First and Second Rate Ships of the 18th Century

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HMS Boyne (1790)



HMS Boyne was a 98-gun Royal Navy second-rate ship of the line launched on 27 June 1790 at Woolwich. She was the flagship of Vice Admiral John Jervis in 1794.

History
Great Britain
Name:	HMS Boyne
Ordered:	21 January 1783
Builder:	Woolwich Dockyard
Laid down:	4 November 1783
Launched:	27 June 1790
Commissioned:	August 1790
Fate:	Accidentally burnt, 1 May 1795
General characteristics
Class and type:	Boyne-class ship of the line
Tons burthen:	2021 (bm)
Length:	182 ft (55 m) (gundeck) 149 ft 8 in (45.62 m) (keel)
Beam:	50 ft 4 5⁄8 in (15.357 m)
Depth of hold:	21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
Sail plan:	Full-rigged ship
Armament:	Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns Middle gundeck: 30 × 18-pounder guns Upper gundeck: 30 × 12-pounder guns QD: 8 × 12-pounder guns Fc: 2 × 12-pounder guns

Invasion of Guadeloupe.

In 1793, Boyne set sail on 24 November for the West Indies, carrying Lieutenant-general Sir Charles Grey and Vice-admiral Sir John Jervis for an invasion of Guadeloupe. On the way, Yellow fever ravaged the crew. Still, the British managed to get the French to surrender at Fort St. Charles in Guadeloupe on 21 April of the following year. The capture of Fort St. Charles, the batteries, and the town of Basse-Terre cost the British army two men killed, four wounded, and five missing; the navy had no casualties.

Fate.

Boyne caught fire and blew up on 1 May 1795 at Spithead. She was lying at anchor while the Royal Marines of the vessel were practicing firing exercises. It is supposed that the funnel of the wardroom stove, which passed through the decks, set fire to papers in the Admiral's cabin. The fire was only discovered when flames burst through the poop, by which time it was too late to do anything. The fire spread rapidly and she was aflame from one end to the other within half an hour.


The loss of the Boyne by Thomas Elliott.

As soon as the fleet noticed the fire, other vessels sent boats to render assistance. As a result, the death toll on Boyne was only eleven men. At the same time, the signal was made for the vessels most at danger from the fire to get under way. Although the tide and wind were not favourable, all the vessels in any danger were able to escape to St Helens.

Because the guns were always left loaded, the cannons began to 'cook off', firing shots at potential rescuers making their way to the ship, resulting in the deaths of two seamen and the injury of another aboard Queen Charlotte, anchored nearby. Later in the day, the fire burnt the cables and Boyne drifted eastward till she grounded on the east end of the Spit, opposite Southsea Castle. There she blew up soon after.

Post-script.
The wreck presented something of a hazard to a navigation and as a result it was blown up on 30 August 1838 in a clearance attempt. Today the Boyne buoy marks the site of the explosion. A few metal artifacts from the ship remain atop a mound of shingle.

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HMS Duke (1777)



HMS Duke was a 98-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 18 October 1777 at Plymouth.

History
Great Britain
Name:	HMS Duke
Ordered:	18 June 1771
Builder:	Plymouth Dockyard
Laid down:	October 1772
Launched:	18 October 1777
Fate:	Broken up, 1843
General characteristics
Class and type:	Duke-class ship of the line
Tons burthen:	1943​28⁄94 (bm)
Length:	177 ft 6 in (54.10 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	50 ft (15 m)
Depth of hold:	21 ft 2 in (6.45 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Armament:	98 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Middle gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 30 × 12 pdrs Quarterdeck: 8 × 12 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 12 pdrs

Commissioned in April 1778 under Captain William Brereton.
She was present at the Battle off Ushant on the 27th of July 1778 under Captain sir Charles Douglas,the Ordnance enthusiast who had privately paid for flintlock ignition systems on all of her main armament.
Her bottom was coppered at Portsmouth in the March of 1780.

Following this she was on active service in the Americas during the latter part of the American Revolution, and was paid off in 1783.

In March of 1791 she was recommissioned under the command of Captain Robert Kingsmill.
In August 1791 her commander was Captain Robert Calder, serving as the Flag Captain to Vice Admiral Robert Roddam.

From 1792 she became a guard ship at Portsmouth under the command of Captain John Knight.

She next saw service under Captain sir Andrew Snape as the flagship of Vice Admiral the Viscount Sir Samuel Hood. She next became the flagship of Commadore George Murray, Captain George Duff. On the24th of March1793 she sailed for the Leeward Islands, and led an attack upon the gun emplacements and batteries on the island of Martinique.

After returning home she wasrecommissioned in August of 1796 and served under Captain GeorgeHolloway on service in the Channel.

In the May of 1797, as the flagship of Rear Admiral Christopher Parker, she was involved in theSpithead Mutiny.

Duke was fitted out for hospital service from 1799, and was broken up in 1843.

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HMS Formidable (1777)




Formidable was one of the Barfleur Class which were a group of four Second-Rate ships of the line designed by Sir Thomas Slade. HMS Formidablewas ordered by the Navy Board on 17th August 1768 and was the last one of three of the class to be built at Chatham. Apart from the lead ship Barfleur, the other Chatham-built member of the class was HMS Prince George. The other ship, HMS Princess Royal, was built at the Portsmouth Royal Dockyard.

History
Great Britain
Name:	HMS Formidable
Ordered:	17 August 1768
Builder:	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down:	November 1768
Launched:	20 August 1777
Fate:	Broken up, 1813
Notes:	·Participated in: The first battle of Ushant and the·Battle of the Saintes
General characteristics
Class and type:	Barfleur-classship of the line
Tons burthen:	1934 (bm)
Length:	177 ft 6 in (54.10 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	50 ft 3 in (15.32 m)
Depth of hold:	21 ft (6.4 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Complement:	750 officers and men
Armament:	·90 guns: ·Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns ·Middle gundeck: 30 × 18-pounder guns ·Upper gundeck: 30 × 12-pounder guns ·Forecastle: 2 × 9-pounder guns ·98 guns: ·Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns ·Middle gundeck: 30 × 18-pounder guns ·Upper gundeck: 30 × 12-pounder guns ·Quarter deck: 8 × 12-pounder guns ·Forecastle: 2 × 9-pounder guns

Formidable was completed and commissioned under Captain John Bazely on Wednesday 15th April 1778.
HMS Formidable was commissioned into the Channel Fleet, under the command of Admiral Sir Augustus Keppel .
.

On the On 23rd July 1778 Formidable, under the command of Captain Bazely, took part in theFirst Battle of Ushant.


The first Battle of Ushant by Theodore Gudin.

On 20th February 1779, Captain Bazely left HMS Formidable and was replaced, first by Captain Thomas Cadogan, and then, by Captain John Stanton. from 12th March 1779, In February 1780, she proceeded to the Royal Dockyard at Plymouth to heve her lower hull coppered, and also to be fitted with four 12pdr carronades on the forecastle and six on her poop deck.

In 1782, HMS Formidable was commissioned as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney in the Caribbean.




At the Battle of the Saints on the 12th of April HMS Formidable engaged the French flagship, the Ville de Paris of 104 guns. Suddenly the wind changed giving Rodney's fleet the advantage. This enabled Rodney. to penetrate the French line of battle with Formidable to the fore, raking enemy ships through their bows and sterns as she proceeded, causing extensive damage and casualties to the French. By 13:30 hours she was joined by HMS Barfleur who joined in the assault upon the French flagship. After having suffered tremendous casualties the Ville de Paris, finally struck her colours and surrendered to the British.
The Butcher's bill for HMS Formidable was 14 dead and 29 wounded.

In early 1783, HMS Formidable was paid off in Portsmouth and then entered the dockyard for some repairs. The war itself was finally terminated at the Treaty of Paris, in September 1783.
Repaired and upgraded several times in the following years she saw little further action
In 1801, she was discovered to be structurally weak, and was strengthened by doubling the hull planking from Additionally to this, she had internal diagonal bracing added to stiffen her hull.
After seeing some service both in the Mediterranean and the Baltic from1807 to 1810, Formidable was paid off at Portsmouth in 1812. HMS Formidable about to be razeed to produce a 74 gun third rate ship. The ship was moved to Chatham for the commencement of this work. Formidable was surveyed and it was discovered that all her timbers were rotten.

The conversion to a 74 was called off and the ship was finally broken up in September 1813.

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HMS Glory (1788)



HMS Glory (center) in company with HMS Valiant

HMS Glory was a 98-gunsecond rateship of the line of the Royal Navy, Builtby John Henslow and completed by Thomas Pollard with fittings by Edward Sisson. She was launched on the 5th of July 1788 at Plymouth.

History
Great Britain.
Name:	HMS Glory
Ordered:	16 July 1774
Builder:	Plymouth Dockyard
Laid down:	7 April 1775
Launched:	5 July 1788
Honours and awards:	Participated in: The Glorious First of June and Battle of Cape Finisterre (1805)
Fate:	Broken up, 1825
General characteristics
Class and type:	Duke-classship of the line
Tons burthen:	1931bm
Length:	177 ft 6 in (54.10 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	50 ft (15 m)
Depth of hold:	21 ft 2 in (6.45 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Armament:	98 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Middle gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 30 × 12 pdrs Quarterdeck: 8 × 12 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 12 pdrs

Commissioned on the 7th of October 1793 under Captain Pender for Lord Howe's Fleet and later under Captain George Duff. From May 1794 she was captained by John Elphinston, as the Flagship of Rear Admiral George Keith Elphinstone.
Following the Glorious First of June Elphinstone became Lord Keith.

In 1797 under Captain James Brine she became embroiled in the Mutiny at Spithead.

Glory served as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Stirling at the Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1805, commanded by Captain Samuel Warren. and also the action off Ferrol on the 22nd of July 1805.

Commanded by Captain Otway from July 1806 she sailed to the Mediterranean. Otway became Admiral in 1807 with his Flag in Glory now under Captain Donald McCloud.

She was converted to a prison ship in 1809, and was broken up in 1825.

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HMS Impregnable (1810)



HMS Impregnable in a gale of Wind off Sardinia 29 October 1841


HMS Impregnable was a 98-gun second rate three-decker ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 1 August 1810 at Chatham. She was designed by Sir William Rule, and was the only ship built to her draught. Purportedly as originally built she was a near copy of the famed first rate HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar

History
GREAT BRITAIN
Name:	HMS Impregnable
Ordered:	13 January 1798
Builder:	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down:	February 1802
Launched:	1 August 1810
Renamed:	HMS Kent, HMS Caledonia
Fate:	Sold, 1906
General characteristics
Class and type:	98-gun second rate ship of the line
Tons burthen:	2406 bm
Length:	197 ft (60 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	51 ft (16 m)
Depth of hold:	22 ft (6.7 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Armament:	98 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Middle gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs Upper gundeck: 30 × 12 pdrs Quarterdeck: 8 × 12 pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 12 pdrs

Although she saw little service during the Napoleonic Wars, where she was used as the flagship of the Admiral the Duke of Clarence (later King William IV), Her first action was during the bombardment of Algiers in 1816 under the command of Admiral David Milne where she was second in the order of battle. In the attack on Algiers, Impregnable, isolated from the other ships was a large and tempting target, attracting attention from the Algerian gunners who raked her fore and aft, she was severely damaged. 268 shots hit the hull, the main mast was damaged in 15 places.

Impregnable lost Mr. John Hawkins, midshipman, 37 seamen, 10 marines and 2 boys killed and Mr. G. N. Wesley, Mr. Henry Quinn, 111 seamen, 21 marines, 9 sappers and miners and 17 boys wounded. The Impregnable saw little further action, apart from a short commission in the Mediterranean, and in 1819 she was placed in the Reserve Fleet at Devonport. From May 1839 to October 1841 she had relieved HMS Royal Adelaide as the Commander-in-Chief's flagship moored at the entrance to the Hamoaze. She then saw service again in the Mediterranean until May 1843, when she was once again laid up with the reserve fleet at Devonport.
The real interest in this ship was her longevity, thus allowing the budding art of photography to capoture during the latter part of her service life.


Quarterdeck of HMS Impregnable circa 1853


Impregnable was rated as a training ship in 1862 and removed from the reserve fleet to begin service at Devonport training boy seamen for the Royal Navy.

On 27 September 1886, Impregnable was replaced by HMS Howe which was renamed HMS Bulwark as she became a training ship. The old Impregnable ended her days first as a tender to HMS Indus and then on 9 November 1888 she was renamed HMS Kent to be used as a hulk in the event of an epidemic. On that date, her name, Impregnable, was given to HMS Bulwark (the former HMS Howe), still serving at Devonport. Three years later on 22 September 1891, she was once again re-named, this time HMS Caledonia, and became a Scottish boys training / school ship moored at Queensferry in the Firth of Forth.

As HMS Caledonia, she was to spend the next 15 years at anchor in the Firth of Forth as a training ship for boys. The ship was divided up for training by decks: The Upper Deck was used exclusively for sail drill, gunnery and recreation. The Main and Middle decks were used for seamanship classes and instruction. The Lower and Orlop decks were devoted to living and sleeping spaces. The training ship accommodated 190 Officers and men as well as 800 boys. Instruction covered boat pulling, sailing & gunnery. It was hoped that this form of training would instil in the boys the qualities of resourcefulness, courage and self-reliance. Theoretical instruction was undertaken in the 'Schoolroom'. This room could accommodate 200 boys at once and often did. The 200 boys were broken down into classes of 15 – 20. Commander the Hon. Robert Francis Boyle was in command from August 1901.


Impregnable in her new role in 1898 as HMS Caledonia in the Firth of Forth

She was sold for breaking up in 1906. The heavy oak beams of the cloister of St Conan’s Kirk were made from Caledonia and HMS Duke of Wellington. The church is situated by the side of Loch Awe.

Beginning with HMS Bulwark in 1886 until Impregnable moved ashore in 1936 and becoming a stone frigate in the process, every subsequent vessel that served in this ship's stead as a school ship at Devonport had been renamed Impregnable in her honour. The training school eventually closed in 1948.

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HMS London (1766)



Designed by Sir Thomas Slade, the construction was started by M/shipwright John Locke and completed by Edward Allin. HMS London was a 90-gun second-rateship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 24 May 1766 at Chatham Dockyard. It would have three sister ships built some twenty years later.

History
Great Britain
Name:	HMS London
Ordered:	28 September 1759
Builder:	Chatham Dockyard
Launched:	24 May 1766
Fate:	Broken up, 1811
Notes:	·Participated in: ·Battle of the Chesapeake ·Battle of Groix ·Battle of Copenhagen
General characteristics
Class and type:	London-classship of the line
Tons burthen:	1894 (bm)
Length:	177 ft 6 in (54.10 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	49 ft (15 m)
Depth of hold:	21 ft (6.4 m)
Sail plan:	Full-rigged ship
Armament:	·90 guns o Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns o Middle gundeck: 30 × 18-pounder guns o Upper gundeck: 30 × 12-pounder guns o Fc: 2 × 9-pounder guns ·98 guns: o Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns o Middle gundeck: 30 × 18-pounder guns o Upper gundeck: 30 × 12-pounder guns o QD: 8 × 12-pounder guns o FC: 2 × 12-pounder guns

London was originally launched as a 90-gun ship, as was standard for second rates at the time. Not completed on time for the Seven years war she was delayed on the stocks and then retained in ordinary when she was increased to 98-guns by having a further eight 12 pounders installed on her quarterdeck.



Commissioned under Captain Samuel Cornish as Flagship for Sir Thomas Graves, she had her bottom coppered at Portsmouth in 1780.
In this role she served as Sir Thomas Graves' flagship at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781. In the Action of 18 October 1782, she was raked by Scipion and had to let her escape.


HMS London depicted during the Action of 18 October 1782

Credited to Auguste-Louis Rossel de Crecy (1736-1804) Photograph by Rama - Own work
In May of 1783 she was again paid off into Ordinary after war service, and again went under repairs.

French Revolutionary Wars.

Not recommissioned again until May 1790 under Captain George Westcott as Flagship of Rear Admiral Samual Goodall she paid off again 1n 1791.



In May of 1793 she became the Flagship of Rear Admiral His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, Captain Richard Keats joining Earl Howe's Squadron.



She participated in Bridport's action at the Battle of Groix in 1795,serving under the flag of Rear Admiral Sir John Colpoys, Captain Edward Griffiths.



Next, London participated in an abortive invasion of Ferrol. On 29 August 1800, in Vigo Bay, Admiral Sir Samuel Hood assembled a cutting-out party from the vessels under his command consisting of two boats each from Amethyst, Stag, Amelia, Brilliant and Cynthia, four boats from Courageaux, as well as the boats from Renown, London and Impetueux. The party went in and after a 15-minute fight captured the French privateer Guêpe, of Bordeaux and towed her out. She was of 300 tons burthen and had a flush deck. Pierced for 20 guns, she carried eighteen 9-pounders, and she and her crew of 161 men were under the command of Citizen Dupan. In the attack she lost 25 men killed, including Dupan, and 40 wounded. British casualties amounted to four killed, 23 wounded and one missing.



In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "29 Aug. Boat Service 1800" to all surviving claimants from the action.



She was present at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, as the Flagship of Sir Hyde Parker, Captained by William Dommett.



Napoleonic Wars.





The capture of the French ship Marengo by HMS London on 13 March 1806



Serving under the Captaincy of Sir Robert Barlow, at the Action of the 13th of March, 1806, London captured the French ship of the line Marengo and the 40 gun Frigate La Belle Poule.



In 1808, she aided in escorting the Portuguese Royal Family in its flight from Portugal to exile in Brazil.

Fate.



London was broken up at Chatham, in April.1811.

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HMS Namur (1756)



HMS Namur.



Originally ordered to the Neptune class specifications in July 1750, HMS Namur was altered to a modified design by William Bately during construction, by lengthening the gundeck by four feet, but shortening the keel. What emerged was a 90-gun second rateship of the line, built at Chatham Dockyard to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment amended in 1750, and launched on 3 March 1756.

History
GREAT BRITAIN
Name:	HMS Namur
Ordered:	12 July 1750
Builder:	Chatham Dockyard
Launched:	3 March 1756
Fate:	Broken up, 1833
Notes:	·Participated in: ·Siege of Louisbourg (1758) ·Battle of Havana (1762) ·Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797) ·Battle of Lagos ·Affair of Fielding and Bylandt
General characteristics
Class and type:	1750 amendments 90-gun second rateship of the line
Tons burthen:	1814 bm
Length:	175 ft (53.3 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	48 ft 6 in (14.8 m)
Depth of hold:	20 ft 6 in (6.2 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Armament:	·90 guns: ·Gundeck: 26 × 32 pdrs ·Middle gundeck: 26 × 18 pdrs ·Upper gundeck: 26 × 12 pdrs ·Quarterdeck: 10 × 6 pdrs ·Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs

HMS Namur’s battle honours surpass even those of the more famous HMS Victory.

History.





HMS Namur figurehead, Naval Museum of Halifax, CFB Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
By Hantsheroes - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53811666




Namur was the flagship of Edward Boscawen Vice Admiral of the Blue in the capture of Louisburg in 1758. General James Wolfe had sailed across the Atlantic in Namur on this occasion before his capture of Quebec. Also on this journey was 6th Lieutenant Michael Henry Pascal with his slave and servant Olaudah Equiano who at that time was called Gustavus Vasser, his slave name given him by Pascal. Equiano in his book wrote that the ceremony of surrender was "the most beautiful procession on the water I ever saw", and gives fuller details.



In 1758, fifteen Namur sailors were tried and condemned to death by hanging for mutiny; they had protested to be replaced aboard another ship. King´s grace reprieved them from death penalty except one. (Leonard F- Gutteridge: Mutiny - a list of naval insurrection", 1992 Annapolis USA)



HMS Namur at the Battle of LagosBy Richard Perret (active in 1806) - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14856944



Namur was the Flagship of a British fleet commanded by Sir Edward Boscawen at the Battle of Lagos which took place between the British and and a French fleet under Jean-François de La Clue-Sabran over two days in 1759.



Namur was also the flagship of Admiral Sir George Pocock at the Battle of Havana (1762).



Paid off for repairs from November 1765 until March 1766 she was not recommissioned until October 1770 under Captain Walter Griffiths for service in the Falkland Island dispute. Paid off again in July 1771 for great repairs at Chatham. In 1780 she was coppered at Portsmouth prior to being recommissioned in 1795 under Captain James Hawkins-Witshed for Channel service.



Namur fought in the Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797) under the command of Captain Whitshed. Namur was the ship astern of HMS Captain, under the command of CommodoreHoratio Nelson, at the beginning stages of the battle.

Namur was razeed to a 74-gun ship between June 1804 and May 1805. Her new Captain was Lawrence Halstead. Under him she took part in Strachan's naval engagement of 4th Nov. 1805 (Battle of Cape Ortegal), when the remnant of the French and Spanish warship fleet which had escaped from Trafalgar was engaged by Lord Strachan's squadron; she took on and captured the French warship "Formidable".

Serving in Warren's squadron throughout 1806, she paid off in July 1807. She was de-marked as a receiving ship at Chatham, and then to lie at the Nore as a guard ship under Captain Richard Jones.She remained in that role until finally paid off in September 1815.

She was finally broken up at Chatham in 1833.



Some of Namur's timbers were used to support the floor of the wheelwright's workshop at Chatham Dockyard. They were rediscovered there in 1995 and identified in 2003. The restored timbers form the centrepiece of the "Command of the Oceans" gallery at the Chatham Historic Dockyard museum opened in 2016.

Notable crewmembers.

• The marine painter Clarkson Stanfield served on board the ship, after being pressed into the Royal Navy in 1808. He was discharged on health grounds in 1814.
• One of Namur's captains was Charles Austen, a brother of Jane Austen.
• Olaudah Equiano, a former African slave who was active in the British abolitionist movement, served as a powder monkey on Namur.