HMS Alfred (1778)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Alfred.

Alfred
History
Great Britain
NameHMS Alfred
Ordered13 August 1772
Builder
  • Joseph Harris (August 1772 - March 1773)
  • William Gray (March 1773 - February 1774)
  • Israel Pownoll (February 1774 - October 1778)
Laid downNovember 1772 at Chatham Dockyard
Launched22 October 1778
FateBroken up, 1814
Notes
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeAlfred-class ship of the line
Tons burthen1638 (bm)
Length169 ft (52 m) (gundeck)
Beam47 ft 2 in (14.38 m)
Depth of hold20 ft (6.1 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns
  • Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounder guns
  • QD: 14 × 9-pounder guns
  • Fc: 4 × 9-pounder guns

HMS Alfred was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 22 October 1778 at Chatham Dockyard.[1]

Career

She fought at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1780.

Alfred (middle left) at the Battle of Frigate Bay 26 January 1782

She was at the Battle of Saint Kitts, also known as the Battle of Frigate Bay, that took place on 25 and 26 January 1782 during the American Revolutionary War between a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and a larger French fleet under the Comte de Grasse. In the Battle of the Saintes on 9 April 1782 she led Hood's van squadron at the head of the fleet, impudently crossing in front of the French fleet in a taunting fashion.[2] The article on the Second Battle of Copenhagen (1807? ) shows her as being under the command of Captain John Bligh. Other sources show that William “Bounty Bastard” Bligh was present at this battle in a ship equipped with the newer carronade guns intended for close quarter anti-personnel work.

Lloyd's List reported on 17 May 1795 that Alfred had captured a French 22-gun corvette off Cape Finisterre. The corvette had been sailing to the West Indies and Alfred took her into Barbados.[3]

Fate

Alfred was broken up in 1814.[1]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 180.
  2. ^ Famous Fighters of the Fleet, Edward Fraser, 1904, p.86
  3. ^ Lloyd's List №2820.

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.


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