HMS Scarborough (1696) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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 England |
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| Name | HMS Scarborough |
| Ordered | 22 February 1695 |
| Builder | James Parker, Southampton |
| Launched | 24 March 1696 |
| Commissioned | 1696 |
| Renamed | Garland 10 April 1712 |
| Captured | 1 November 1710 |
| Fate | Sold at Deptford on 25 August 1739 |
 France |
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| Name | Le Scarborough |
| Acquired | 1 November 1710 |
| In service | 1710–1712 |
| Captured | 31 March 1712 |
| Fate | Captured by two British ships and renamed HMS Garland |
.svg){kind=small} Great Britain |
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| Name | HMS Garland |
| Acquired | 31 March 1712 |
| Commissioned | April 1712 |
| General characteristics as built | |
| Class and type | 32-gun fifth rate |
| Tons burthen | 3918⁄94 tons (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 28 ft 7 in (8.71 m) |
| Depth of hold | 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 145/110 |
| Armament |
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| General characteristics 1719 Establishment | |
| Class and type | 20-gun sixth rate |
| Tons burthen | 3755⁄94 tons (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m) |
| Depth of hold | 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
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HMS Scarborough was a British warship built a long time ago, in 1696. She was a "fifth-rate" ship, which means she was a medium-sized warship with 32 guns. Her main jobs were to protect trade ships and fight against pirates.
This ship had an exciting history! She was first captured by the French, but then the British took her back. After that, her name was changed to HMS Garland. She even became a special type of ship called a "fireship" and took part in a big battle called the Battle of Passero in 1718. Later, she was rebuilt and served for many more years before being sold in 1744.
The name Scarborough was used for other ships before this one. This Scarborough was the third ship to have that name. The name Garland was also used for many ships, and this one was the fifth to be called Garland.
Contents
Building a Warship: HMS Scarborough
Building a ship like HMS Scarborough was a huge task! The order to build her was given on February 22, 1695. A shipbuilder named James Parker in Southampton was chosen for the job.
The ship was officially launched on March 24, 1696. This means she was put into the water for the first time. She was about 33 meters (108 feet) long on her main gun deck. Her width, or "beam," was about 8.7 meters (28 feet 7 inches). She was quite a large ship for her time!
When she was first built, HMS Scarborough had 32 guns. These included:
- Four "demi-culverins" on the lower deck. These were powerful cannons.
- Twenty to twenty-two 6-pounder guns on the upper deck. These fired cannonballs weighing 6 pounds.
- Four 4-pounder guns on the quarterdeck. These were smaller guns.
Building this impressive ship cost about £2,660, which was a lot of money back then!
Life at Sea: HMS Scarborough's Adventures
Early Years: Protecting Trade
HMS Scarborough began her active service in 1696. Her first captain was Richard Short. One of her early successes was capturing a French privateer ship called La Volontaire on July 20, 1696. Privateers were like armed ships that were allowed by their government to attack enemy ships.
In 1697, she sailed to the West Indies to join other British ships. They traveled to places like Cartagena and San Domingo, where they stopped many privateer ships. They even tried to visit Havana, but the local leader wouldn't let them in, so they went to Virginia instead.
Over the years, HMS Scarborough had several different captains, including Stephen Elliott, Thomas Hudson, and Henry Fowles. She traveled far, serving in the East Indies and the West Indies. In 1710, she helped protect a group of merchant ships, called a convoy, on their way to Guinea, Africa.
Captured and Recaptured
On November 1, 1710, something big happened: HMS Scarborough was captured by a French privateer ship near Guinea. The French ship had 30 guns, and they took Scarborough for their own navy, renaming her Le Scarborough.
But her time with the French didn't last long! On March 31, 1712, two British ships, the 50-gun Anglesea and the 40-gun Fowey, managed to take her back! It was a great victory for the British. After being recaptured, she was brought back to Britain.
A New Name: HMS Garland
After being taken back by the British, the ship was given a new name: HMS Garland. This happened on April 10, 1712. She then went through a big repair at Woolwich Dockyard, which cost a lot of money.
As HMS Garland, she continued her service. In 1715, she sailed to the Baltic Sea. A few years later, in 1717, she was changed into a "fireship." A fireship was a special kind of warship filled with flammable materials. Its job was to sail into enemy fleets and set them on fire!
The Battle of Passero
In 1718, as a fireship, HMS Garland joined a British fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. She took part in a very important naval battle called the Battle of Passero on August 11, 1718. This battle was a big victory for the British.
After the battle, in 1719, she was changed again. She became a "sixth-rate" ship with 20 guns. This meant she was a smaller warship than before. In 1721, she was used as a "quarantine guardship," which meant she helped make sure no diseases came ashore from other ships. Later that year, she was taken apart at Sheerness, ready to be rebuilt.
Rebuilt and Final Years
A New Beginning
HMS Garland was completely rebuilt at Sheerness Dockyard. The work started on October 12, 1721, and she was launched again on May 1, 1724. This was almost like getting a brand new ship!
After her rebuild, she was a 20-gun "sixth-rate" ship. Her main gun deck was now about 32.3 meters (106 feet 1 inch) long, and her width was about 8.6 meters (28 feet 4 inches). She was armed with twenty 6-pounder guns, all located on her upper deck. The cost for this rebuild was around £2,952.
Continued Service Around the World
After her rebuild, HMS Garland returned to active duty in 1727. She sailed with a fleet to the Baltic Sea and later served in South Carolina in 1728. She had several captains during these years, including Daniel Morris, George Anderson, and George Berkeley.
She traveled to Jamaica in 1731 and then returned home for repairs. In 1734, she sailed to the Mediterranean Sea under Captain Lord Aubrey Beauclerk. She continued to serve, visiting places like Newfoundland and the Mediterranean again in the late 1730s and early 1740s. Captain Henry Godsalve was her last commander, serving until 1744.
Where Did She Go?
After many years of service, HMS Garland was finally sold. This happened on September 27, 1744, at Sheerness. She was sold for £1,003. This marked the end of her long and adventurous career as a warship.
