Editing Sailing ship (section)

==== Warships ====
{{See|Warship#The Age of Sail|Naval tactics in the Age of Sail}}
[[Cannons]] were introduced in the 14th century, but did not become common at sea until they could be reloaded quickly enough to be reused in the same battle. The size of a ship required to carry a large number of cannon made oar-based propulsion impossible, and warships came to rely primarily on sails. The sailing [[man-of-war]] emerged during the 16th century.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=__f6BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA63|title=How Britannia came to Rule the Waves|last=Kingston|first=William H. G.|date=2014-12-29|publisher=BoD – Books on Demand|isbn=9783845711935|pages=123–82|language=en|access-date=2019-06-20|archive-date=2023-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027232639/https://books.google.com/books?id=__f6BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA63#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref>

By the middle of the 17th century, warships were carrying increasing numbers of cannon on three decks. [[Sailing ship tactics|Naval tactics]] evolved to bring each ship's firepower to bear in a [[line of battle]]—coordinated movements of a fleet of warships to engage a line of ships in the enemy fleet.<ref name=":1" /> Carracks with a single cannon deck evolved into [[galleon]]s with as many as two full cannon decks,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hIKUhgBcSacC&pg=PA216|title=Archaeology and the Social History of Ships|last=Gould|first=Richard A.|date=2011-04-29|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781139498166|pages=216|language=en|access-date=2019-06-20|archive-date=2023-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027232640/https://books.google.com/books?id=hIKUhgBcSacC&pg=PA216#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> which evolved into the man-of-war, and further into the [[ship of the line]]—<nowiki/>designed for engaging the enemy in a line of battle. One side of a ship was expected to shoot [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]]s against an enemy ship at close range.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n1hALgEACAAJ|title=Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men and Organisation 1793–1815|last=Lavery|first=Brian|date=2012|publisher=Conway|isbn=9781844861750|language=en}}</ref> In the 18th century, the small and fast [[frigate]] and [[sloop-of-war]]—<nowiki/>too small to stand in the line of battle—evolved to [[convoy]] trade, scout for enemy ships and [[blockade]] enemy coasts.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4RZhDwAAQBAJ|title=French Warships in the Age of Sail 1626–1786|last1=Winfield|first1=Rif|last2=Roberts|first2=Stephen S.|date=2017|publisher=Pen & Sword Books Limited|isbn=9781473893535|language=en|access-date=2019-06-20|archive-date=2023-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027232640/https://books.google.com/books?id=4RZhDwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>