HMS Lion (1709)
| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain
|
|
| Name: | HMS Lion |
| Builder: | Rosewell, Chatham Dockyard |
| Launched: | 20 January 1709 |
| Honours and awards: |
Second Battle of Cape Finisterre, 1747 |
| Fate: | Sold, 1765 |
| General characteristics as built | |
| Class and type: | 1706 Establishment 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen: | 914 bm |
| Length: | 144 ft (43.9 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam: | 38 ft (11.6 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 15 ft 8 in (4.8 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Armament: |
|
| General characteristics after 1738 rebuild | |
| Class and type: | 1733 proposals 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen: | 1,068 bm |
| Length: | 144 ft (43.9 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam: | 41 ft 5 in (12.6 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 16 ft 11 in (5.2 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Armament: |
|
HMS Lion or Lyon was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Chatham Dockyard to the 1706 Establishment and launched on 20 January 1709.
On 17 October 1709 Capt. Galfridus Walpole, the youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole, was appointed captain of LION (50 cannons). He maintained that post till 1714.
While commanding HMS Lion, on 22 March 1711, Walpole's ship was in Vado Bay on the Italian coast in the Mediterranean as lookout cruisers when they sighted four French enemy ships. Amongst those who gave chase and engaged the enemy for about two hours was HMS Lion who lost forty men. Walpole was so badly injured that his right arm was amputated by the ship's surgeon John Atkins who sat up for two nights with Walpole who gave the surgeon no thanks for the attention. According to legend, Walpole's sword, used on the Lion, was given to a young Horatio Nelson who was apparently wielding it when he too lost his right arm in the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 15 July 1797.
In September 1712, together with HMS Cornwall, Mary and HMS Superb, assisted Admiral John Jennings with landing troops at Barcelona.
On 9 December 1735 orders were issued for Lion to be dismantled and rebuilt according to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment at Deptford, from where she was relaunched on 25 April 1738.
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Wikipedia