HMS Portland (1693)

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

HMS Portland was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Woolwich Dockyard on 28 March 1693.^[1] One of two 50-gun ships ordered on 17 February 1692 (the other was the Anglesea).^[3]

History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Portland
Ordered	17 February 1692
Builder	Joseph Lawrence, Woolwich Dockyard
Launched	28 March 1693
Fate	Broken up, 1743
General characteristics as built[1]
Class and type	50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	636 39⁄94 bm
Length	125 ft 6 in (38.3 m) (gundeck) 103 ft 6 in (31.5 m) (keel)
Beam	34 ft (10.4 m)
Depth of hold	14 ft (4.3 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	50 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1723 rebuild[2]
Class and type	1719 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	772
Length	134 ft (40.8 m) (gundeck)
Beam	36 ft (11.0 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 2 in (4.6 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

She was present at Wager's Action a naval confrontation on 8 June 1708 N.S (28 May O.S.), between a British squadron under Charles Wager and the Spanish treasure fleet, as part of the War of Spanish Succession.^[4]

On 17 March 1709, Portland recaptured Coventry, which the 54-gun Auguste and the 54-gun Jason (1704) had captured in September 1704.^[5]

She was rebuilt according to the 1719 Establishment at Portsmouth, and was re-launched on 25 February 1723.

In July 1739 Edward Hawke, who later became the First Lord of the Admiralty, became the commander of Portland until 1743.^[6]

Portland was broken up later that same year.^[7]

Wager's Action off Cartagena, 28 May 1708

Notes

1. Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p164.
2. Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p170.
3. Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603–1714.
4. "Wager's Action off Cartagena, 28 May 1708". Royal Museums Greenwich. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
5. Roche (2005), pp.134 and 57.
6. Wiki-Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke
7. Colledge, p. 274

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
• Roche, Jean-Michel (2005) Dictionnaire des Bâtiments de la Flotte de Guerre Française de Colbert à nos Jours. (Group Retozel-Maury Millau).
• Winfield, Rif (1997), The 50-Gun Ship: A Complete History. Chatham Publishing (1st edition); Mercury Books (2nd edition 2005). ISBN 1-845600-09-6.
• Winfield, Rif (2009), British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603–1714: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Barnsley, UK; Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-040-6.