HMS Vanguard was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in 1678.[1]

HMS Vanguard as Duke, ca. 1750
History
Great Britain
NameHMS Vanguard
BuilderFurzer, Portsmouth Dockyard
Launched1678
RenamedHMS Duke, 1739
FateBroken up, 1769
Notes
General characteristics as built[1]
Class and type90-gun second-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen1,482
Length160 ft (48.8 m) (gundeck)
Beam44 ft (13.4 m)
Depth of hold18 ft 5 in (5.6 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament90 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1710 rebuild[2]
Class and type1706 Establishment 90-gun second-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen1,551
Length162 ft (49.4 m) (gundeck)
Beam47 ft (14.3 m)
Depth of hold18 ft 6 in (5.6 m)
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 90 guns:
  • Gundeck: 26 × 32 pdrs
  • Middle gundeck: 26 × 18 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 26 × 9 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 10 × 6 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs
General characteristics after 1739 rebuild[3]
Class and type1733 proposals 90-gun second rate ship of the line
Tons burthen1,625
Length174 ft (53.0 m) (gundeck)
Beam50 ft (15.2 m)
Depth of hold20 ft 6 in (6.2 m)
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 90 guns:
  • Gundeck: 26 × 32 pdrs
  • Middle gundeck: 26 × 18 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 26 × 9 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 10 × 6 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs

She ran onto Goodwin Sands in 1690, but was fortunate enough to be hauled off by the boatmen of Deal.

Vanguard took part in the Battle of Barfleur as part of Edward Russell's fleet, and then in the following action at La Hougue when French ships were burned in 1692.

Vanguard sank in the Great Storm of 1703, while laid up in ordinary at Chatham Dockyard, but was raised in 1704 for rebuilding.[4] She was relaunched from Chatham on 2 August 1710 as a 90-gun second rate built to the 1706 Establishment.[2] In 1739 she was renamed HMS Duke, and rebuilt for a second time at Woolwich as a 90-gun second rate. She was rebuilt according to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment, and relaunched on 28 April 1739.[3]

In 1759, Duke, with a ship's complement of 800 souls under the command of Captain Samuel Graves, saw action during the Battle of Quiberon Bay.

Duke was broken up in 1769.[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p162.
  2. ^ a b Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p167.
  3. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p170.
  4. ^ Colledge, Ships of the Royal Navy.

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.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.