Paths of Glory

If you were an ambitious young blade on the make in the 18th century, you could do worse than serve on a Royal Navy frigate. These nimble warships had the task of ‘cruising’ for enemy vessels and were spared the boredom of blockade duty that the crews of bigger battle line ships endured. The main attraction of serving on a frigate was the Navy’s prize system, recognised by the state as a considerable motivating factor. One captain, Henry Digby, in a remarkable two-year spell between 1797 and 1799, captured more than 50 vessels, including a pair of Spanish treasure ships.