HMS Europa (1765)
HMS Europa.
HMS Europa was a William Batley designed Exeter Class, 64 gun, third rate ship of the line, built by Henry Adams, at Lepe, downriver from Bucklers Hard. Ordered on the 16th of December,1761 she was laid down in the February of 1762, after modifications to her plans in the previous month, and launched on the 21st of April,1765. She was completed by the builders for ordinary in the May of that year.
Europa plans.
HistoryGREAT BRITAIN Name: HMS Europa Ordered: 16 December 1761 Builder: Henry Adams, Lepe Laid down: February 1762 Launched: 21 April 1765 Completed: By 5 May 1765 Renamed: HMS Europe on 9 January 1778 Fate: Broken up in July 1814
General characteristicsClass and type: Exeter Class 64 gun ship of the line Tons burthen: 1370 (bm) Length: 1598 ft (48.39 m) (gundeck) Beam: 44 ft. 6.75in (13 m) Depth of hold: 18 ft. 10 in (5.82 m) Propulsion: Sails Sail plan: Full rigged ship Armament:
- Gundeck: 26 × 24-pounder guns
- Upper gundeck: 26 × 18-pounder guns
- QD: 10 × 9-pounder guns
- Fc: 2 × 9-pounder guns
Service.
Completed too late to see service in the Seven Years’ War, she was commissioned in the September of 1777 under Captain, Timothy Edwards after a small repair at Portsmouth. Consequently most of of Europa's service took place during the American Revolution, supporting fleet movements and serving as the Flagship of a number of admirals, including John Montagu Molyneux Shuldham, and Mariot Arbuthnot. During her time in North American waters she was renamed Europe on the 9th of January, 1778.
Edwards was succeeded by Captain Francis Parry in the April of that year, and Europe became the Flagship of Vice-Admiral Montagu, under whom she sailed for Newfoundland in the May of 1779. She was part of the attack on Saint Pierre and Miquelon on the 14th of September, 1778, and later that month Parry was succeeded by Captain Thomas Davey, serving with Shuldham’s squadron. In the April of 1779 she came under the command of Captain William Swiney, by now serving as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot, and after some time in home waters she sailed again for North America in the May of 1779.
Captain Smith Child took command of Europe in the August of 1780, and she participated in the battles of Cape Henry on the 16th of March and the Battle of the Chesapeake on the 5th of September,1781. During the Battle of the Chesapeake she formed the leading part of the centre division, along with the 74-gun HMS Montagu, and was heavily involved in the fighting. These two ships suffered heavy damage, with Europe in a leaking condition, with her rigging badly cut, and a number of guns dismounted. Nine members of her crew were killed, and a further 18 wounded. The British fleet eventually withdrew from the action. She was then paid off in the March of 1782, undergoing a refit at Plymouth between May and September that year, during which time she was coppered at a cost of £ 15,640.15.5d.
Europe was recommissioned in the August of that year under the command of Captain John Duckworth, with command passing the following year to Captain Arthur Phillips. He sailed to the East Indies in the January of 1783, returning the following year and paying Europe off in the May of 1784. She was fitted for ordinary at Plymouth in the July of that year, and spent the rest of the years of peace in this condition.
The French Revolutionary Wars.
Europe was recommissioned in the July of 1796. She under Lieutenant John Gardiner,and was used as a prison ship at Plymouth until being paid off again in the September of 1800. Recommissioned again in the September of 1801 under Lieutenant Thomas Darracot, she again served as a prison ship until being paid off in the March of 1802.
The Napoleonic Wars.
She was again in service, still as a prison ship at Plymouth, between the November of 1804 and the December of 1809, under Lieutenant William Styles.
Fate.
Europe was briefly commissioned in 1814 under Lieutenant John Mills Mudge, and was finally broken up at Plymouth in the July of that year.
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