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

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Added
Jean-Charles de BombellesFrench
Marine
Update
Le Danube (34) 1761-1785
French 34 Gun
5th Rate Flûte
Update
Chevalier François-Joseph-Hippolyte Bidé de MaurvilleFrench
Naval Sailor
Service 1757-1782
Update
La Terpsichore (60) 1828-1839
French 60 Gun
4th Rate Frigate
Update
La Terpsichore (44) 1812-1814
French 44 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
Update
La Terpsichore (30) 1763-1784
French 30 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
Update
La Terpsichore (28) 1758-1760
French 28 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
Update
Le Comte de Menou (14) 1771-1780
French 14 Gun
Unrated Flûte
1775 Renamed "Courtier"
Update
La Sirène (10) 1770-1776
French 10 Gun
Unrated Corvette
Update
L'Atalante (32) 1741-1760
French 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
See more...

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 (1765)
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1756
Constructor	John & William WellsBritish Ship Builder
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 'Le Swiftsure' (1801) (74) 1801-1805 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line

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 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
24.6.1790 - 13.9.1791Captain: on board from 3.7.1790 ADM 6/24/44BWAS-17141.7.1793 - 6.12.1795Captain ADM 6/24/251BWAS-17147.12.1795 - 19.10.1796CaptainBWAS-171420.10.1796 - 27.9.1797CaptainBWAS-171426.9.1797 - 27.9.1797CaptainBWAS-171426.10.1797 - 24.6.1801CaptainTNC

2 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1794Vice-Admiral of the WhiteBWAS-171410.6.1800 - 24.6.1801Rear-Admiral of the Blueref:616

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
21.9.1790 - 2.11.1790Lieutenant Transfered ADM 107/3/44NBD184922.3.1797 - 29.5.1801Lieutenant: on board from 31.3.1797 Transfered ADM 196/3/3NBD1849

4 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
4.7.1790 - 31.12.1790MasterADM 29-13.7.1791 - 13.9.1791Master ADM 6/24/44ADM 29-17.12.1795 - 24.6.1801Carpenter ADM 29/1/23ADM 29-118.3.1797 - 24.6.1801Master ADM 6/24/44ADM 29-1

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1.11.1794 - 2.1795MidshipmanNBD18491795 - 1796MidshipmanNBD184911.1800 - 24.6.1801Midshipman ADM 6/24/44NBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
25.10.1793 - 1.11.1794Able SeamanNBD1849

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 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 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

Previous comments on this pageno comments to display

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Thursday 2nd of December 2021 22:01	Alan Beale	Jeremiah BealeBritish Naval Sailor Service 1779-1810
Wednesday 1st of December 2021 22:08	John Nicklin	Robert Giffard LeaverBritish Naval Sailor Service 1784-1795
Saturday 27th of November 2021 19:15	Tim Oakley	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Success' (1781) (32) 1781-1801 British 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Thursday 25th of November 2021 18:03	Tim Oakley	British sloop 'Morgiana' (1800) (16) 1800-1811 British 16 Gun Unrated Sloop
Thursday 25th of November 2021 16:12	Tim Oakley	British sloop 'Morgiana' (1800) (16) 1800-1811 British 16 Gun Unrated Sloop

GDPR Statement