards inside and out.

At the beginning of the 18th century, parts of the hull were connected mainly by wooden dowels (dowels), which tended to swell in water and thereby strengthened the joints. However, by the end of the century, shipbuilders were already using nails on a large scale.

Ships ready for launch at Blackwall Dockyard

The fully assembled hull of the ship was launched into the water. After this mast work, the craftsmen installed masts on it, the ropemakers and sailmakers equipped the ship with spars and rigging, the finishers laid the decks and decorated the hull with sculptures and wood carvings, and the dyers painted the hull. Next, the ship was equipped with weapons and supplies and, finally, with the help of boats it was towed to the naval parking lot. The entire process of building a ship at the beginning of the 18th century took 2-3 years, and by the beginning of the 19th century it was reduced to one and a half to two years.

Particular attention was paid to protecting the underwater part of the ship from rotting, since this directly affected the service life of the vessel. Before copper plating of the underwater part of the hull came into use, the navy had the following methods of protecting the underwater and surface parts of a ship.

First, the underwater part of the vessel was usually coated with a mixture of resin, linseed oil and turpentine to prevent rotting of the hull and to prevent fouling. However, shellfish and other marine life actually drilled through this layer to get to the tree.

There was a second method: the bottom was covered with a mixture of fish or whale oil, sulfur and turpentine. Toxic sulfur slowed down the penetration of plankton into the wood. Due to exposure to sulfur, the wood of the bottom acquired a whitish tint. And finally, the third method: the underwater part of the ship was treated with a hot mixture of resin and tar, sometimes with the addition of sulfur.

East India Company Dockyard at Deptford

The parts of the ship located above the water were treated with a mixture of turpentine, oil, tar and ocher. Turpentine was used as a solvent for wax and resin, and ocher or tar acted as dyes. Until 1749, shipyards mainly used red ocher, but the very next year shipbuilders switched to yellow, as it was cheaper. In 1788, ocher was replaced by red lead, causing the previously yellow soundboards to become white.

The bases of decks and yards were most often painted white. For this, lead white or a mixture of lead acetate, linseed oil and berite was used. Such surface coatings prevented the hull and spar elements from cracking and rotting due to changes in temperature conditions.

In addition, the ship always had reserves of the so-called “ship's ointment” - a mixture of sulfur, lard, white lead or red lead, vegetable and fish oil and other ingredients. White ointment was considered the best ointment. It was needed to process the cleaned bottom after careening. Note that in the 18th century in Russia, copper sulfate was included in the composition for treating the bottom. Thanks to him, after 1736, the underwater part of Russian battleships was green-blue, sky blue or sea green - depending on the concentration of copper sulfate in the mixture.

Since the 1770s, plating with copper sheets came into widespread use to protect the underwater part of a ship's hull ( Copper sheathing). The first copper-clad ship was the frigate Alarm, which during testing showed a record speed of 13 knots (24 km/h). It turned out that due to oxidation when interacting with water, copper not only protects the hull well, but also makes its underwater part smoother - accordingly, the speed of the ship increases.

The use of iron nails to secure the copper sheathing was problematic at first. Iron and copper in salt water formed a galvanic couple - a kind of “battery”, the electrochemical reaction in which led to rapid rusting and destruction of nails. Because of this, ships simply lost copper plates while moving. This problem was solved only in 1768, when brass nails came into use. The steering wheel mount was also made of copper. Of course, copper plating greatly increased the cost of building ships, but the Admiralty valued the benefits of its introduction much higher.

Human factor

It should not be surprising that the “three-headed” power system existing at the shipyards provoked not only scandals and showdowns between officials, but also corruption. Corruption flourished in the Admiralty, but in the shipyards it was no less - and perhaps even greater. Just look at the “copper nails” case that flared up in 1788.

It all started with the fact that the battleship Royal George began to lose its copper plating right in the roadstead. When they began to figure out what was going on, it turned out that the caulking masters, in agreement with the port admiral, reduced the standard length of the nail by no less than seven times. In fact, parts of the ship were fastened not with nails or bolts throughout the entire thickness of the hull, but with peculiar brass buttons that barely fit into the outer plating. Naturally, with any load on the body, the copper sheets simply began to fall off.

Another 13 ships of the squadron were urgently examined. On four of them the commission found the same thing.

London Embankment near the Tower

A standard brass nail was 59% copper, another 40% zinc, plus small amounts of tin and lead. It was 76.2 mm in length and 18-25 mm in diameter. If 1.5 tons of nails were used on a standard 74-gun ship, then 4 tons of brass were stolen for a total of £336 (based on a purchase price of £84 per ton of brass). The amount was not exorbitant, but such actions endangered the ships and crews Royal Navy, so the culprits suffered severe punishment.

There are enough examples of corruption in shipyards, but they fought against it using both force and administrative measures. The fleet is the strategic force of the state - this is precisely what the Lords of the Admiralty proceeded from when making decisions on corruption cases in the Supply Department.

Literature:

Coad , Jonathan. The Royal Dockyards, 1690-1850. - Scolar Pr; 1st (scarce) edition, 1989.

Shipbuilding is one of the oldest industries in Great Britain and occupies an important place in the military-economic plans of the country's militaristic circles.

A significant role is given, first of all, to the continuous development of shipbuilding, which contributes to the further strengthening of the navy - the main instrument of the reactionary policy of the British imperialists. The command of the British Armed Forces, using the country's powerful shipbuilding base, constantly introduces modern ships armed with the latest weapons systems into its fleet.

According to foreign experts, the British economy is almost entirely dependent on the import of various types of strategic raw materials and, to a large extent, on the export of finished products to other countries. The overwhelming majority of all transportation, including military transportation, is carried out by sea. Therefore, much attention is also paid to the construction of ships for the merchant fleet.

The modern English shipbuilding industry is an integral part of the country's military-industrial potential. Its production base developed mainly during the Second World War, when it was in second place among capitalist states in terms of the volume of merchant shipbuilding and military shipbuilding.

In the late 40s - early 50s, this branch of English industry occupied a leading position in world shipbuilding, but later its share was constantly declining. Thus, over the decade, the UK’s share in the total tonnage of ships built annually in the world decreased from 10.9% in 1965 to 3.6% in 1974, although the volume of their construction in the country was approximately at the same level (1.2 -1.3 million gross-reg. tons per year).

Over the past five years, in terms of the volume of merchant shipbuilding, the UK was inferior to Japan and Sweden, and in some years to Spain. The number and tonnage of ships built in English shipyards in 1970-1974 are shown in the table.

According to foreign experts, one of the reasons for the weakening of Great Britain’s position in global shipbuilding was the lack of sufficient capital investments to ensure an increase in the level of technology and organization of production at enterprises in the industry. As a result, the country was unable to provide strong competition to other countries in terms of the cost of building ships and the timing of orders.

In the context of intense competition in the world market, inflation and the rapid rise in the cost of shipbuilding materials, the government, concerned about the declining role of the English shipbuilding industry, created a special committee in the mid-60s, which was entrusted with the task of studying the situation in the industry and developing measures to improve it competitiveness. Since 1966, based on the recommendations of this committee, measures have been taken to reorganize the shipbuilding industry. They provide for the merger of private shipbuilding and ship repair companies into large associations, the liquidation of unprofitable enterprises, the provision of financial assistance to firms from the government, an increase in government investment, and the specialization of shipyards in the construction of ships of certain types and classes. The process of restructuring the industry continues to this day. The implementation of these measures led to the concentration of production capacity, an increase in the importance of the public sector in the industry, and a change in the role of individual shipyards and firms in military shipbuilding and merchant shipbuilding.

In 1974, over 70 firms were engaged in the construction and repair of warships and merchant ships in the UK. However, foreign experts include 11 large companies and associations among the leading ones: Vickers Shipbuilding Group, Vosper Thorneycroft, Yarrow Shipbuilders, Cammell Laird Shipbuilders, Scott Lithgau Group, Soane Hunter Shipbuilders, Harland & Wolfe ", "Court Shipbuilders", "Govan Shipbuilders", "Austin & Pigersgill Group", "Robb Caledon Shipbuilders". The enterprises of these companies account for up to 90-95% of all shipbuilding and ship repair work. These enterprises employ about 70 thousand people.

According to foreign press reports, 46.7% of the shares of Harland & Wolfe, 50% of Cammell Laird Shipbuilders and 100% of Govan Shipbuilders belong to the state. The nationalization of the entire UK shipbuilding industry in 1976 is currently being discussed.

In the 60s, up to 10-11 large shipyards took part in the construction of warships, and in the 70s their number was reduced to six. In particular, the construction of ships at the shipyards of the British Admiralty ceased. Some private shipyards, previously engaged in military shipbuilding, were repurposed to build merchant ships.

In 1974, the government decided to concentrate shipbuilding at shipyards in Barrow-in-Furness (Vickers Shipbuilding Group), Southampton (Vosper Thornycroft) and Glasgow (Yarrow Shipbuilders). At the same time, the shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness will become the leading enterprise in English military shipbuilding. The construction of nuclear submarines and large surface ships is concentrated on it. Other shipyards currently building ships for the British Navy are expected to be exempt from fulfilling orders from the British Ministry of Defense.

Even before this decision was made, significant reconstruction work was carried out at these three shipyards to increase production capabilities for the construction and repair of warships. From 1967 to 1971, total capital investments for these purposes amounted to 4.47 million pounds sterling, which were directed towards the construction of covered slipways (slipways), the purchase of the latest production equipment (including special equipment for the construction of nuclear submarines), and the expansion of technical capabilities for the completion of ships afloat, the creation of metalworking shops and steel warehouses that meet the requirements of modern shipbuilding technology.

In terms of the volume of military shipbuilding, Great Britain ranks second after the United States among capitalist countries. English shipyards can build ships of all classes, including attack aircraft carriers and nuclear missile submarines. During the period from 1971 to 1975, 12 warships were built for the country's Navy, with a total displacement of more than 35 thousand tons, including four nuclear torpedo submarines, two guided missile destroyers and six frigates. According to foreign press reports, by the end of 1975, British enterprises had orders for the construction of four nuclear torpedo submarines, an anti-submarine cruiser, seven guided missile frigates, as well as patrol boats and auxiliary vessels for various purposes. In the 1975/76 financial year (beginning April 1), £386 million was allocated for naval re-equipment. A significant part of this amount is intended for the construction of these ships.

As British experts note, until recently, the cost of building a nuclear missile submarine (type) at our own shipyards amounted to 37.5 - 40.2 million pounds sterling, a nuclear torpedo submarine (type) - 35 million, a guided missile destroyer (type "Sheffield") - 23 million, frigate ("Amazon" type) - 16.8 million pounds sterling. The cost of building an anti-submarine cruiser (planned to be introduced into the fleet in 1978) is expected to be 65 million pounds sterling.

Due to financial and economic difficulties, the construction of ships for export is becoming of great importance for Great Britain. Thus, according to orders from the Navy of various states, diesel submarines, guided missile destroyers, patrol boats, and auxiliary vessels are being built at its shipyards. In terms of the volume of export orders for the construction of ships, the country occupies one of the leading places in the capitalist world.

The military sector of the modern English shipbuilding industry includes:

• British Admiralty naval shipyards;
• three private shipbuilding firms, which concentrate the country's military shipbuilding;
• other large private shipyards that build ships or have extensive experience in building them;
• small private shipyards where mainly military boats for various purposes are built.

The British Admiralty owns four naval shipyards in the cities of Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Rosyth. During the Second World War, cruisers and submarines were built at the first three shipyards, and in the post-war period - frigates and diesel submarines.

The Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth facilities currently repair, modernize, refit and maintain the nation's Navy ships and support vessels. They have at their disposal a variety of ship-lifting facilities (37 dry and five floating Docks, as well as other equipment), which allow them to carry out dock repairs of ships of all classes.

The Rosyth shipyard carries out major repairs and recharges of the nuclear reactor cores of the British fleet's nuclear missile submarines. In addition, the Admiralty operates three dry repair docks at Gibraltar Naval Base.

Vickers Shipbuilding Group is a branch of one of the UK's largest monopoly associations, whose activities are largely related to the development and production of modern weapons systems. In 1972, this association ranked 74th among English monopolies in terms of capital turnover.

The company's shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness is a leading British naval shipbuilding enterprise, specializing primarily in the construction of nuclear submarines and large surface ships. It also has a test pool in St Albans (Hertfordshire).

In the 70s, a significant reconstruction of this enterprise was carried out. Currently, it has five slipways ranging from 130 to 327 m in length. Production equipment allows the construction of ships of all classes and merchant ships with a carrying capacity of up to 150 thousand tons. The number of employees is over 8 thousand people. There is a design bureau at the shipyard.

According to the foreign press, at the end of 1975, four nuclear torpedo submarines (Superb, Sceptre, Spartak and Severn), the anti-submarine cruiser Invincible, and the guided missile destroyer Cardiff were being built in Barrow-in-Furness "for its own fleet, as well as for export - four diesel submarines (one for the Brazilian Navy, three for the Israeli Navy) and a guided missile destroyer (for the Argentine Navy). Submarines of the type (with a surface displacement of 2000 tons) are being built for Brazil, and for Israel - submarines of Project 206 (420 tons), developed by the Vickers company together with the West German company IKL. From 1963 to 1975, the shipyard built two nuclear-powered missile submarines and seven nuclear-powered torpedo submarines for the British Navy and two diesel submarines for the Brazilian Navy.

"Vosper Thornycroft" belongs to the large English company David Brown Corporation, which in terms of capital turnover in 1972 was one of the 150 largest English monopolies. The company is engaged in the design and construction of guided missile destroyers, frigates, mine-sweeping ships, military boats, as well as the repair and modernization of merchant ships and warships, the production of various ship equipment, including pitch stabilizers and steering devices.

The company's shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, which employ over 5 thousand people, are located in Southampton and Portsmouth. Southampton is home to the company's largest shipyard (Walston Yard) and a powerful ship repair complex. In the 70s, it was reconstructed: three covered slipways were built, two of them 137 m long and one 45 m long. Now it has four slipways. As evidenced by foreign press, in 1974-1975 it built two Amazon-class frigates for the British Navy. At the end of 1975, the frigate Active for the British Navy and four guided missile destroyers of the Niteroi type for the Brazilian Navy were under construction (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Construction of Niteroi-class destroyers at the Vosper Thorneycroft shipyard in Southampton

The ship repair complex includes three dry repair docks and two slips with a lifting capacity of up to 1,500 tons. The dry dock, accommodating ships up to 350 m in length, is the largest repair dock in the country.

The construction of small displacement ships (mine sweeping ships, patrol boats and hovercraft) is concentrated in Portsmouth. Production equipment includes stocks up to 60 m long and slips with a lifting capacity of up to 400 tons. In 1974, the country's first minesweeper with a plastic hull was built here. According to foreign press reports, Vosper Thornycroft is currently negotiating the construction of a series of mine-sweeping ships of a new design with a hull made of reinforced plastic.

Jarrow Shipbuilders, part of the independent private company Yarrow, owns a large shipyard in Glasgow. It is mainly engaged in military shipbuilding and the manufacture of ship boilers. The company carries out large military orders for the British Navy and other countries. Production capacities allow the construction of ships and vessels up to 160 m in length. The number of employees is about 5 thousand people.

According to the plans of the British military leadership, the shipyard in Glasgow is planned to be used mainly for the construction of destroyers and frigates. According to the British press, in 1974 it completed the construction of two frigates for the Navy, and in 1975 - two auxiliary ships for the Embassade frigate for the national Navy. At the end of 1975, it had orders for the construction of six frigates for the British fleet, including four Amazon-class and two Broadsward-class. In 1975, negotiations were underway with Ecuador for a contract (worth £50 million) for the construction of two frigates of the class and with Greece for the construction of two Amazon-class frigates (worth £60 million).

"Cammell Laird Shipbuilders"(the number of employees is about 6 thousand people) belongs to the Laird Group association. The company owns one of the country's largest shipyards in Birkenhead, where large surface ships, nuclear submarines and merchant ships with a carrying capacity of up to 125 thousand tons can be built. The shipyard is currently being reconstructed, during which the stocks and hull shop are being refurbished, and a production line is being created for assembly of ship structures, the latest production equipment (including computer-controlled machines) and more powerful crane equipment are installed.

In the post-war period, the shipyard played an important role in military shipbuilding. In particular, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal (1955), two nuclear-powered missile submarines and one nuclear-powered torpedo submarine were built on it. At the end of 1975, two Sheffield-class guided missile destroyers (Birmingham, Coventry) were under construction. This shipyard becomes the leading enterprise in the industry in question for the construction of tankers.

Scott Lithgau Group unites several shipbuilding and ship repair companies with enterprises in the area of ​​Greenock, Glasgow, Port Glasgow, as well as a ship engine plant in Greenock.

The Scott Shipbuilding shipyard in Greenock is engaged in military shipbuilding. It has seven slipways up to 213 m long. Ships with a carrying capacity of up to 50 thousand tons, surface ships and diesel submarines can be built on it. The shipyard carries out orders for the construction of Oberon-class submarines for the navies of foreign countries. In particular, in 1974, the construction of two submarines for the Chilean Navy was completed, and as of the end of 1975, two submarines were under construction for.

Swan Hunter Shipbuilders is part of the large private association Swan Hunter Group. The company has large shipbuilding and ship repair yards in Newcastle upon Tyne (Walksend Shipyard), Wallsend (Wallsend Shipyard), Hebburn (Hebburn Shipyard), South Shields (Redhead Yard, South Shields Shipyard), Bellingham (Haverton Hill Shipyard). The most significant production capacities are located at the shipyards in Newcastle upon Tyne and Wallsend, where large-tonnage and large-displacement ships can be built.

The company's management plans to spend £12 million on modernizing its shipyards. In particular, the modernization program provides for the creation of a large shipbuilding complex in Hebburn on the basis of the existing 280 m long dock, the installation of two cranes with a lifting capacity of 180 tons at the Wallsend Shipyard shipyard, and the construction of a repair wall at the Redhead Yard shipyard for ships with a lifting capacity of 30 thousand. T.

The Wallsend Shipyard is also involved in military shipbuilding. As the foreign press testifies, at the end of 1975, it was building two Sheffield-class guided missile destroyers (Newcastle and Glasgow) for its own fleet and a tanker for the Iranian Navy. Warships can also be built at Walker Shipyard and Hebburn Shipyard.

Harland & Wolfe Firm owns the UK's largest shipyard in Belfast (Northern Ireland), which has extensive experience in military shipbuilding. During the Second World War, aircraft carriers were built on it, and after its end - destroyers and frigates. Currently, it only builds merchant ships. The shipyard has four slipways up to 300 m long and a dock in which tankers with a carrying capacity of up to 1 million tons can be built. The shipyard is currently being modernized, the cost of which will be 35 million pounds sterling.

Other large associations (Austin and Pickersgill Group, Govan Shipbuilders, Court Shipbuilders) carry out orders for the construction of merchant ships only.

Some English shipbuilding firms build military boats for various purposes for the British Navy and other countries. These include Brooke Marine (at Lowestoft), James Lamont and Sons (at Port Glasgow), Ailsa Shipbuilding Company (at Troon), Richard Dunston (at Hull), etc.

Thus, despite the reduction in the share of the British shipbuilding industry in world shipbuilding, this industry has large production capacities, and its capabilities in the construction of warships and experience in military shipbuilding are second only to the United States.

In recent days, two “wake-up calls” have been received from British shipbuilders. Recently, Princess Yachts became involved in a serious lawsuit regarding major fraud. And now Fairline has announced massive job cuts.

Fairline has been losing money for the past few years. In 2011, it became the property of British banker and businessman John Moulton, who owns the investment fund Better Capital and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Moulton made a serious investment in the company, and expected to become profitable within two years, but his assets did not justify themselves. In 2015 alone, the businessman invested £11 million in the development of Fairline, but there were no results and Moulton began the sale process.

In October 2015, the company was taken over by Wessex Bristol, an investment corporation based in Somerset. Wessex Bristol also owns Fletcher Boats, a shipyard specializing in sports yachts. This is the fifth owner of Fairline in the last few years.

In the fall of 2015, the shipyard had already carried out a number of serious layoffs. But it was recently announced that Fairline was forced to cut a further 450 jobs due to financial problems. The situation is so dire that the company has been unable to make payments to the pension fund for the past three months. At the moment, it is possible to leave jobs only to those employees who are leading ongoing projects. In this regard, the shipyard's production volumes will be sharply reduced.

Since we are talking about the survival of the company, there is no need to talk about new projects and the development of other divisions. This is sad because Fairline has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to boat design innovation. The shipyard's history goes back 52 years, and the company's main problems began in the last 10 years. The overall dismal state of the British private shipbuilding industry suggests that it is time for something to change. These luxurious, expensive yachts with a stylish design no longer seem to be able to withstand competition in the yachting world, where new technologies have long ruled and possibilities have gone to the brink of fantasy.

The UK Ministry of Defense has announced radical changes in the technology of building ships for the Royal Navy.

Proposals made by industrialist Sir John Parker in his 2016 review of the shipbuilding sector were supported by Defense Secretary Sir Michael Fallon. Their goal was to make the ships being built for the Royal Navy attractive to foreign buyers.

Previously, the UK also followed the path of searching for innovative technical solutions in the construction of both surface and submarine ships for the Navy. Such innovations were of significant interest to the fleets of foreign countries. Thus, on the Trafalgar-class nuclear submarine, the propeller was replaced by a water-jet propulsion unit, which allowed for a sharp reduction in the noise of the submarine. This innovation was borrowed and applied on the US Navy's Seawolf-class multi-purpose nuclear submarines and the Borei-class nuclear submarines, as well as on diesel-class submarines in the Russian Navy.

Britain will buy five Project 31 multi-role frigates, ships built on slashed budgets, to bolster its ailing fleet, according to the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Commissioning of the first frigate is scheduled for 2023.

Such methods involved forming giant blocks at various British shipyards and then towing them to Rosyth in Scotland, where they were assembled to form the hull of a ship with a displacement of 65 thousand tons by BAE Systems, Babcock and Thales, collaborating with the Ministry of Defense.

Rice. 1. Britain's new aircraft carriers are being built using the block method. View of one of the blocks before docking and installation in Rosyth.

Support for his recommendations will threaten BAE's virtual monopoly on the construction of ships for the Navy, opening the market for other companies, and therefore concerns are expressed about the preservation of jobs at the largest shipbuilding shipyard, the main facilities of which are concentrated in Glasgow on the river. Clyde.

In announcing its plans, the UK Ministry of Defense announced a £250 million commitment to build each ship, revealing in its latest report that the Government would only order eight Project 26 frigates and a further number of Project 31 frigates.

Project 26 frigates are more powerful warships than Project 31 frigates, but their price is much higher.

Fig.2. The Project 26 frigate is a more advanced combat unit than the Project 31 frigate, but also more expensive.

A key point in Sir John's report is the construction of ships of interest to foreign buyers, thereby financing English shipbuilders.

Another recommendation was to change the approach to replacing ships after their service life expired. The Ministry of Defense was asked to immediately purchase new ships, rather than extend the service life of outdated ships with expensive overhauls, since this gives rise to doubts among shipbuilding companies about the receipt of new orders with all the ensuing consequences.

The maximum cost of one frigate was determined to be 250 million pounds sterling, since, according to experts, this is the optimal price for attracting export orders.

Some defense commentators question the utility of building "low-cost" ships and believe that, lacking the powerful weapons systems and expensive equipment installed on similar ships from other countries, they will become floating targets on the battlefield.

The UK Defense Secretary has announced a "rebirth" of British sea power with significant overseas investment.

But with the budget severely slashed, partly spent on new aircraft carriers and replacement Trident missiles, will there be funds left for investment in key areas of shipbuilding?

The first of a new generation of aircraft carriers was successfully delivered a few months after the British Secretary of Defense announced a program for the revival of the British Navy. In September 2017, the Secretary of Defense unveiled a new National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), which focuses on the construction of a new class of Project 31 frigates, which should enter service by 2023. This program was a response to the fundamental changes in the system proposals and recommendations formulated by Sir John Parker in his independent review of the UK shipbuilding situation. These recommendations addressed the financing of shipyards, the growth of regional economies and the shipbuilding equipment supply chain as a whole.

The UK shipbuilding industry is a developed industry employing approximately 6,800 companies and employing up to 11 thousand people, contributing up to £13 billion to the national economy annually, of which 15% is contributed directly by the shipbuilding and ship repair sector. However, while the UK remains the largest exporter of ship systems and equipment, there is an almost complete monopoly in naval shipbuilding, as John Parker noted in his review.

BAE Systems' Govan and Scotstoun shipyards in Glasgow are the only UK shipyards currently designing, building and delivering high-tech, state-of-the-art ships for the Navy. This exclusive position is granted to the shipyards under the terms of an agreement between BAE Systems and the Ministry of Defense.

According to Parker, there has been significant progress in shipbuilding everywhere, with various shipbuilding companies competing successfully in various markets, such as the conversion and construction of ships and offshore platforms, ship repair, the construction of wind farms, and other engineering projects. According to Parker, competition in the field of shipbuilding, for all the merits of BAE Systems, which no one wants to belittle, will also help by lowering prices and improving product quality.

Competition and division of labor

Regarding Project 31 frigates, the Government appears to have accepted his recommendations. The plan is to order at least five of the new frigates, with construction work split between various UK shipyards, with final assembly at a central location, using the same block construction method used to build the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. In the future, a similar approach is believed to be used in the construction of ships of other projects and classes. All ships for the British Navy will be built according to British designs and only in British shipyards, but tenders for their construction will be as open as possible to create competitive conditions. The maximum possible amount of British-designed military equipment will be purchased, and all critical systems will also be produced locally.

Uncertain future

Although it appears that all necessary measures have been taken to revive the British shipbuilding industry, the cost-cutting pressures associated with recent significant expenditure on the acquisition of new ships cast doubt on whether the construction of five low-cost Project 31 frigates can mark the beginning of such a revival.

According to experts, the National Shipbuilding Strategy program sets strict time and cost limits that will force companies participating in the supply of ships under this program to work in a more innovative manner. However, many critics call Project 31 frigates only a slightly improved version of the coastal patrol ship and, in the light of such opinions, only the interest of the world arms market in this ship can become a decisive factor in the development of British shipbuilding.

Maintaining positive dynamics

Even if the Project 31 frigates gain acceptance in the international arms market, maintaining the positive momentum needed to revive British shipbuilding will require significant investment, winning new orders and building large ships in British shipyards in the near future.

The problem is that, with the exception of high-tech warships that can only be built in British shipyards, British shipbuilders will have to compete with foreign competitors who have advantages in scale and labor costs. It is critical to the development of the UK fleet that UK companies do not try to secure greater profits by taking orders from the fleet, otherwise the shipbuilding industry could fall back into a state of stagnation, with ships of reduced specification being built at inflated prices.

Building just five new frigates will not revive the UK shipbuilding industry. But if the large ships planned for commissioning, starting with the large and high-tech MARS supply vessels, were also built from completely pre-assembled units in the UK, this could greatly contribute to the recovery of the British shipbuilding industry.

If as a child you read nautical adventure novels, dreamed of sailboats and Captain Nemo's submarine, or dreamed of the glory of famous naval commanders, you should definitely visit the shipyard in Chatham, just 30 miles from London.

For more than 400 years it was the most important center of military shipbuilding in the country. Between 1579 and 1984, more than 400 military vessels left its slipways. Today it is the best preserved shipyard from the age of sail in the world and an absolutely fantastic museum.

The first building you enter, because the museum's ticket office is located here, is a former mast-making workshop built in the mid-18th century. This is where they were kept. The length of some of them reached 27 meters. The material for future masts came from a nearby mast pond, where the mighty spruce trunks were soaked for several years before being used.

When you enter the museum square, the first thing you will probably notice is the beautiful sloop with the flying name “Cormorant” ( HMS Gannet). It was launched in 1878 in Shirnes, located 16 kilometers downstream of the Medway River. This is a ship of the transitional period: it has a wooden keel with a metal frame, and it could sail not only under sail, but also using a steam engine if necessary.

"Actions, not words." HMS Gannet (1878) © Anastasia Sakharova

Next to the graceful 19th-century sailing ship in dry dock number 3, the submarine Ocelot, one of 57 submarines launched at Chatham between 1908 and 1966, soars like a strange bird and surveys the surrounding area through its periscope.

Submarine "Ocelot" (1962) © Anastasia Sakharova

During the Cold War, she served in the waters of the Arctic, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Baltic seas, and now serves as entertainment for non-claustrophobic tourists. A 30-minute tour of her womb leaves an absolutely indelible impression.

Submarine "Ocelot" © Anastasia Sakharova

I was horrified to learn that there were no showers on board, even a sink was found in only one of the latrines! It is not surprising that submariners wore trousers, turning them weekly, first on one side, then on the other, and checked the cleanliness of their socks by throwing them against the wall - if they stuck, it’s time to wash them, if not, you can continue to wear them. The last captain of the submarine, in order to earn a larger pension, once went sailing for a whole year. I guess the socks and pants didn't make it back to the port. By the way, only with him on board instead of one of the latrines was a fire extinguisher installed. And this despite the fact that smoking was allowed!

A destroyer proudly rises next to the Ocelot HMS Cavalier, launched in 1944. In 1759-65, the famous ship Victoria was built in the dock he now occupied, on which Admiral Nelson won the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Did you know that in English the wardroom is denoted by the same word as disorder, confusion, confusion - mess. I wonder why?

There are more than a hundred buildings and structures on the territory of the Chatham Shipyard, but one of them is a real masterpiece of architecture, under the arches of which I literally “stole my breath from my throat” with admiration.

It's just a covered slipway, but how beautiful it is! And under its amazing wooden arches, a collection of a wide variety of equipment is displayed - from drilling machines and tractors to pontoons and rescue boats.

Another completely unforgettable experience is a tour of the rope factory. Its building was at one time considered the longest brick building in Europe. The fact is that, according to the regulations of the maritime department, the length of the anchor rope had to be 300 meters; When twisting, inevitable “shrinkage” occurs, so the length of the rope workshop is 46 meters longer. Just imagine: the total length of the rigging of Nelson's Victoria was 50 kilometers!

Until 1836 the process was entirely manual. More than 200 workers were required to create a 20-inch rope. First, the hemp was ruffled on a kind of comb, then they were spun into threads; To prevent rotting, these threads were then resinized.

Afterwards, these threads were twisted in threes into the so-called. strands or strands, which in turn formed cables, and from several twisted cables ropes were obtained. At the second stage, i.e. when twisting a strand, a thread of a certain color was woven into it - each shipyard had its own. In the event of an emergency, the shipowner always knew who to blame for the losses.

By the way, during an absolutely wonderful tour of this rope-twisting factory that continues to this day, I was lucky enough to take part in the creation of several meters of a man-made hemp miracle. And get a piece as a souvenir.

I must admit, we spent the whole day in Chatham, and managed to explore, at best, half of its treasures. However, we will be happy to return, especially since the entrance tickets are valid for the whole year.