Comments by "Steve Valley" (@stevevalley7835) on "Ship Types in the Age of Sail - Sloops, Brigs, Frigates and Ships of the Line" video.

@manuholoable sticks in my mind that I read that navies produced a series of gauges of a go/no-go type to measure the diameter of balls and the bore of guns. The gauges were then distributed to the producers of the guns and balls so their product could be measured to verity compliance with the navy's standard. Another issue was the consistency of the powder. About 45 years ago, James Burke hosted a documentary series "Connections", where the apparatus for measuring powder potency was demonstrated: a calibrated vertical scale was erected. A sample of powder was placed in a cup at the bottom of the scale, and a cannon ball of known weight placed on top of the cup. The charge was detonated, and how high the ball was propelled up the scale showed the potency of the powder.
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