HMS Swiftsure (1673)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Swiftsure and HMS Revenge.
History
Great Britain
Name: HMS Swiftsure
Builder: Deane, Harwich
Launched: 1673
Renamed: HMS Revenge, 1718
Fate: Sold, 1787
Notes:
General characteristics as built[1]
Class & type: 70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 978 bm
Length: 123 ft (37 m) (keel)
Beam: 38 ft 8 in (11.79 m)
Depth of hold: 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m)
Sail plan: Full-rigged ship
Armament: 70 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1696 rebuild[2]
Class & type: 66-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 987 tons bm
Length: 148 ft (45 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 39 ft (12 m)
Depth of hold: 14 ft (4.3 m)
Sail plan: Full-rigged ship
Armament: 66 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1718 rebuild[3]
Class & type: 1706 Establishment 70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 1104 tons bm
Length: 150 ft (46 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 41 ft (12 m)
Depth of hold: 17 ft 4 in (5.28 m)
Sail plan: Full-rigged ship
Armament:
  • 70 guns:
  • Gundeck: 26 × 24 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 26 × 12 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 14 × 6 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 4 × 6 pdrs
General characteristics after 1742 rebuild[4]
Class & type: 1733 proposals 70-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 1258 tons bm
Length: 151 ft (46 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 43 ft 5 in (13.23 m)
Depth of hold: 17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)
Sail plan: Full-rigged ship
Armament:
  • 70 guns:
  • Gundeck: 26 × 24 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 26 × 12 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 14 × 6 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 4 × 6 pdrs

HMS Swiftsure was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Sir Anthony Deane at Harwich, and launched in 1673. By 1685 she had been reduced to a 66-gun ship.[1]

In 1692 she saw action at the Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue.

She was rebuilt by Snelgrove of Deptford in 1696 as a 66-gun third rate.[2] In 1707, she belonged to Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell's fleet. She saw action during the unsuccessful Battle of Toulon and was present during the great naval disaster off the Isles of Scilly when Shovell and four of his ships (Association, Firebrand, Romney and Eagle) were lost, claiming the lives of nearly 2,000[5] sailors. Swiftsure suffered little to no damage and finally managed to reach Portsmouth. She underwent a second rebuild at Woolwich Dockyard, relaunching on 20 November 1718 as a 70-gun third rate of the 1706 Establishment. She was renamed HMS Revenge at this time.[3] On 25 February 1740 Revenge was ordered to be taken to pieces at Deptford, and to be rebuilt as a 70-gun third rate to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment. She was relaunched on 23 May 1742.[4]

Revenge was sold out of the navy in 1787.[4]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p161.
  2. 1 2 Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p165.
  3. 1 2 Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p168.
  4. 1 2 3 Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p171.
  5. ↑ Sobel, Dava, Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time, Fourth Estate Ltd., London 1998, p. 6, ISBN 1-85702-571-7

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.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, October 14, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.