Which of the following was NOT one of the characteristics of warships at the inception of the Navy?

The correct answer identifies corvettes as not being one of the characteristics of warships at the inception of the Navy. At the earliest stages of naval warfare, particularly in the late 18th century and early 19th century, the predominant ship types were sloop-of-war, frigates, and ships-of-the-line.

Sloops-of-war were smaller, typically single-decked vessels that served various roles, including scouting and convoy escort. Frigates were larger, fast ships armed with a significant number of cannons, primarily used for patrolling and protecting trade routes. Ships-of-the-line represented the largest and most heavily armed vessels, designed to engage in fleet battles in line formations.

Corvettes, on the other hand, had a different evolution and were not commonly recognized as a standard warship classification during the inception of the Navy. They became more prominent in the 19th century and were typically smaller than frigates with a different role focused on coastal defense and escort missions. Thus, corvettes are identified as the ship type not characteristic of early naval warfare.