This chapter further expands our understanding of the mid-eighteenth-century Navy, as the captains' letters cover a broad sweep of matters of technical interest, and demonstrate to the Admiralty that every detail of the Regulations was being observed.

A large proportion of the captains' letters to the Admiralty were concerned with the importance of docking to be cleaned or ‘refitted’ after sustaining damage resulting from wear and tear, bad weather, accidents or enemy action. Very rarely did the captains resort to docks for repairs: they were resourceful men who could rely on their experienced warrant officers to carry out repairs at sea. For some captains the extra days of a ‘refit’ were their only periods of leave from the ship, to be negotiated with the Admiralty.

The captains paid attention to every detail that would improve their ships' performance, and their letters reveal their constant concern with the construction and rigging of their ships and the ordnance with which they engaged the enemy. There is evidence from the letters that innovation in the use of gun locks was already happening in this period. There is no doubt that the captains were constantly striving to make their ships more effective fighting platforms. The captains' correspondence provides insight into the continuing attempts by the Admiralty to improve navigational tools and improve charts.