Changes

During the age of sail, a '''ship of the line''' was a warship of sufficient fire-power to engage in the line of battle.  It was replaced in the mid-19th century by the steam-powered [[Battleship]], which was much faster and more maneuverable.

During the age of sail, a '''ship of the line''' was a warship of sufficient fire-power to engage in the line of battle.  It was replaced in the mid-19th century by the steam-powered [[Battleship]], which was much faster and more maneuverable.

During the Anglo-Dutch wars of the second half of the 17th century naval tacticians, aware that as a floating artillery battery a warship was far more effective when it was side-on to the enemy and could fire all the guns along one side of the ship - a “broadside” - and that the more ships that could be side-on to the enemy at a given time, the more weight of shot could be sent across the intervening water, began developing controlled squadron formations to facilitate this.  Up until then naval battles had tended to be free-for-alls - sort of nautical melees. From this time, until the introduction of “over the horizon” artillery and development of the aircraft carrier in the 20th century, the line of battle was the way to go.  

During the Anglo-Dutch wars of the second half of the 17th century naval tacticians, aware that as a floating artillery battery a warship was far more effective when it was side-on to the enemy and could fire all the guns along one side of the ship - a “broadside” - and that the more ships that could be side-on to the enemy at a given time, the more weight of shot could be sent across the intervening water, began developing controlled squadron formations to facilitate this.  Up until then naval battles had tended to be free-for-alls - sort of nautical melees. From this time, until the introduction of “over the horizon” artillery and development of the aircraft carrier in the 20th century, the line of battle was the way to go.