u/Travyswole

Formed in 1808, the Royal Navys infamous West Africa Squadron was tasked with fighting the Transatlantic Slave Trade. It was a noble cause but unfortunately not taken very seriously and I'll equipped. Most of the ships were well past their lifespan and rotting. The Squadron frequently relied on captured slave ships including the infamous Black Joke to hunt down the often faster and sometimes better armed slave ships. This is my own hypothetical story of how Vice-Admiral Sir Hurst designed, and led his own West Africa Squadron with powerful vessels built to withstand the brutality of the western coast of Africa. Most ships of this age were built of oak, which although tried and true is not made to last in this climate and would rot quickly. I have designed three classes of warships precisely for the west African Squadron in my alternate history scenario. 

PINGU-CLASS  "SUPER" Third Rate Ship of The Line

187 FEET LONG

52 FOOT BEAM

2100-2500 TONNES

Built of Malabar teak by the Waida master shipbuilding family at the Bombay dockyard roughly 1817-1825. She'd be built frame-on-frame and be built as a three decker but only the lower and middle gun deck would carry full armament. along with her frame-on-frame construction, she'd feature a rounded stern much like HMS ASIA (1824) but with only four narrow and spaced windows on each level. This vessel would feature doubled diagonal support beams as well as iron knees. Unlike traditional ships of the line, she'd feature an entirely flush weather deck..  or spar deck. She'd of course be copper bottomed, thus making her structure nearly rot proof. Featuring a sharp bow and tapering at the stern below the waterline, she'd be quicker than most third-rates. Her lowest gun deck would carry 30x32lb long guns. The middle gun deck would carry 28x24lb long guns. The upper gun will only feature 4x18lb brass long chase guns. The rest of this deck is left unarmed for more space for any freed slaves to hang hammocks, eat and gather together. The air is fresher here than on the lower gun decks, orlop deck or hold. Her flush spar deck would feature 4x68lb smasher carronades... two on the forecastle and two near the stern. She'd also carry 16x32lb carronades in between the four 68lb carronades. All three masts will carry royals and her massive spanker gaff and boom would be hoisted upon a designated spencer or trysail mast, thus freeing up her mizzen mast. Five ships boats will be carried with three being suspended from davits... one on each aft side near the quarter galleries and the long whale boat at the stern. The other two would be lashed over the gratings in between the fore and main mast on the spar deck. HMS PINGU would be my flagship from which I'd conduct my operations. 

Joining HMS PINGU will be 5 Robby-class heavy frigates and 10 Pinga-Class brig sloops. 

Robby-class: 180 feet in length 

46 foot beam

950-1200 tonnes

Also built by the Waida family at the Bombay dockyard and featuring the exact same teak frame-on-frame construction, rounded stern and doubled diagonal support beams and iron knees, albeit slightly smaller than HMS Pingu They'd also feature sharp bows and tapering aft near the rudder below the waterline. These flush spar deck frigates (like USS constitution and president, although made of frame-on-frame teak rather than live oak harvested with slave labor) with rounded sterns) would carry a main battery of 30x24lb long guns on her main gundeck. on her spar deck would be four 18lb brass long chase with a bore to allow them to fire 24lb shot (thank you William Bainbridge for this idea) and 30x32lb carronades. they'd be copper bottomed and would also carry royals on all three masts and feature the spencer mast for the spanker

Pinga-Class brig sloop

118 feet in length 

43 foot beam

500ish tonnes and also built by the Waida family of teak with the frame-on-frame construction but feature an elegant but more commonly seen stern for a brig sloop of the time. These hunter killers would be a match for the smaller but faster clipper slave ships. They'd carry 16x32lb carronades and 4x18lb brass chase guns. They'd also be copper bottomed and feature the royals on the fore and main mast. the spanker would again be suspended from a designated spencer or snow mast. 

Once the fleet is fully fitted out, we shall set sail for the west coast of Africa. Upon reaching the coast, a Pinga-Class brig-sloop will be dispatched to sail along the coast and deliver copies of my letter to every slave trading port and village alike. It'll read as follows:

"​PROCLAMATION

​TO ALL THOSE who dare persist or participate in the illegal, heinous, and inhuman Traffic of Human Souls along this Coast:

​BE IT KNOWN that you shall be afforded but one opportunity for Mercy and a Fair Trial under the Laws of the Realm. If any said Party shall presume to fire even so much as a single Musket against any Vessel bearing His Britannic Majesty’s Colours, all Claim to Clemency is instantly forfeited; and upon their Capture, such Pirates shall face immediate Execution by hanging from the Yard-arm.

​FURTHERMORE, a generous Bounty and Reward shall be paid in Gold to any Person or Persons who actively provide Intelligence revealing the Location or Movement of any Slave-carrying Vessel, regardless of its Flag or Nation of Origin.

​Given under my hand, on board His Majesty’s Ship Pingu,

​Your Humble Servant in service of His Majesty the King,

​VICE-ADMIRAL SIR HURST, G.C.B.

Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty’s West African Squadron"

Should also note: if the slavers immediately surrender and relinquish their illegal cargo, they'll be spared the noose and face a trial at Freetown. However, if they fire upon any of my vessels they'll automatically be considered pirates (historically plausible) and this Clemency is forfeited. In real life, many of these slaver crews were repeating offenders because the court refused to sentence and thus the Squadron was forced to release them.

Upon reaching the coast, the Squadron will split as follows: HMS Pingu (flagship) and 2-3 Robby-class heavy frigates and a single Pinga-Class brig sloop for dispatch duty will sail and participate in blockade duty at the major slave loading ports. The remaining 2-3 Robby-class heavy frigates and 9 Pinga-Class brig sloops will patrol the entire western coast of Africa intercepting any slavers they can find. 

Many nations will be upset, especially the United States and to that I'd send this letter: 

"​TO HIS EXCELLENCY, THE ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY AND MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

​SIR,

​I am given to understand that the halls of your Congress in Washington echo with accusations of lawlessness against my character, and that certain factions within your United States presume to brand me a "Pirate King" for the actions of the Squadron under my command. I feel it necessary, therefore, to address your Excellency directly, so that the true nature of our operations along this Coast may be understood clearly, without the distortion of political theatre.

​Your merchants and politicians cry out that American-flagged vessels have been boarded, their human cargo liberated, and their captains hung from the yard-arm. Let me assure you, Sir, that this justice is dealt with absolute, unyielding indifference to nationality. I act indiscriminately. Those who trade in human flesh under the stars and stripes receive no harsher fate than those who dare hoist the colours of Portugal, France, Spain, or any other nation. The law of nature and of God recognizes no neutral flag when it comes to the bondage of Mankind.

​I act not out of singular malice, nor solely out of my own private interests, but as a direct instrument of the orders entrusted to me, and as an unbending hand of Justice.

​Let it be known to the citizens of your Republic that I bear no ill will whatsoever toward the American people, nor do I wish any conflict with your nation. My enmity belongs solely and entirely to the vile individuals who enslave other human beings, regardless of the flag they hide behind. To those who persist in this heinous traffic, my policy remains absolute: surrender your human cargo to the protection of my flag, or choose the noose.

​I have the honour to be, Sir, your Excellency’s most obedient, humble servant,

​VICE-ADMIRAL SIR HURST, G.C.B.

Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty’s West African Squadron"

It's hypothetical and perhaps far fetched but I wanted to share my thoughts regardless. thank you to anyone who read my austic rambling 😄

Hi! Greetings from across the pond! I hope this is allowed here, feel free to remove if not. I'm a lifelong history fan and have always been fascinated with the Royal Navy, especially during the Nelsonian period and have many heros including Nelson himself, but also George Cockburn, Edward Pellew and Nelson's second in command at Trafalgar; Cuthbert Collingwood. I have put so much research and effort into this reproduction uniform and wanted to share it with members of the finest Navy to ever sail the seas. My father and I are visiting Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in roughly two years and have received the official green light to wear this fine uniform upon my visit, I'll obviously leave the sword at home 😄