British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1793–1817

Design, Construction, Careers and Fates

Rif Winfield

• Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781783469260
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

The revised edition of this authoritative naval history provides a comprehensive, illustrated guide to the Royal Navy of the Napoleonic Era. A major contribution to naval history, this third volume in Rif Winfield's British Warships in the Age of Sail covers every vessel that served in the Royal Navy between the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Battle of Waterloo. Revised to incorporate new research, it details more than 2000 ships—whether purpose-built, captured, purchased or merely hired. Providing comprehensive technical data on the ships, this volume also includes commissioning dates, refit periods, changes of captain, their stations of service, as well as notes on any actions in which they took part. The book is well illustrated with contemporary prints and drawings that show the wide variety of service required of naval vessels in late 18th and early 19th centuries. Specially commissioned general arrangement drawings also depict the most significant classes. In all, it is a fitting tribute to a navy that at the zenith of its power in 1809 comprised one half of all the warships in the world

1 First Rates of 100 guns and above

The prestige ships of the British (or any) Navy were the threedeckers, carefully and lavishly built, always in Royal Dockyards and requiring many years’ work. Rarely commissioned in peace-time, and preserved with expensive overhauls (‘refits’) and rebuilding, the few First Rates served as flagships for the main fleets in the Channel and Mediterranean, but their great strength made them the strongest units of the line of battle. Nevertheless they were difficult to handle, drew much water, and the prewar vessels had such a low freeboard that in anything of a lively sea their lower decks were liable to flooding in battle.

(A) Vessels in service or on order at 1 February 1793

There were five First Rates of 100 guns in existence in January 1793 – the Britannia in commission and the Victory, Royal Sovereign, Royal George and Queen Charlotte in Ordinary. Two new ships of 110 guns were under construction – the Ville de Paris and the Hibernia – but the first was not to be launched until 1795. Each 100-gun ship had an established complement of 850 men (788 officers, seamen and marines; 53 servants and boys; and 9 ‘widows’ men’; 650 as peacetime establishment) in addition to extras assigned when used as flagships. This total was reduced by 13 servants and boys to 837 in 4.1794.

On 13.7.1779 ten 12pdr carronades were assigned to each First Rate in addition to their carriage guns, eight to be mounted on the poop (RH deck) and two on the forecastle, in addition to the 6pdr guns there. On 19.11.1794 the new carronade Establishment provided for 2 x 32pdr type on the forecastle and 6 x 24pdr type for the poop, raising the weight of broadside by 104 lbs, but those actually carried varied in each ship.

ROYAL GEORGE Class – 100 guns. Ordered in 1751 to be built strictly to the 1745 Establishment dimensions, but allowing some variations in the design from those specified in the Establishment; on 21.5.1757 this was amended to have her built instead to the draught of the Royal George, the Woolwich-built vessel which foundered 29.8.1782 at Spithead, drowning most aboard including Vice-Adm. Richard Kempenfelt.

Dimensions & tons: 178ft 0in, 144ft 6½in x 51ft 10in x 21ft 6in. 2,065⁵⁸/₉₄ bm.

Men: 850. Guns: (originally) LD 28 x 42pdrs; MD 28 x 24pdrs; UD 28 x 12pdrs; QD 12 x 6pdrs; Fc 4 x 6pdrs. Britannia’s 42pdrs were replaced before 1793 by 32pdrs, and her 6pdrs by 12pdrs by AO 3.6.1790; in the 1790s she fitted 12 x 32pdr carronades in place of all 12pdrs except 2 each on QD and Fc.

Britannia Portsmouth Dyd (M/Shipwright Pierson Lock to 12.1755, Edward Allin to 5.1762, completed by Thomas Bucknall).

As built: 178ft 0in, 145ft 2in x 52ft 0½in x 21ft 6in. 2,091²⁶/₉₄ bm. Draught 13ft 6in / 18ft 6in.

Ord: 28.3.1751. K: 1.7.1751. L: 19.10.1762.

First cost: £41,729.7.1d (with extra charges up to 1764, total £45,844.2.8d).

Underwent Small Repair at Portsmouth (for £6,371.11.11d) 4 – 8.1772. Fitted at Portsmouth for Channel service (for £15,597.16.0d) 6.1778 – 4.1779.

Commissioned: 8.1779 under Capt. Charles Morice Pole, as flagship of Vice-Adm. George Darby 4.1779 then 6.1779 Rear-Adm. Sir John Lockhart Ross. Coppered at Portsmouth 1.1780; in 9.1780 under Capt. James Bradby, then 4.1782 Capt. Benjamin Hill; paid off into Ordinary 2.1783. Between Middling and Great Repair at Portsmouth (for £35,573) 5.1788 – 9.1790. Recommissioned 1.1793 under Capt. John Holloway (-1796), as flagship of Vice-Adm. William Hotham; sailed for the Mediterranean 11.5.1793; in action off Genoa 14.3.1795, then off Hyères 13.7.1795. In 1.1796 under Capt. Shuldham Peard, then 5.1796 Capt. Thomas Foley, as flagship of Vice-Adm. Hyde Parker and in 1797 of Vice-Adm. Charles Thompson; at Battle of St Vincent 14.2.1797 (1 wounded). In 3.1797 under Sir Charles Knowles, and ?6.1797 Capt. Edward Marsh; paid off 12.1797. Convalescence ship 1800. Between Small and Middling Repair at Portsmouth (for £21,739) 6.1801 – 1.1802. Recommissioned 4.1803 under Capt. Lord (William Carnegie, Earl of) Northesk; at blockade of Brest. In 6.1804 under Capt. Charles Bullen, as flagship of the now Rear-Adm. Northesk. In Windward column at Battle of Trafalgar 21.10.1805; had 10 killed, 42 wounded. Laid up in the Hamoaze 1806. Renamed Princess Royal 6.1.1812 then Saint George 18.1.1812. In Ordinary at Plymouth 1813, and fitted as a prison ship at Plymouth 10 – 12.1813; recommissioned in that role under Lieut. John Cawkit 1814. Fitted as a flagship and receiving ship at Plymouth 3 – 6.1815; recommissioned 3.1815 under Capt. James Nash, as flagship of Adm. Sir John Duckworth at Plymouth; paid off 12.1815. Renamed Barfleur 2.6.1819. BU completed at Plymouth 25.2.1825.

The stern of the Victory showing Trafalgar appearance, an eyewitness drawing by John Livesay done at Portsmouth in January 1806. Only patched up after the battle, Victory’s main repairs were carried out at Chatham in early 1806 by Robert Seppings, and it was said that the damage to the flimsy transverse beakhead bulkheads was such that Seppings conceived the notion that future warships should all be built with enclosed round bows. In fact, this innovation had already been introduced in the rebuilt Blenheim in 1801 (see below), but Trafalgar may have speeded its adoption as policy. The note mentions that the Victory had two of her boats towing astern during the whole action.

Victory, 100 guns, as in 1805. At the time of Trafalgar Victory had been afloat for forty years, and had recently (1800–1803) undergone a Large Repair to restore her to service as a First Rate. As shown in this draught, her original open stern galleries were removed and the entire stern closed in to strengthen the structure and, incidentally, to improve the accommodation. Her (LD) 42pdrs were replaced at the same time by an equal number of 32pdrs (an extra pair of gunports was cut into the LD, but these were never filled).

VICTORY Class – 100 guns. Design by Thomas Slade, produced 6.6.1759, approved to build 7.7.1759. The classic 100-gun ship, with an increase of 8ft in length over the 1745 Establishment, which enabled Slade’s only First Rate to mount extra guns on the LD and UD (and consequently fewer on QD and Fc).

Dimensions & tons: 186ft 0in, 151ft 3⁵/₈in x 51ft 10in (50ft 6in mld.) x 21ft 6in. 2,162²²/₉₄ bm.

Men: 850 (later 837; 650 in peacetime) – reduced to 738 while Second Rate. Guns: originally LD 30 x 42pdrs (replaced by 32pdrs from 5.1778 to 4.1779, and again from 28.4.1803); MD 28 x 24pdrs; UD 30 x 12pdrs; QD 10 x 6pdrs; Fc 2 x 6pdrs. All 6pdrs were replaced by 12pdrs during her 11.1782 refit, and these in turn were variously augmented or replaced by assorted carronades during active service. As Second Rate 98-gun from 11.1807 to 2.1817, carried LD 28 x 32pdrs; MD 30 x 18pdrs; UD 30 x 12pdrs; QD 4 x 12pdrs + 8 x 32pdr carronades; Fc 2 x 12pdrs + 2 x 32pdr carronades.

Victory Chatham Dyd (M/Shipwright John Lock to 4.1762, completed by Edward Allin).

As built: Dimensions quoted are always those of design (above).

Ord: 13.12.1758. K: 23.7.1759 (named 30.10.1760). L (floated out): 7.5.1765. In Ordinary at Chatham until 1778. Fitted 1765 to 1769. Fitted for sea 2 – 4.1778.

First cost: £57,748.1.7d to build, plus £5,426.1.5d (to 1769) fitting; total £63,174.3.0d. Fitting for sea (1778) £13,296.

Commissioned: 12.3.1778 under Sir John Lindsay; sailed from Chatham 13.4.1778. From 5.1778 under Rear-Adm. John Campbell and Capt. Jonathan Faulkner as flagship of Adm. Augustus Keppel, and led fleet at Battle of Ushant 27.7.1778. Paid off at Portsmouth after wartime service 2.1783. Recommissioned 10.1787 under Capt. Charles Hope; paid off at Portsmouth 12.1787. Large Repair there (for £37,523) 12.1787 – 4.1788, then refitted (for £6,451) to 1789. Recommissioned 5.1790 under Capt. John Knight (-12.1795), as flagship of Alexander Hood, for Spanish Armament; paid off 1.1791. Recommissioned 1.1791 as flagship of Commodore (Rear-Adm. 2.1793) Sir Hyde Parker; paid off 9.1791. Recommissioned 12.1792, still under Knight and as Parker’s flagship; sailed 22.5.1793 for the Mediterranean; off Toulon 1793; Corsica operations 1794, then home; sailed for the Mediterranean 23.5.1795; in 7.1795 flagship of Rear-Adm. Robert Man; in action off Hyères 13.7.1795; in 10.1795 flagship of Vice-Adm. Robert Linzee. In 12.1795 under Capt. Robert Calder (-3.1797), as flagship of Adm. Sir John Jervis; Battle of St Vincent (1 dead, 5 wounded). In 4.1797 under Capt. Thomas Sotheby, then 6.1797 Capt. William Cuming; paid off 11.1797. Recommissioned 12.1797 under Lieut. John Rickman, as hospital ship at Chatham; paid off 10.1799. Middling Repair (later Large Repair) at Chatham (for £70,933) 2.1800 – 4.1803; recommissioned 4.1803 under Capt. Samuel Sutton; flagship of Vice-Adm. Lord Horatio Nelson 18 – 20.5.1803; sailed 25.5.1803 for the Mediterranean; retook 32-gun Ambuscade 28.5.1803. In 7.1803 under Capt. Thomas Masterman Hardy (-1.1806), as Nelson’s flagship again; chase to West Indies, then led Weather Column at Battle of Trafalgar 21.10.1805, losing 57 dead (including Nelson), 102 wounded; paid off at Chatham 1.1806. Repairs and refit at Chatham (for £9,936) 3 – 5.1806; recommissioned as a Second Rate 1.1808 under Capt. John Searle; from 3.1808 flagship of Rear-Adm. Sir James Saumarez (-12.1808). From 3.1808 under Capt. Philip Dumaresque (-12.1812); evacuation of Corunna 1809; Saumarez’s flagship again 4 – 12.1809, 3 – 12.1810, 4 – 11.1811 and 4 – 10.1812 (also flagship of Rear-Adm. Sir Joseph Yorke 12.1810 – 3.1811); paid off 11.1812. Large Repair at Portsmouth (for £79,772) 3.1814 – 1.1816. In Ordinary at Portsmouth 1813 – 1823; guardship 6.1823 – 1.1824; Port Admiral’s flagship 1.1824 – 4.1830; paid off into Ordinary 4.1830.

Royal Sovereign, 100 guns, as completed in 1787, illustrating the conservative nature of Sir John Williams’s design. While as long a ship as Victory, the Surveyor reverted to just fourteen gunports a side on the LD, substituting an extra pair of guns on the forecastle. The Royal Sovereign gained a magnificent record of service throughout the Great War, notably at the Glorious First of June (1794, as Vice-Adm. Thomas Graves’s flagship) and at Trafalgar where (as Collingwood’s flagship) she led the Lee column and fired the first British broadsides of the day, simultaneously raking the 112-gun Santa Ana to port and 74-gun Le Fougueux to starboard as she broke through the line of Allied vessels.

ROYAL SOVEREIGN Class – 100 guns. Design by ...