Minor Powers' Navies. Do you know that...

[Nightbomber]

I am not a man of the sea. Not at all. Some of you mates may have already recognized my love for aircraft.
But being a member of the finest Community at WoG.org and a humble founder of this site I could not resist my desire to get the SoG Starter Set and ...some expansions...To go farther down that lane I had to start reading and expanding my knowledge about the Age of Sail and all things Navy.
I have found it fascinating.
As my country has not got a "marine" tradition comparable to most of your countries' navies (however we are proud of some moments of glory and historical achievements of our Navy in the past) I would like to start a thread about minor powers' histories of their wars at seas.
It may also be interesting - I hope so - for you, whose countries ruled or rule the waves:)
Whoever from "minor powers" has interesting facts, data, stories (funny stories included) to told - share them with the rest of us.
I know not every story is or would be from Napoleonic Era, but since ARES goal is to broaden their offer, we can stick to the Age of Sail in general.

Let me start with my story.

I visited famous VASA museum in Stockholm in 1991. It's a great, amazing place and a very unique museum, where the famous ship lifted from the bottom of the Baltic Sea is displayed after restoration.

For those who do not know that click:
http://www.vasamuseet.se/en/

From the site:
Vasa was not the largest ship built in this period, nor did she have the most cannon. What made her perhaps the most powerful warship in the world up to that time was her broadside, the combined weight of the shot that could be fired from one side of the ship, more than 300 kg in all. A truly fearsome machine of war!
Armament
64 bronze cannon:
24-pounder – 48
3-pounder – 8
1-pounder – 2
Stormstycken – 6 (of three different sizes)

This dreadful ship never took part in any combat. She sank on her maiden trip right after leaving the dock.
People gathered for the celebration got shocked seeing the disaster.

What makes the whole event interesting? The reason for the tragedy was unknown. But that was the time of war. Sweden was the superpower, struggling for domination over the Baltic Sea. Dominium Maris Baltici was her goal. But who stood fast on the other side of the Baltic Sea those days? Who Sweden was fighting, and gathering her forces. Another mighty power of the XVII century continent. My country, The Republic of Poland and Lithuania, united. While our land forces kept Swedes at bay in twenties, their Navy was a real danger.
However, we tried harder on the sea as well!
A year before the Vasa tragedy, in 1627 our Navy won a great sea battle at Oliwa, near Gdańsk. Loosing only 47 sailors, Poles managed to sink 1 warship and capturing another, causing losses of 350 men on the other side.
What a battle it was!



So VASA was constructed as a hammer for the Poles. It would have had wrecked havoc on our fleet.
But she sank...

Now to the topic:
There is a special room in the museum where different theories of the tragedy reasons are displayed and debated.
One of them, really taken into account by Swedish authorities those days was that Polish Marine Commandos were sent to Sweden and damaged the warship causing it to sink! It was never confirmed by anybody and there is no trace of that theory in my country, but doesn't it sound interesting?

Now let's have a drink to good old days

[David Manley]

I visited the Vasa Museum last week. A wonderful place. In fact the cause of the sinking is well known. The design of the ship was severely compromised as it developed, leading to a ship as built that was only marginally stable whilst alongside. In fact a stability test shortly before she sailed was stopped because there wax a real fear that she would capsize.

[csadn]

Explanation of "stormstycken" ["assault guns"] -- in essence, short-range-only anti-personnel and anti-rigging guns:

http://books.google.com/books?id=LTY...tycken&f=false

[7eat51]

Andrzej, I know this is from a different time period, but it is a recent acquisition for my library. If you ever want me to look something up for you, just say the word.

[Nightbomber]

Seems interesting, Eric. I have never heard about that book before. 1918-45 was a very short period, but surprisingly we managed to build a good maritime tradition against all odds.

Now I look for books that could broaden my knowledge about AoS era, for I am a complete newbie in the matter. Hope to find something about XVII-XVIII century sea battles on the Baltic sea...If you could find such a book, please let me know.

[David Manley]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ORP_B%C5%82yskawica

Have you visited the Blyskawika in Gdynia? One of the best museum ships that I have visited around the world.

[Nightbomber]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ORP_B%C5%82yskawica

Have you visited the Blyskawika in Gdynia? One of the best museum ships that I have visited around the world.

I have, David, when I was 7 or 8 years old:) Do not remember much, shame on me I have not been there for the second time! Błyskawica (Lightning) is truly an awesome warship!