The 1719 Establishment was the first formal 'Establishment' (mandatory requirements to govern the construction of warships for the Royal Navy) laid down to govern the construction of all ships built or rebuilt down to those of 20 carriage guns, whether in the Royal Dockyards or by commercial contractors. It did not apply to ships and other vessels with fewer than 20 carriage guns (which were unrated vessels). It superseded the previous 1706 Establishment, which had only specified the major dimensions of ships of 40 guns and above (and had specifically excluded the 100-gun first rates).