British Third Rate ship of the line 'Excellent' (1787)

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Excellent	4160
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	9.8.1781	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	3.1782	BWAS-1714
Acquired	27.11.1787	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	7.1790	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Harwich - Essex	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Edgar Class (1774)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Joseph GrahamBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	10.1835	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 0"Imperial Feet51.2064
Length of Keel138' 0"Imperial Feet42.0624
Breadth46' 11"Imperial Feet14.025
Depth in Hold19' 9"Imperial Feet5.8166
Burthen1,615 ⁷¹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

27.11.1787Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1793
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
25.8.1774550Design Complement

15 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
30.7.1790 - 9.12.1790Captain: on board from 3.8.1790 ADM 6/24/56BWAS-171429.8.1793 - 20.3.1794Captain ADM 6/24/264BWAS-171420.3.1794 - 15.4.1794Captain Transfered ADM 6/25/21ADM 6/2517.4.1794 - 14.5.1794Captain ADM 6/25/33BWAS-171414.5.1794 - 15.5.1794Captain ADM 6/25/42NAO27.5.1794 - 10.1794Captain ADM 6/25/45BWAS-171410.1794 - 12.1794CaptainBWAS-17145.12.1794 - 14.1.1799Captain: on board from 21.12.1794 ADM 6/25/114BWAS-171414.7.1799 - 27.5.1802Captain Discharged ADM 196/68/191BWAS-17144.1802 - 5.1802CaptainBWAS-17145.1802Acting CaptainBWAS-17145.1802 - 7.1803CaptainBWAS-17147.1803 - 1806CaptainBWAS-17142.1807 - 1809CaptainBWAS-17141844CommanderNBD1849

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
3.6.1794 - 6.8.1794Rear-Admiral of the Red TransferedBWAS-1714

40 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
30.7.1790 - 27.2.1793First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/56ADM 6/2430.7.1790 - 27.2.1793Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/56ADM 6/2430.7.1790 - 27.2.1793Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/56ADM 6/2430.7.1790 - 27.2.1793Fourth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/56ADM 6/2430.7.1790 - 22.12.1790Fifth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/56ADM 6/2426.9.1793 - 17.3.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/269ADM 626.9.1793 - 7.10.1793Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/269ADM 626.9.1793 - 10.10.1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/269ADM 626.9.1793 - 17.3.1794Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/269ADM 611.10.1793 - 17.3.1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/274ADM 6/2411.10.1793 - 17.3.1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/274ADM 6/2431.10.1793 - 17.3.1794Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/279ADM 6/2418.3.1794 - 17.4.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/21ADM 6/2518.3.1794 - 6.5.1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/21ADM 6/2518.3.1794 - 17.4.1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/25/21ADM 6/2518.3.1794 - 2.6.1794Fourth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/25/21ADM 6/2518.3.1794 - 17.4.1794Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/21ADM 6/2518.4.1794 - 26.5.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/2518.4.1794 - 26.5.1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/2518.4.1794 - 27.5.1794Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/2518.4.1794 - 27.5.1794Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/2518.4.1794 - 7.7.1794Sixth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/257.5.1794 - 26.5.1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/40ADM 6/2527.5.1794 - 11.6.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/45ADM 6/2527.5.1794 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/45ADM 6/2527.5.1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/25/45ADM 6/2528.5.1794 - 1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/25/45ADM 6/2528.5.1794 - 1794Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/45ADM 6/2528.5.1794 - 1794Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/45ADM 6/2512.6.1794 - 1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/49ADM 6/2519.6.1794 - 1794Sixth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/51ADM 6/256.1798 - 6.1799Lieutenantref:61624.9.1803 - 16.11.1804LieutenantNBD184922.1.1806 - 1807LieutenantNBD184910.4.1832 - 15.10.1833LieutenantW02514.4.1832 - 1832LieutenantNBD18497.11.1832 - 1.3.1834LieutenantNBD184929.10.1840 - 4.3.1845First LieutenantNBD184915.2.1843 - 16.5.1843LieutenantNBD18493.8.1844 - 25.1.1845LieutenantBWAS-1793

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
2.11.1786 - 2.8.1790Boatswain Transfered ADM 196/1/23ADM 29-1

6 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1794 - 10.1794MidshipmanNBD18491799 - 29.4.1802Master's MateNBD18499.1799 - 12.1802MidshipmanNBD18491.1810 - 3.1810MidshipmanNBD184910.1834 - 1836Master's MateNBD18491841 - 8.6.1846Master's MateNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
13.8.1802 - 7.18061st Class VolunteerNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
11.1787Began coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
12.1787Completed at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £29746.16.11dBWAS-1714
12.1787Completed coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £8723.15.9dBWAS-1714
9.1790fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £5432.1.7dBWAS-1714
9.12.1790Paid offADM 51
6.1794In the ChannelBWAS-1714
6.1794fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £7053.0.0dBWAS-1714
7.1795Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
14.2.17972nd Battle of Cape St Vincent
14.2.1797Took the Ship of the Line at the 2nd Battle of Cape St Vincent
9.1797Flagship at the Blockade of CadizBWAS-1714
14.1.1799Paid offBWAS-1714
6.1799Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
8.1799Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £13685.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.10.1799Took the Sloop near Lorient
4.1802Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
6.1803Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
8.1803Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £14898.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.1803Joined the fleet of ToulonBWAS-1714
1806Operations in the Bay of NaplesBWAS-1714
9.1806Began refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
3.1807Completed refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £16267.0.0dBWAS-1714
28.7.1809Attack at Duino
9.4.1810Paid offADM 51
1.1812Began large repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
1.1814Into ordinaryBWAS-1714
1.1814Completed large repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £54416.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.5.1820Ordered converted to a Fourth Rate frigate.BWAS-1714
6.1825Receiving ship at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
6.1825Refitted as a Unrated Receiving Ship
12.1825Converted to a Fourth Rate frigate begun, but not completedBWAS-1714
1830Gunnery training hulk at PortsmouthBWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 20th of July 2026 06:24

Portsmouth, 1 August 1801: Pursuant to orders from the Admiralty to General Bowater, Colonel Commandant of the Plymouth Division of Marines, all the Marines fit for service have been embarked on board the Excellent, and Achilles, of 74 guns, which have sailed to join the Channel Fleet. [Portsmouth Telegraph, 3 August 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Thursday 16th of July 2026 15:29

Advertisement: For sale, at Brewer’s, the London Inn, Plymouth, on Thursday, the fourteenth of May next, the good chasse marée La Jeune Sophie. French-built, quite new, and well found; a prize to his Majesty’s ship of war, the Excellent, the Hon Robert Stopford, commander.
Thomas Lockyer, Sworn Broker. [Exeter Flying Post, 7 May 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 13th of July 2026 19:14

Prize Money: Excellent – Will be paid for la Belle Francaise, l’Heureux, and la Belle Julie, on board, at Plymouth, before she proceeds to sea. [Hampshire Telegraph, 13 April 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 13th of July 2026 13:26

Portsmouth, 11 April 1801: A Lieutenant of the St Fiorenzo having impressed part of the crew of the Earl St Vincent, Captain Richards, and the boats of the Excellent, of 74 guns, having also impressed the remainder, Admiral Sir C Palley, with his usual promptitude to redress the grievance of any merchant, sent a boat to have the men restored, but they had sailed previous to his order. [Hampshire Telegraph, 13 April 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 30th of June 2026 03:22

Portsmouth, 30 March 1816: The following thirty ships, at this port, are ordered to be sold, or taken to pieces. Those employed as receiving ships, powder ships, and military depots, are to be retained so long as they may be required for those services: Blake, Fortunee, Gladiator, Malacca, Emerald, Castor, Prince, Excellent, Elephant, Mars, Magnificent, Royal Oak, Swiftsure, Victorious, York, Hyperion, Atlas, Fortitude, San Antonio, Bull Dog, Alcide, Robust, Cuba, Squirrel, Pluto, Speedy, Prince George, Arve Princen, Hygeia.
The Tuscan and Tickler, at Plymouth, are to be sold; the Majestic and Medusa have been broken up at Pater Yard. [Hampshire Telegraph, 1 April 1816]

Posted by Roger Hutchins on Wednesday 1st of August 2018 15:11

Petty Officers: Pascoe Dunn (1786-1826) Master's Mate serving as Acting Lieut on her "off Cadiz" August 1808, when appointed to take the Italian brig prize Ronco to a British port. (ADM 9/5/1401 (1817).

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