HMS Spencer (1800)
| History | |
|---|---|
 UK
|
|
| Name: | HMS Spencer |
| Ordered: | 19 September 1795 |
| Builder: | Adams, Bucklers Hard |
| Laid down: | September 1795 |
| Launched: | 10 May 1800 |
| Honours and awards: |
|
| Fate: | Broken up, 1822 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | 74-gun third-rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen: | 1917 (bm) |
| Length: | 180 ft 10 in (55.12 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam: | 49 ft 3 in (15.01 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 21 ft 10 in (6.65 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament: | |
HMS Spencer was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 10 May 1800 at Bucklers Hard. Her designer was the French émigré shipwright Jean-Louis Barrallier. She served in two major battles, Algeciras Bay and San Domingo, and in a number of other campaigns. She was broken up in 1822.
Captain Henry D'Esterre Darby commissioned Spencer in June 1800.
By July 1801 Spencer was at the Rock of Gibraltar in the squadron under the command of Rear Admiral James Saumarez in Caesar On 6 July Saumarez sailed from Gibraltar with Caesar, Pompee, Spencer, Venerable, Hannibal and Audacious with the intention of attacking Admiral Linois's squadron of three French line-of-battle ships and a frigate, which were lying a considerable distance from the batteries at Algeciras. As Venerable, the leading ship, approached the wind dropped and she was forced to anchor. Pompee managed to get into action but Hannibal grounded and was forced to strike. In the battle the British drove two of the French ships ashore and badly damaged the rest. The total loss in the British squadron was 121 killed, 240 wounded, and 14 missing. The Franco-Spanish force lost 317 men killed and some 3-500 wounded.
On 8 July a squadron of five Spanish ships-of-the-line, a French 74, three frigates and a large number of gunboats reinforced the French ships. Hard work repaired all the British ships at Gibraltar, except Pompee in time for them to follow the Franco-Spanish fleet when it sailed on 12 July. In the subsequent second phase of the Battle of Algeciras Bay, the two first rates Real Carlos and Hermenegildo fired upon each other during the night, caught fire and exploded, with tremendous loss of life. The British captured the third rate St Antoine. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issue of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Gut of Gibraltar 12 July 1801" to all surviving claimants from the battle; 192 medals were issued.
...
Wikipedia