Albion-class ship of the line (1763)

The Albion-class ships of the line were a class of five 74-gun third rates, designed for the Royal Navy by Sir Thomas Slade.

Class overview
Name	Albion
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Ramillies class
Succeeded by	Elizabeth class
In service	16 May 1763 - 1820
Completed	5
Lost	1
General characteristics
Type	Ship of the line
Length	168 ft (51.2 m) (gundeck) 139 ft 3⁄4 in (42.4 m) (keel)
Propulsion	Sails
Armament	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounders Quarterdeck: 14 × 9-pounders Forecastle: 4 × 9-pounders

Design

Slade based the design of the Albion-class on the lines of the 90-gun ship Neptune.

Ships

• HMS Albion

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 1 December 1759

Launched: 16 May 1763

Fate: Wrecked, 1797

• HMS Grafton

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 22 October 1767

Launched: 26 September 1771

Fate: Broken up, 1816

• HMS Alcide

Builder: Deptford Dockyard

Ordered: 21 August 1774

Launched: 30 July 1779

Fate: Broken up, 1817

• HMS Fortitude

Builder: Randall, Rotherhithe

Ordered: 2 February 1778

Launched: 23 March 1780

Fate: Broken up, 1820

• HMS Irresistible

Builder: Barnard, Harwich

Ordered: 8 July 1778

Launched: 6 December 1782

Fate: Broken up, 1806

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.