By 1788 Sweden was in decline as the major power in the Baltic; nevertheless her navy was still a significant force to be reckoned with. Her main attack group, the High Seas Fleet, was composed of relatively new, well-designed ships of the line, frigates, and support vessels which could meet a foe in the open ocean or take advantage of their smaller drafts in shallower waters. She also maintained a large inshore fleet composed of galleys and gunboats. Both fleets were principally designed by Admiral F.H. af Chapman, a brilliant naval architect, and the son of English parents who had settled in Sweden. Due to the fact that the inshore section of the navy, the "Armens Flottan," or Army Fleet is covered in many other sources, this article will cover only the High Seas Fleet.

Like most navies the Royal Swedish Navy used the ranks of admiral, vice-admiral, and rear admiral for its flag officers, but between 1771 and 1814 used military ranks for its other officers. A colonel (verste) was equal to the naval rank of captain. A lieutenant-colonel (versteljtnant) was equal to commander. A major (major) was equal to a lieutenant-commander. A captain (kapten) was equal to a lieutenant. A lieutenant (ljtnant) was equal to a lieutenant junior grade.

Enlisted sailors were either recruited with bounties or conscripted from the "indelta" or national service system. Marines were recruited to serve both as cannoneers on ships and in the traditional military role of marines. There were two regiments of marines. Marines serving in the High Seas Fleet were part of the rlogsflottan Volontr Regementet. Officers for both the marine regiments were drawn from the Royal Swedish Army. Based on various sources, it seems likely that the High Seas Fleet consisted of around 20,000 of ficers, sailors and marines in 1788.

The main bases for the Royal Swedish Navy were at Carlskrona, on the southern coast, Stockholm, on the eastem coast, and Gothenburg on the westem coast.

RATING THE ROYAL SWEDISH NAVY FOR WARGAMES

Sweden's main enemy during this period was Russia. Denmark was also allied with Russia, against Sweden, in 1788. England could have been a real enemy during the periods Sweden was a member of the Armed Neutrality of the North. I would rate the R.S.N. the same as Russia and Denmark for gunnery; giving them a 1.0 against each other. If the Swedes were to fight England I would give the R.S.N. a gunnery rating of .45 to England's 1.0. That's because the Russians averaged out to .45 when they fought the Brits, and the Swedes were pretty even with Russia in the gunnery department. The Russians generally had larger ships, but the Swedes probably could throw more weight. When one figures the broadside weight of a Swedish 62 gun ship of the line (using the ball weight table on page 6 of the Courier # 61) against what I would guesstimate a Russian 74 gunner would have the Swedes have a slightly larger broadside. I would also rate Swedish boarding capability the same as the Danes and Russians, but Swedish morale would not be as good as the Danes and Russians, since they tended to surrender their ships after sustaining far less damage and casualties than the Danes or Russians.

FLAGS

From the Seventeenth Century until 1814 the naval ensign of the Royal Swedish Navy was the same as it is today, a yellow cross on a medium-blue field. In 1814, after Sweden acquired Norway the naval ensign changed in the following way: the field was now dark-blue, the cross was still yellow, but the upper-left canton of the flag was red with a white cross of St. Andrew. This served as the naval ensign of Sweden and Norway until 1905. In the days of sailing ships the ensign was always flown from the peak (on the mizzen mast) or on a staff by the aft rail. At least from 1788 until 1814 the commissioning pennant, the very long, narrow pennant always seen flying from the top of the main mast on naval sailing vessels, was simply a pennant, with a swallow-tail end, evenly divided medium-blue over yellow. After unification with Norway, this changed to the following: evenly divided yellow over dark blue, with a smaller version of the new naval ensign's canton covering the first one-eighth of the yellow portion of the pennant.

1/1200 MODEL SHIPS

Triton makes a nice model of the 74-gun ship which was called the Prins Adolf Frederik in the old Modelers mart catalog. Its stock number was TRNS120. The package my model came in did not have a name on it, only the model number. The problem was that there never was such a ship. The Konung Adolf Frederik was a 70-gun ship built in 1775. The only Chapman designed 74 to be built was the Konung Gustaf IV Adolf of 1799. My guess is that it is a model of the Konung Gustaf IV Adolf, since it has 16 small guns on the spar deck and measures about 45.5mm, which translates to 179 English feet, which was the measurement of that ship's deck. Triton also makes a Bellona class heavy frigate of 40 guns. There is no ambiguity about it. Using several models of these two ships would suffice to make up a good representation of the main elements of the High Seas Fleet.

Rod Langton, of Langton Miniatures, has informed me that he intends offering models of Swedish warships sometime down the road.

ORDER OF BATTLE OF THE ROYAL SWEDISH NAVY'S HIGH SEAS FLEET 1788

one 74 gun
seven 70 gun
14 62 gun
two 60 gun
one 56 gun
10 40 gun
two 32 gun
two 24 gun
one 22 gun
one 18 gun
16 miscellaneous craft

All these are accounted for. The following are not accounted for but may have been old vessals confined to harbor defense:

two 74 gun
two 62 gun
one 56 gun

NAVAL AND MARINE UNIFORMS

Admirals (1810-1815):

Hat: Black bicorne
Coat: Single breasted dark blue, long skirted with white skirt lining
Collar: Dark blue standing collar
Cuffs: Dark blue Swedish cuffs
Embroidery: Gold on cuff pocket flaps, jacket front, lower sleeves, and collar
Breeches: Dark blue

Flag and Deck Officers (1779-1793):

Hat: Top hat turned up on the left side, held by a gold loop and button with a yellow over light blue plume
Coat: Close fitting, short skirted dark blue
Collar: Dark blue for deck officers, black for ships architects
Lapels: Dark blue turned back, each with 17 gold buttons
Epaulettes: Gold fringed
Breeches: Dark blue with gold thigh knots
Boots: Short
Waist Sash: Light blue over yellow
Armband: White, tied on upper left arm. Worn to commemorate the 1772 coup d'etat of Gustaf III when his collaborating officers wore similar bands

Officers (1793-1815):

Hat: Top hat turned up on the left side, held by a gold loop and button with a yellow over light blue plume
Sailor's 1792-1793 Hat: Black top hat
Coat: Dark blue, long tailed, double breasted
Collar and cuffs: Dark blue lined white
Buttons: Gold
Epaulettes: Gold
Breeches: White
Knee Breeches: Blue with white stockings or grey pantaloons

Sailors and Marines (1793-1815):

Hat: Top hat with yellow band
Coat: Dark blue, short skirted, double breasted
Marines Collar and cuffs: Dark blue
Sailors Collar and cuffs: Yellow
Buttons: Brass
Marines Pantaloons: White
Sailors Pantaloons: White or dark blue
Waistcoats (sailors only): Yellow
Leatherwork (marines only): White
Waist Belt (sailors only): Black with brass buckles

CHART

The chart: Vessals of the RSN's High Seas Fleet.

The first entry is the established number of guns carried by each vessal. The next entry is the number and type of guns carried. The third entry is the tonnage figured by the British method. The next is the crew complement. The fifth entry is the vessal's name. the next three entries are the vessal's length, beam, and draft in English feet. Next comes the years of service in the Royal Swedish Navy. Last is the type of vessal, if other than a ship of the line or large frigate.

Prior to the 1788 war with Russia, the Swedish Admiralty intended to rearm all its 60- and 62-gun ships in a similar fashion to the KronPris Gustaf Adolph; however, only enough 36# guns arrived to equip six ships before the war.