HMS Enterprise (1705)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Enterprise.

"L'Entreprise" redirects here. For other uses, see French ship L'Entreprise.

HMS Enterprise (sometimes spelled Enterprize) was a 24-gun sixth-rate (named Enterprise^[1] or L'Entreprenante^[2]) of the French Navy captured by HMS Triton (also spelt as Tryton^[3]) on 7 May 1705.^[4] She was registered as a Royal Navy ship on 1 June 1705 and commissioned shortly afterwards. She served in the Mediterranean and with Admiral Byng's squadron at the Downs. She was wrecked in 1707 with the loss of all hands.^[5]

History
France
Name	L'Entreprise
Commissioned	1705
Captured	By Royal Navy, 7 May 1705
Great Britain
Name	HMS Enterprise
Acquired	1 June 1705
Commissioned	1705
In service	1705–1707
Fate	Wrecked off Thornton, Lancashire, 12 October 1707
General characteristics
Class and type	24-gun sixth rate
Tons burthen	320 75⁄94 (bm)
Length	93 ft 0 in (28.3 m) gundeck 79 ft 9 in (24.3 m) keel for tonnage
Beam	27 ft 6 in (8.4 m) for tonnage
Depth of hold	11 ft 5 in (3.5 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	115
Armament	20 × 6-pdr guns on wooden trucks 4 × 4-pdr guns on wooden trucks

She was the first vessel in the Royal Navy to be named Enterprise.^[6]

Specifications

She was captured on 2 May and registered as a Royal Naval vessel on 1 June 1705. Her gundeck was 93 feet 0 inches (28.3 metres) with her keel for tonnage calculation of 79 feet 9 inches (24.3 metres). Her breadth for tonnage was 27 feet 6 inches (8.4 metres). Her tonnage calculation was 320+75⁄94 tons. Her armament was twenty 6-pounders on the upper deck and four 4-pounders on the quarterdeck, all on wooden trucks.^[7]

Commissioned service

She was commissioned in 1705 under the command of Commander John Paul, RN for service in the Mediterranean then was assigned to Admiral Byng's squadron for the winter of 1706/07 in the Downs. On 17 May 1707 Commander William Davenport assumed command.^[8][9]

Loss

She was wrecked off Thornton, Lancashire, (near Blackpool) with the loss of all hands on 12 October 1707.^[10]

Citations

1. Lyon
2. Winfield
3. Colledge, Tryton
4. Lyon
5. Winfield
6. Colledge
7. Winfield
8. Lyon
9. Winfield
10. Winfield

References

• Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail (1603–1714), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2009, EPUB ISBN 9781783469246, Chapter 6, The Sixth Rates, Vessels acquired from 18 December 1688, Sixth Rates of 20 guns and up to 26 guns, Ex-French Prizes (1704–09), Enterprise
• Colledge, Ships of the Royal Navy, by J.J. Colledge, revised and updated by Lt Cdr Ben Warlow and Steve Bush, published by Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, Great Britain, © 2020, e ISBN 978-1-5267-9328-7 (EPUB), Section E (Enterprise)
• Lyon, The Sailing Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy, Built, Purchased and Captured, 1688–1860, by David Lyon, published by Conway Maritime Press, 1993, ISBN 978-0-85177-617-0, Enterprise, page 192