British bomb vessel 'Lightning' (1740)

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Lightning	5099
Nominal Guns	8	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	11.3.1739/40	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	23.4.1740	BWAS-1714
Launched	24.10.1740	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Rotherhithe - London - Surrey	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Basilisk Class	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Henry Bird	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Bomb Vessel	BWAS-1714
Foundered	16.6.1746	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck90' 10"Imperial Feet27.432
Length of Keel73' 10 ½"Imperial Feet22.2631
Breadth26' 5 ½"Imperial Feet7.9375
Depth in Hold11' 0"Imperial Feet3.3528
Burthen275 ⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

24.10.1740Broadside Weight = 23.5 Imperial Pound ( 10.6576 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck10 British 4-Pounder
Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

7.1741Broadside Weight = 19 Imperial Pound ( 8.6168 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck8 British 4-Pounder
Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Gun Deck1 British 13" Mortar
Gun Deck1 British 10" Mortar

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
174060Design Complement

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
27.9.1740 - 7.10.1741Commander Alexander A'Court (c.1710-1742) ADM 6/15/338BWAS-17148.10.1741 - 11.10.1741Commander George Gosling (d.1746) ADM 6/15/466ADM 6/1512.10.1741 - 18.12.1743Commander Thomas Harrison (d.1749) ADM 6/15/467BWAS-171419.12.1743 - 5.6.1744Commander Lachlan Leslie (d.1762) ADM 6/16/251BWAS-17146.6.1744 - 3.4.1745Commander Arthur Gardiner (c.1716-1758) Transfered ADM 6/16/317BWAS-17144.4.1745 - 16.6.1746Commander Richard Knight (d.1798) ADM 6/17/126
Issued by William Rowley (1690-1768), The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 11.7.1746BWAS-1714

3 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
27.9.1740 - 4.10.1741Lieutenant Henry Slade Transfered ADM 6/15/338ADM 6/1529.10.1742 - 18.12.1743Lieutenant Philip De Lamotte (d.1747) ADM 6/16/422
Confirmed 12.1.1744/45ADM 6/1629.1.1744/45 - 3.4.1745Lieutenant Isaac Marsh (d.1750) Transfered ADM 6/17/55
Issued by William Rowley (1690-1768), The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 4.2.1745/46ADM 6/17

Service History

DateEventSource
23.4.1740Began building at Rotherhithe - London - Surrey BWAS-1714
24.10.1740Completed building at Rotherhithe - London - Surrey at a cost of £5197.9.10dBWAS-1714
24.10.1740Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
6.12.1740Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
7.1741fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £582.4.4dBWAS-1714
10.1741Recommissioned for JamaicaBWAS-1714
5.1743Began small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
12.1743Recommissioned for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1.1744Completed small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £2475.9.5dBWAS-1714
16.6.1746Capsized and sank off Isla Goregona near LivornoBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ADM 6/15 Archive

ADM 6/16 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

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