Jump to content

HMS Illustrious (1789)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Magic links bot (talk | contribs) at 14:12, 16 June 2017 (Replace magic links with templates per local RfC and MediaWiki RfC). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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

Model of HMS Illustrious at Buckler's Hard
History
Royal Navy EnsignGreat Britain
NameHMS Illustrious
Ordered31 December 1781
BuilderAdams, Bucklers Hard
Laid downSeptember 1784
Launched7 July 1789
FateWrecked, 1795
Notes
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeArrogant class ship of the line
Tons burthen1616 bm
Length168 ft (51 m) (gundeck)
Beam46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
Depth of hold19 ft 9 in (6.02 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull rigged ship
Armament
  • 74 guns:
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 28 × 18 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 14 × 9 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 4 × 9 pdrs

HMS Illustrious was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 7 July 1789 at Bucklers Hard.[1] She participated in the Battle of Genoa after which she was wrecked.

Service

In 1793, Illustrious was involved in the Siege of Toulon. In 1795, she earned a Battle Honour in the Battle of Genoa, during which Captain Nelson aboard Agamemnon captured Ça Ira. Illustrious was badly damaged in the engagement with the van of the French fleet.

Loss

After the battle, Meleager was towing Illustrious when she broke free of her tow. Then the accidental firing of a lower deck gun damaged the ship so that she took on water.[2] She attempted to anchor in Valence Bay (between Spezia and Leghorn) to ride out the bad weather that had descended upon her. Her cables broke, however, and she struck on rocks and had to be abandoned.[2] Lowestoffe and Tarleton took off her stores, and all her crew were saved.[2] Her hull was then set on fire.[3]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p180.
  2. ^ a b c Gossett (1986), p.7.
  3. ^ Ships of the Old Navy, Illustrious.

References

  • Gossett, William Patrick (1986). The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793-1900. Mansell. ISBN 0-7201-1816-6.
  • 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.
  • Michael Phillips. Illustrious (74) (1789). Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Illustrious_(1789)&oldid=785971403"