HMS Chester (1708)

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

HMS Chester was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Chatham Dockyard to the 1706 Establishment of dimensions, and launched on 18 October 1708.^[1] Chester was placed on harbour service in 1743 and was broken up in 1749.^[1]

The Capture of the Spanish galleon St Joseph, 23 September 1739, Chester (left, and Canterbury (right side)

History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Chester
Builder	Rosewell, Chatham Dockyard
Launched	18 October 1708
Fate	Broken up, 1749
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	1706 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	704 bm
Length	130 ft (39.6 m) (gundeck)
Beam	35 ft (10.7 m)
Depth of hold	14 ft (4.3 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns: Gundeck: 22 × 18-pdrs Upper gundeck: 22 × 9-pdrs Quarterdeck: 4 × 6-pdrs Forecastle: 2 × 6-pdrs

Chester along with HMS Canterbury, during the War of Jenkins' Ear captured the Spanish Caracca St Joseph on 23 September 1739. The St Joseph was probably the most valuable single prize of the war.^[2]

Notes

1. Lavery, Ships of the Line vol. 1, p. 168.
2. https://books.google.%7Cco.uk/books?id=Y5WCAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1732&lpg British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792: Design, Construction, Careers ..., by Rif Winfield, published 2007

References

• Lavery, Brian (1983) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.