HMS Prince George (1772)
| History | |
|---|---|
 UK | |
| Name: | HMS Prince George |
| Ordered: | 11 June 1766 |
| Builder: | Chatham Dockyard |
| Laid down: | 18 May 1767 |
| Launched: | 31 August 1772 |
| Honours and awards: |
|
| Fate: | Broken up, 1839 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type: | Barfleur-class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen: | 1955 (bm) |
| Length: | 177 ft 6 in (54.10 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam: | 50 ft 3 in (15.32 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Complement: | 750 officers and men |
| Armament: | |
HMS Prince George was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 31 August 1772 at Chatham. During her career, she was upgraded to a 98-gun ship, through the addition of eight 12 pdr guns to her quarterdeck.[1]
In 1780, Prince George was part of Rodney's fleet at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. She took part in the Battle of the Saintes in 1782, and the Battle of Groix in 1795.
In 1807, Prince George, under Captain Woodley Losack, was in the West indies in the squadron under the command of Rear-Admiral Alexander Cochrane. The squadron captured the Telemaco, Carvalho and Master on 17 April 1807.[2]
In December Prince George participated in Cochrane's expedition that captured the Danish islands of St Thomas on 22 December and Santa Cruz on 25 December. The Danes did not resist and the invasion was bloodless.
Fate
Prince George was converted to serve as a sheer hulk in 1832. In 1835 she was used in a series of gunnery trials as a target ship, the results of which contributed to the rapid introduction of the shell firing gun.[3] The Prince George was broken up in 1839.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p179.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 16236. p. 330. 11 March 1809.
- ↑ Brown, Before the Ironclad, p133f
Sources
- 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.
- Brown, David K. (1990). Before the Ironclad: Development of Ship Design, Propulsion and Armament in the Royal Navy, 1815-60. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 9780870217845.