AN ADMIRALTY SHEER DRAUGHT PROFILE PLAN FOR THE 74-GUN 'ARMADA' CLASS SHIP BARHAM, 1806
pen and ink drawing on three conjoined sheets of paper inscribed and dated Navy Office, 21st Nov 1806 with further details including a list of ships proposed -- 20 x 54¾in. (51 x 139cm.)

As a result of Trafalgar Napoleon initiated a massive building programme to restore his fleet. The Royal Navy had to respond and its two surveyors - Peake and Rule - were ordered to work together to combine the best of their designs. The result was the largest offensive class ever built to a single design in the Royal Navy, although they were delivered towards the end of hostilities and so had few battle honours to their credit. Nicknamed the '40 Thieves' for their alleged excessive cost, the class comprised Agincourt, Ajax, America, Armada, Asia, Anson, Berwick, Blenheim, Barham, Benbow, Boscawen, Clarence, Conquestadore, Cressy, Cornwall, Cornwallis, Defence, Dublin, Duncan, Devonshire, Edinburgh, Egmont, Gloucester, Hercules, Hero, Hogue, Indus, Mulgrave, Medway, Pitt, Poictiers, Pembroke, Redoubtable, Rodney, Rippon, Russell, Scarborough, Stirling Castle, Vigo, Vengeur and Vindictive.