HMS Boyne was a 98-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Nicholas Diddams at Portsmouth Dockyard[3] and launched on 3 July 1810 at Portsmouth.[1] On 12 February 1814 she took part with HMS Caledonia in a hot action against the French line-of-battle ship Romulus off Toulon; the French 74 managed to escape to Toulon by sailing close to the coast to avoid being surrounded. With the 1817 changes to the rating system Boyne was rerated as a 104-gun first rate ship.[2]

Fight of the Romulus against HMS Boyne and HMS Caledonia, by Vincent Courdouan (1848)
History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Boyne
NamesakeBattle of the Boyne
Ordered25 June 1801
BuilderPortsmouth Dockyard
Laid downApril 1806
Launched3 July 1810
RenamedHMS Excellent, 1834
FateBroken up, 1861
General characteristics [1][2]
Class and typeBoyne-class ship of the line
Tons burthen2155 bm
Length186 ft (57 m) (gundeck)
Beam51 ft 5 in (15.67 m)
Depth of hold22 ft (6.7 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Complement738 (650 razeed)
Armament
  • 98 guns:
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs
  • Middle gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 30 × 18 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 2 × 18 pdrs, 12 × 32 pdr carronades
  • Forecastle: 2 × 18 pdrs, 2 × 32 pdr carronades
  • 76 guns (after being razeed):
  • Gundeck: 26 × 32 pdrs, 2 × 68 pdr carronades
  • Upper gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs, 2 × 68 pdr carronades
  • Quarterdeck: 2 × 18 pdrs, 12 × 32 pdr carronades
  • Forecastle: 2 × 18 pdrs, 2 × 32 pdr carronades

On 23 November 1824, Boyne was driven ashore at Portsmouth during a gale.[4] In 1826 she was cut down (razeed) to become a two-deck, 76-gun third-rate ship of the line.[2] On 1 December 1834 she was renamed HMS Excellent and became a training ship. On 22 November 1859 she was renamed HMS Queen Charlotte and paid off the following month before being broken up from December 1861.[1][2]

Boyne at Portsmouth 1826

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 183.
  2. ^ a b c d Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail: 1793 - 1817, p. 27.
  3. ^ "Nicholas Diddams".
  4. ^ "The Late Gales". The Times. No. 12508. London. 26 November 1824. col E, A, p. 3, 4.

References

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  • Lambert, Andrew (2012). The Challenge: Britain Against America in the Naval War of 1812. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 0-571-27319-X
  • 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 (2008): British Warships in the Age of Sail: 1793 - 1817. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-717-4.
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