HMS Prince of Wales (1794)

History
UK
Name:	HMS Prince of Wales
Ordered:	29 November 1783
Builder:	Portsmouth Dockyard
Laid down:	May, 1784
Launched:	28 June 1794
Fate:	Broken up, 1822
Notes:	Participated in: Battle of Groix Battle of Cape Finisterre
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:	Boyne-class ship of the line
Tons burthen:	2024 ^1⁄94 (bm)
Length:	182 ft 3 in (55.55 m) (gundeck) 149 ft 11.375 in (45.70413 m) (keel)
Beam:	50 ft 3 in (15.32 m)
Depth of hold:	21 ft 9 in (6.63 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

HMS Prince of Wales was a 98-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 June 1794 at Portsmouth.^[1]

In the spring of 1795, she served as the flagship of Admiral Henry Harvey who commanded a squadron in the North Sea^[2] and later participated in the Battle of Groix in 1795. Prince of Wales served as the flagship of Admiral Robert Calder at the Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1805. She was not present at Trafalgar. In consequence of the strong feeling against him for his conduct at Cape Finisterre, Calder had demanded a court-martial. Nelson was ordered to send Calder home, and allowed him to return in his own flagship, even though battle was imminent. Calder left in early October 1805, missing the battle.

Prince of Wales was broken up in December 1822.^[1]

Notes

1. Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p183.
2. Eschels, Jens Jacob (1983) [1835]. Lebensbeschreibung eines alten Seemannes (in German). Husum: Husum Druck. und Verlagsgesellschaft. pp. 259–261. ISBN 3-88042-201-X.

References

• Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
• Winfield, Rif (2007) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792: Design, Conmstruction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.