British Third Rate ship of the line 'Defence' (1762)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Added
Sea-flower (4) 1714-1718
British 4 Gun
Merchant Sloop
Added
Charles BainsBritish
Ship Owner
Merchant Sailor
Service 1714-1718
Added
John ScottBritish
Merchant Sailor
Service 1798
Update
La Vengeance (20) 1797-1800
French 20 Gun
Privateer Unknown
Update
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Update
Woodcot (Unknown) 1786-1798
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Update
Raymond (Unknown) 1782-1798
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman (EIC Regular Ship)
Update
Cassandra (26) 1720-1723
Pirate 26 Gun
6th Rate Ship
Update
Cassandra (26) 1719-1720
British 26 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Added
Richard LazenbyBritish
Naval Sailor
Pirate
Service 1719-1723
See more...

Defence	322
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	13.12.1758	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	14.5.1759	BWAS-1714
Named	19.4.1759	BWAS-1714
Launched	31.3.1762	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	22.2.1770	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Bellona Class (1758)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Israel PownollBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1741-1779	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Wrecked	24.12.1811	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 0"Imperial Feet51.2064
Length of Keel138' 0"Imperial Feet42.0624
Breadth46' 9"Imperial Feet14.0589
Depth in Hold19' 9"Imperial Feet5.8166
Draught Forward12' 4"Imperial Feet3.7084
Draught Aft18' 0"Imperial Feet5.4864
Burthen1,603 ⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

31.3.1762Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1714
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
31.1.1758550Design Complement

16 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
22.2.1770 - 29.5.1771Captain ADM 6/20/271BWAS-171412.6.1778 - 8.1.1782Captain ADM 6/21/423BWAS-17148.1.1782 - 23.12.1783Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/395BWAS-171423.12.1783 - 18.11.1784Captain Transfered ADM 6/23/287
Issued by , East Indies - Asia
Confirmed 5.7.1785BWAS-171411.1784 - 1.1786CaptainBWAS-171418.11.1784 - 3.1.1786Captain ADM 6/23/492
Issued by , East Indies - Asia
Confirmed 2.12.1788ADM 6/2328.8.1790 - 14.12.1790Captain ADM 6/24/63ADM 6/246.5.1793 - 23.9.1794Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/236BWAS-171423.9.1794 - 1797Captain ADM 6/25/88BWAS-17143.1798 - 5.1798CaptainBWAS-17145.1798 - 11.1798CaptainBWAS-171411.1798 - 2.1799CommanderBWAS-17142.1799 - 26.5.1803CaptainBWAS-179327.5.1803 - 26.12.1805CaptainNAO11.1806 - 2.1811CaptainBWAS-17142.1811 - 24.12.1811Captain†BWAS-1714

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
10.1794 - 1794Rear-Admiral of the BlueBWAS-1714

15 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
28.8.1790 - 1.2.1793First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/63ADM 6/2428.8.1790 - 15.3.1793Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/63ADM 6/2428.8.1790 - 9.4.1793Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/63ADM 6/2428.8.1790 - 14.6.1793Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/63ADM 6/2410.9.1790 - 5.10.1790Fifth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/66ADM 6/2413.5.1793 - 25.10.1793First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/238ADM 6/2421.5.1793 - 28.2.1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/241ADM 6/2421.5.1793 - 25.2.1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/241ADM 6/2423.5.1793 - 22.12.1793Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/241ADM 6/2415.6.1793 - 25.2.1794Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/246ADM 6/243.12.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/288ADM 6/2423.12.1793 - 1793Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/293ADM 6/2426.2.1794 - 1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/25/15ADM 6/2526.2.1794 - 1794Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/15ADM 6/251.3.1794 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/16ADM 6/25

6 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
16.10.1779 - 3.4.1780Acting CarpenterADM 29-11794 - 1.6.1794Surgeonref:16651794 - 1.6.1794Master† Discharged DeadTNC1794 - 1.6.1794Boatswain†ref:16654.6.1803 - 1805Surgeonref:187619.10.1804 - 1805Masterref:1876

9 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1794MidshipmanADM 171/81794MidshipmanADM 171/81794MidshipmanADM 171/81794 - 1798MidshipmanADM 171/81794Master's MateADM 171/81794 - 1.6.1794Master's Materef:16653.12.1799 - 8.1802MidshipmanNBD18496.1803 - 24.12.1805Master's MateNBD18491804 - 20.2.1805MidshipmanNBD1849

16 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
26.5.1779 - 31.1.1786Able SeamanADM 29/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Ordinary SeamanADM 171/81794Ordinary SeamanADM 171/81794Ordinary SeamanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794Captain's ServantADM 171/81794Quarter GunnerADM 171/81.2.1807 - 4.7.1808Ordinary SeamanADM 29/8

1 Passenger

DatesRankNameSource
1794 - 1.6.1794Ensign, 16th Queen's Lancersref:1665

Service History

DateEventSource
1770Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
3.1770Commissioned as a guardship at PlymouthBWAS-1714
19.10.1770Completed at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £27690.3.4dBWAS-1714
19.10.1770Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £11208.17.11dBWAS-1714
29.5.1771

Paid off

ADM 33
6.1778RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1779Channel fleetBWAS-1714
4.1779Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
5.1779Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £4714.17.6dBWAS-1714
8.1.1780Attack on the Caracas Convoy
16.1.1780Battle of Cape St. Vincent
12.4.1781Arrived at Gibraltar as part of the relief fleetBWAS-1714
6.2.1782Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
20.6.17832nd Battle of Cuddalore
31.1.1786

Paid off

BWAS-1714
18.12.1790

Paid off

ADM 33
1.6.1794Glorious 1st of June
23.5.1795Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
13.7.1795Battle of Hyeres
1.8.1798Battle of the Nile
2.12.1798

Arrived at Gibraltar.

TNC
11.6.1800Her boats took Nochette and other gunboats off QuiberonBWAS-1714
11.6.1800Destroyed, with others, the Therese in Bourgheuf BayBWAS-1714
2.4.1801Battle of Copenhagen
28.9.1801Took the privateer Enfant du Carnaval off the Portugese coastBWAS-1714
28.9.1801Took the Privateer
3.7.1802

Paid off

BWAS-1714
5.1803RecommissionedBWAS-1714
7.1803Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
31.7.1803Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £10505.0.0dBWAS-1714
21.10.1805Battle of Trafalgar
26.12.1805

Paid off

ADM 33
4.1806Began large repair at Chatham - Kent BWAS-1714
1.1807Completed large repair at Chatham - Kent at a cost of £24535.0.0dBWAS-1714
8.1807Copenhagen expeditionBWAS-1714
15.8.1807Second Battle of Copenhagen
12.1807Blockade of CadizBWAS-1714
24.12.1811Wrecked on Laland Island off Jutland, 5 survivors out of 530BWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
14.8.1798-1798	Saumarez's Squadron 1798	Sir James SaumarezBritish Naval Sailor

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 171/8British Admiralty, Document

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 29/8 Archive

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

ADM 6/25 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NAOVarious, Web Site

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

TNCVarious, Periodical

ref:1665Thomas Trotter, Book

ref:1876Derek Ayshford, Pam Ayshford, Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Paul Howard on Thursday 5th of October 2023 06:45

HMS Defence performed convoy duties in early 1808 as in the Barbados Mercury & Bridgetown Gazette report of 27th February that 18 trading ships left the island on the 25th under convoy of Defence, Captain Ekins.

Posted by Phil FROOM on Thursday 20th of April 2023 18:37

Captain Henry Cox Royal Marines was present on Defence at Trafalgar. Wounded during the battle. On role for NGS.

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Thursday 4th of June 2026 20:01	James Daschuk	British steam sloop 'Devastation' (1841) (6) 1841-1866 British 6 Gun Unrated Steam Sloop
Thursday 4th of June 2026 14:56	AvM	British Merchant east indiaman 'Zephyr' (1790) (8) 1790-1798 British 8 Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:37	Jon Miller	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Pembroke' (1733) (60) 1733-1749 British 60 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:33	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate ship 'Mercury' (1745) (20) 1745-1753 British 20 Gun 6th Rate Ship
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:26	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate frigate 'Seahorse' (1748) (24) 1748-1784 British 24 Gun 6th Rate Frigate

GDPR Statement

Three Decks' Forum

Recent updates

Recent Comments

Defence

Dimensions

Armament

Crew Complement

16 Ship Commanders

1 Flag Officer

15 Commissioned Officers

6 Warrant Officers

9 Petty Officers

16 Crewmen

1 Passenger

Service History

Fleets

Sources

Recent comments to other pages