British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792: Design, Construction, Careers ... - Rif Winfield - Google Books

https://books.google.de/books?id=Y5WCAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9

The new Hanoverian dynasty that came to power with the accession of George I in 1714 inherited the largest navy in the world. In the course of the century, this force would see a vast amount of action against nearly every major navy, reaching a pinnacle of…