British Hired Vessels

The British Navy made use of many hired vessels. During the Anglo-Dutch wars many ships in both fleets were hired merchant vessels, although, at least for the British, the numbers were reduced as soon as state ships were available to replace them. At the start of the period it was common to hire the ship, master and crew as a whole, during the First Anglo-Dutch war (1652-1654), it became common to place a naval officer in command, and by eighteenth century the officer and crew were commonly all naval personel.

During Seventeenth Century, it was common for hired vessels, especially the larger East-Indiamen to form part of the line of battle, this practice had ceased by the start of the eighteenth century and vessel hired after that were used as scouts, convoy escorts and coastal defence rather than as true warships.