British Third Rate ship of the line 'Scipio' (1782)

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Scipio	6492
Nominal Guns	64	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	11.11.1779	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.1780	BWAS-1714
Launched	22.10.1782	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Deptford Green - Deptford - Barnards' Thames Yards	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Crown Class (1779)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Edward HuntBritish Ship Builder Administrator Dockyard Staff Service 1757-1809	BWAS-1714
Constructor	William BarnardBritish Ship Builder Service 1763-1795	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	10.1798	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck160' 8"Imperial Feet48.7714
Length of Keel131' 8 ½"Imperial Feet39.9415
Breadth44' 8 ¾"Imperial Feet13.4303
Depth in Hold19' 5"Imperial Feet5.8053
Draught Forward12' 6"Imperial Feet3.7338
Draught Aft17' 10 ½"Imperial Feet5.1943
Burthen1,401 ⁶⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

22.10.1782Broadside Weight = 600 Imperial Pound ( 272.1 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck26 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck10 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

1794Broadside Weight = 678 Imperial Pound ( 307.473 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck26 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck10 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 24-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder
Roundhouse6 British 18-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1779500Design Complement

12 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
9.10.1782 - 18.10.1782Captain ADM 6/22/525ADM 6/2218.10.1782 - 17.3.1783Captain ADM 6/22/530BWAS-171417.3.1783 - 21.4.1783Captain ADM 6/23/35BWAS-171430.8.1786 - 4.10.1786Captain Transfered ADM 6/23/353BWAS-17144.10.1786 - 21.10.1789Captain ADM 6/23/358BWAS-171421.10.1789 - 19.7.1790Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/6BWAS-171417.7.1790 - 10.12.1790Captain ADM 6/24/51BWAS-17142.10.1794 - 1794Captain ADM 6/25/91ADM 6/251.1795 - 2.1795CaptainBWAS-17142.1795 - 3.1796CaptainBWAS-17143.1796 - 3.1797CaptainBWAS-17143.1797 - 22.11.1797CaptainBWAS-1714

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
21.10.1789 - 11.1789CommodoreBWAS-1714

10 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
7.1.1783 - 21.4.1783Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/23/4ADM 6/2321.4.1783 - 30.4.1783First Lieutenant ADM 6/23/53ADM 6/2321.4.1783 - 30.4.1783Third Lieutenant ADM 6/23/53ADM 6/2330.4.1783 - 8.6.1786Second Lieutenant ADM 6/23/59ADM 6/2318.12.1783 - 8.6.1786Third Lieutenant ADM 6/23/173ADM 6/2319.9.1787 - 29.8.1788Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/23/414ADM 6/2330.1.1790 - 18.7.1790Fourth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/18ADM 6/2427.10.1790Fourth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/82ADM 6/2428.10.1790 - 25.4.1791Fourth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/83ADM 6/2431.10.1795 - 21.11.1797Lieutenant ADM 196/3/80NBD1849

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1791 - bef.28.2.1791Surgeonref:1981

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
21.10.1789 - 26.6.1790MidshipmanADM 29/827.9.1795 - 10.1795MidshipmanNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
25.10.1788 - 20.10.1789Captain's ServantADM 29/8

Service History

DateEventSource
22.10.1782Completed at Deptford - London at a cost of £25616.17.11dBWAS-1714
11.1782Began coppering and fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
1783Paid offBWAS-1714
1783Began fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
15.1.1783Completed coppering and fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £6646.18.4dBWAS-1714
4.1783Recommissioned as a guard ship at ChathamBWAS-1714
9.1783Completed fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £1241.11.7dBWAS-1714
6.1786Paid offBWAS-1714
7.1786Began refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
8.1786Recommissioned as a guard ship in the MedwayBWAS-1714
11.1786Completed refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £4604.17.8dBWAS-1714
11.1789Paid offBWAS-1714
5.1790fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
4.1794Began repairs at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
11.1794RecommissionedBWAS-1714
5.1795Completed repairs at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £8805.0.0dBWAS-1714
8.8.1795Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
23.4.1796Capture of Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice
9.1797Returned to EnglandBWAS-1714
12.1797Paid offBWAS-1714
10.1798Broken up at ChathamBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 29/8 Archive

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

ADM 6/25 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ref:1981 Document

Previous comments on this page

Posted by John Seagrove on Wednesday 27th of October 2021 10:58

Scipio: Warrant Gunner John Seagrove snr. 1783-1798

Posted by Charles on Thursday 24th of July 2014 21:46

Extract of a letter from Sheerness Dec 28, 1784

"Arrived the Rambler and Marquis de Seignally [Seignelay?] cutters, and remain with Scipio and Otter sloop.
"The Centurion lying in ordinary at this port, is ordered up river to be repaired.
"The Ajax is ordered to be sold." (The Times 3 January 1785)

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