HMS Dartmouth was a 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, one of eight such ships authorised by the Navy Board on 24 December 1695 to be newly built (six by commercial contract and two in the Royal Dockyards); the others were the Hampshire, Winchester, Salisbury, Worcester, Jersey, Carlisle and Tilbury. The contract for the Dartmouth was signed in 1696 with shipbuilder James Parker, for the ship to be built in his site in Southampton, taking the name of the previous Dartmouth of 1693 (which had been captured by the French in 1695), and she was launched there on 3 March 1698.[1]

The sinking of HMS Dartmouth, during the chase and capture of Glorioso, 8 October 1747
History
Royal Navy EnsignGreat Britain
NameHMS Dartmouth
Ordered24 December 1695
BuilderJames Parker, Southampton
Launched3 March 1698
Out of service8 October 1747
FateBlew up and sank in action on 8 October 1747
General characteristics as built[1][2]
Class and type50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen681 4794 bm
Length131 ft 3 34 in (40.0 m) (gundeck) 108 ft 10 12 in (33.2 m) (keel)
Beam34 ft 3 12 in (10.5 m)
Depth of hold13 ft 6 12 in (4.1 m)
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament50 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1716 rebuild[3][4]
Class and type1706 Establishment 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen711 6794 bm
Length130 ft 3 in (39.7 m) (gundeck) 108 ft 9 in (33.1 m) (keel)
Beam35 ft 1 in (10.7 m)
Depth of hold14 ft 4 in (4.4 m)
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament50 guns (see 1741 rebuild)
General characteristics after 1741 rebuild[5][6]
Class and type1733 proposals 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen856 4894 bm
Length134 ft (40.8 m) (on gundeck) 108 ft 2 in (33.0 m) (keel)
Beam38 ft 7 in (11.8 m)
Depth of hold15 ft 9 in (4.8 m)
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 50 guns
  • Gundeck: 22 × 18-pounder guns
  • Upper gundeck: 22 × 9-pounder guns
  • QD: 4 × 6-pounder guns
  • Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns

Career

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The Dartmouth was ordered on 3 March 1714 to be rebuilt according to the 1706 Establishment at Woolwich Dockyard, where she was re-launched on 7 August 1716[3][4] and formed part of the naval task force sent to Scotland to help subdue the Jacobite rising of 1719. The ship was taken to pieces at Sheerness Dockyard in September 1733, in order to be rebuilt again, and on 8 October 1736 the material was ordered to be sent to Woolwich Dockyard, where work commenced according to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment.[5] She was relaunched on 22 April 1741.[6]

Fate

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The Dartmouth (under the command of Captain James Hamnilton) blew up, killing most of her crew (only 12 survivors), near Cape St Vincent on 8 October 1747 in action against the Spanish ship of the line Glorioso.[6][7]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714, p.136.
  2. ^ Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p164.
  3. ^ a b Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714, p.144.
  4. ^ a b Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p168.
  5. ^ a b Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792, p.147.
  6. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p171.
  7. ^ "(untitled)". Lloyd's List. No. 1247. Lloyd's of London. 6 November 1747.

References

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  • 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 (1997), The 50-Gun Ship: A Complete History. Chatham Publishing (1st edition); Mercury Books (2nd edition 2005). ISBN 1-845600-09-6.
  • Winfield, Rif (2009) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-040-6.
  • Winfield, Rif (2007) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.
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