British bomb vessel 'Comet' (1742)

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Yarmouth (64) 1745-1811
British 64 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1745)
Somerset (68) 1748-1778
British 68 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1748)
Santisima Trinidad (136) 1805-1805
British 136 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1805)
Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad (116) 1769-1805
Spanish 116 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1769)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Magicienne (32) 1781-1810
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1781)
L'Africaine (18) 1796-1796
French 18 Gun
Unrated Unknown
(1796)
Quebec (32) 1781-1816
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1781)
Diamond (38) 1794-1812
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1794)
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Comet
Nominal Guns	8	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	14.9.1741	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	8.10.1741	BWAS-1714
Launched	29.3.1742	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	30.3.1742	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Rotherhithe - London - Surrey	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Comet Class (1741)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	The SurveyorsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1739-1806	BWAS-1714
Constructor	James TaylorBritish Ship Builder Service 1739-1746	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Bomb Vessel	BWAS-1714
Sold	11.5.1749	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck91' 10"Imperial Feet27.7368
Length of Keel75' 0 ⅞"Imperial Feet22.8822
Breadth26' 3 ¼"Imperial Feet7.9312
Depth in Hold11' 2"Imperial Feet3.4036
Burthen275 ⁵⁵⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

29.3.1742Broadside Weight = 19 Imperial Pound ( 8.6168 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck8 British 4-Pounder
Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Gun Deck1 British 10" Mortar
Gun Deck1 British 13" Mortar

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
9.174160Design Complement

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
27.3.1742 - 4.3.1742/43Commander ADM 6/16/36BWAS-17145.3.1742/43 - 25.12.1743Commander ADM 6/16/190
Confirmed 17.6.1743BWAS-17144.9.1744 - 12.2.1744/45Commander ADM 6/17/213
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 30.3.1747ODNB13.3.1744/45 - 14.5.1745Commander ADM 6/17/17
Confirmed 5.11.1745ADM 6/1714.5.1745 - 2.1.1745/46Commander ADM 6/17/213
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 30.3.1747ADM 6/1722.1.1745/46 - 10.5.1747Commander ADM 6/17/450
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 20.3.1748/49BWAS-171410.5.1747 - 6.1.1748/49Commander ADM 6/17/421
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 13.12.1748BWAS-1714

5 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
30.3.1742 - 2.9.1743Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/16/37ADM 6/1617.9.1743 - 2.10.1743Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/16/218ADM 6/1625.5.1744 - 27.7.1744Lieutenant ADM 6/16/525
Confirmed 8.8.1745ADM 6/1615.2.1744/45 - 21.5.1746Lieutenant ADM 6/17/460
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 5.5.1749ADM 6/1721.5.1746 - 6.1.1748/49Lieutenant ADM 6/17/421
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 13.12.1748ADM 6/17

Service History

DateEventSource
29.3.1742Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
20.5.1742Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £1890.18.5dBWAS-1714
18.2.1742/43Attack on La Guaira
9.1743Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
10.1743Refitted as a 10 gun Unrated Unknown
10.1743Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £1239.16.11dBWAS-1714
22.10.1744Took the Privateer South Part of Nantucket Shoals losing 1 woundedref:1925
12.2.1745Taken by ref:946
12.2.1744/45Taken by the Spanish taken and retaken same day
23.2.1745Attack on the British convoy in Antigua
1747

At Louisbourg

BWAS-1714
6.1.1748/49

Surveyed

BWAS-1714
6.1.1748/49

Paid off at Deptford Dockyard

ADM 33
17.3.1748/49

Ordered to be sold

BWAS-1714
11.5.1749

Sold at Deptford for £502

BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 6/16 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ODNBOxford University Press, Web Site

ref:1925 Newspaper

ref:946Various, Web Site

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Date posted	By	Page
Thursday 23rd of July 2026 13:29	keith wilkie	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Yarmouth' (1745) (64) 1745-1811 British 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Thursday 23rd of July 2026 13:13	keith wilkie	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Somerset' (1748) (68) 1748-1778 British 68 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 04:24	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Santisima Trinidad' (1805) (136) 1805-1805 British 136 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 01:36	F.F.	Spanish First Rate ship of the line 'Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad' (1769) (116) 1769-1805 Spanish 116 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:47	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop

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