Mars-class ship of the line

Class overview
Name:	Mars
Operators:	Royal Navy
Preceded by:	Valiant class
Succeeded by:	Ajax class
In service:	25 October 1794 - 1823
Completed:	2
General characteristics
Type:	Ship of the line
Length:	176 ft (54 m) (gundeck) 144 ft 3 in (43.97 m) (keel)
Beam:	49 ft (15 m)
Propulsion:	Sails
Armament:	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Upper gundeck: 30 × 24 pdrs Quarterdeck: 12 × 9 pdrs Forecastle: 4 × 9 pdrs
Notes:	Ships in class include: Mars, Centaur

The Mars-class ships of the line were a class of two 74-gun third rates of the large class, designed for the Royal Navy by Sir John Henslow.

The two ships of the Mars class were the first large 74s since the Valiant-class of 1759, carrying the heavier armament of 24 pdrs on their upper decks, as opposed to the 18 pdrs of the middling and common classes.

Ships

• HMS Mars

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 17 January 1788

Launched: 25 October 1794

Fate: Broken up, 1823

• HMS Centaur

Builder: Woolwich Dockyard

Ordered: 17 January 1788

Launched: 14 March 1797

Fate: Broken up, 1819

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.