British Third Rate ship of the line 'Swiftsure' (1787)

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Swiftsure	7040
Nominal Guns	74
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	19.6.1782
Keel Laid Down	5.1784
Acquired	4.4.1787
First Commissioned	6.1790
Shipyard	Deptford - London
Ship Class	Elizabeth Class
Designed by	Sir Thomas Slade (1703-1771)
Constructor	John & William Wells
Category	Third Rate
Ship Type	Ship of the Line
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged
Captured	24.6.1801
Becomes	French Third Rate ship of the line 'Swiftsure' (1801) (74)

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 9 ½"Imperial Feet51.2191
Length of Keel137' 11 ¾"Imperial Feet41.7767
Breadth47' 0"Imperial Feet14.3256
Depth in Hold19' 9 ½"Imperial Feet5.8039
Draught Forward12' 3"Imperial Feet3.6957
Draught Aft16' 2"Imperial Feet4.8853
Burthen1,621 ²³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

4.4.1787Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1793
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
8.12.1765550Design Complement

6 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
24.6.1790 - 13.9.1791CaptainSir James Wallace (c.1732-1803): on board from 3.7.1790 ADM 6/24/44BWAS-17141.7.1793 - 6.12.1795Captain Charles Boyles ADM 6/24/251BWAS-17147.12.1795 - 19.10.1796Captain Robert Parker (d.1797)BWAS-171420.10.1796 - 27.9.1797Captain Arthur Phillip (1738-1814)BWAS-171426.9.1797 - 27.9.1797Captain John Irwin (d.1812)BWAS-171426.10.1797 - 24.6.1801Captain Benjamin Hallowell (1761-1834)TNC

2 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1794Vice-Admiral of the White Robert Kingsmill (c.1730-1805)BWAS-171410.6.1800 - 24.6.1801Rear-Admiral of the BlueSir Richard Hussey Bickerton (2^nd Baronet Bickerton of Upwood) (1759-1832)ref:616

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
21.9.1790 - 24.6.1791Lieutenant Amelius Beauclerk (1771-1846) ADM 107/3/44NBD184922.3.1797 - 29.5.1801Lieutenant Frederick Whitworth William Aylmer (1777-1858): on board from 31.3.1797 ADM 196/3/3NBD1849

4 Warrant Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
4.7.1790 - 31.12.1790Master Thomas SmithADM 29-13.7.1791 - 13.9.1791Master George Scollough (1748/49-1809) ADM 6/24/44ADM 29-17.12.1795 - 24.6.1801Carpenter William Spasshatt ADM 6/24/44ADM 29-118.3.1797 - 24.6.1801Master John Luckey (d.1812) ADM 6/24/44ADM 29-1

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1.11.1794 - 2.1795Midshipman George BarnardNBD18491795 - 1796Midshipman Donald Campbell (1788-?)NBD184911.1800 - 24.6.1801Midshipman Henry Boyes ADM 6/24/44NBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
25.10.1793 - 1.11.1794Able Seaman George BarnardNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
22.5.1787Completed at Deptford - London at a cost of £31241.3.5dBWAS-1714
22.5.1787Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £10643.0.0dBWAS-1714
7.1787Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
21.8.1787coppering at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £1635.0.0dBWAS-1714
8.1790Completed refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £6456.0.0dBWAS-1714
2.1791Began refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
3.1791Completed refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £11413.0.0dBWAS-1714
13.9.1791Paid offADM 107/4
6.1793Began refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
21.6.1793

Recommissioned

TNC
8.1793Began refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
10.1793Completed refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £9670.0.0dBWAS-1714
1794Flagship on the Irish stationBWAS-1714
5.5.1794Took the Frigate L'Atalante (32) near Cork
6.5.1794Swiftsure vs Atalante
7.1794making good defects at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £2836.0.0dBWAS-1714
14.5.1795Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
21.3.1796Attack on Leogane
9.1796Began refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
11.1796Completed refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £9265.0.0dBWAS-1714
1.8.1798Battle of the Nile
11.8.1798Took the Polacca La Fortune (18) off the Nile
5.4.1800Action of 1800-04-07
24.6.1801Taken by a French squadron off Cape Derna in the Mediterranean, losing 4 killed and 6 woundedBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

TNCVarious, Periodical

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 107/4 Archive

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